Reported today is the US intelligence community warning Trump that Russia is again interfering in the presidential election as they did in 2016.

Trump was reported in a rage hearing this, but the rage was not directed at Russia, it was against the US intelligence community. The next day Trump fired Joseph McGuire, the head of US intelligence and replaced him with loyalist Richard Grenell, a man with no experience in intelligence.

King Donald continues his spiral into destroying US democracy by getting rid of anyone who disagrees with him.

I just love the Democrats sudden respect for the assessments of the intelligence agencies . As I recall they were not so fond of ther intelligence assessments in 2002 . To refresh your memory here was the NIA


https://fas.org/irp/cia/product/iraq-wmd.html

Last week Trump was informed by the US Intelligence community that Russia was again interfering with a presidential election like they did in 2016.

Upon hearing this, Trump flew into a rage, but not at Russia. His anger was directed at the US Intelligence community where, the next day, he replaced the head of the agency Joseph McGuire and replaced him with Richard Grenell, a Trump loyalist with no experience in intelligence.

Trump, to date, has not said a word of warning to Russia.

King Donald continues his downward spiral away from this nation's democratic government to a monarchy - and not a benign one. The Senate is lost, the House is half lost, and the Supreme Court is questionable. Let us hope Trump can do no more damage until November's election.

I just love the Democrats sudden respect for the assessments of the intelligence agencies . As I recall they were not so fond of ther intelligence assessments in 2002 . To refresh your memory here was the NIA


https://fas.org/irp/cia/product/iraq-wmd.html


The Democrats had the foresight to know that that entire WMD business was a pack of lies.

even though most of them bought into it when Bubba was Pres

“One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line.”
President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998.“If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”
President Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998.“Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.”
Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998.“He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983.”
Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998
“[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs.”
Letter to President Clinton, signed by Sens. Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John
Kerry, and others Oct. 9, 1998.
“Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998.
“Hussein has … chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies.”

Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999.“There is no doubt that . Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies.”
Letter to President Bush, Signed by Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL,) and others,
Dec, 5, 2001.
“We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them.”
Sen. Carl Levin (d, MI), Sept. 19, 2002.
“We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country.”
Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.
“Iraq’s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power.”
Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002.
“We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seing and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002.“The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons…”
Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002.
“I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force — if necessary — to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security.”
Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002.
“There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years . We also should remember we have alway s underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction.”
Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002,
“He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do.”
Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002.​“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program.
He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members. It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.”
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002
“We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass
destruction. “[W]ithout question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime … He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation. And now he has continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction … So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real …
Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003.

Athos: I think President Trump is hell bent on changing the U.S. relationship with Russia. I think we all agree that the American-Russian relationship is archaic and needs to be addressed: We are effectively treating Russia today like we treated Russia in 1965 and Russia isn't even Bolshevik anymore. It is possible that Trump sees limited options in viewing an ever growing ChiCom threat: He can continue to treat Russia like a pariah and drive them into the ChiCom embrace OR he can work to drive a wedge between Russia and the ChiComs. I think Trump is looking at the potential of Russia as an ALLY, instead of a foe. Currently, the U.S. really can't say that they can rely on any nation if the ChiComs become belligerent....Russia has the natural resources the ChiComs seek and Russia has a the military might to counter ChiCom ambitions in the Far East.

Its possible we aren't see the whole U.S.-Russia dynamic and the true goals, from a U.S. perspective, of that dynamic.

Athos: I think President Trump is hell bent on changing the U.S. relationship with Russia. I think we all agree that the American-Russian relationship is archaic and needs to be addressed: We are effectively treating Russia today like we treated Russia in 1965 and Russian isn't even Bolshevik anymore: Our relationship with Russia smells like a McCarthy era time frame...it looks like Trump wants that to end...we can't keep believing Russians are hiding in every closet, ready to jump out and get us. It is possible that Trump sees limited options in viewing a ever growing ChiCom threat: He can continue to treat Russia like a pariah and drive them into the ChiCom embrace OR he can work to drive a wedge between Russia and the ChiComs. I think Trump is looking at the potential of Russia as an ALLY, instead of a foe. Currently, the U.S. really can't say that they can rely on any nation if the ChiComs become belligerent....Russia has the natural resources the ChiComs seek and Russia has a the military might to counter ChiCom ambitions in the Far East.

Its possible we aren't seeing the whole U.S.-Russia dynamic and the true goals, from a U.S. perspective, of that dynamic.

Vac be careful or you'll be accused of being a Russian bot . The new McCarthyites are the Democrats . They see Russians everywhere .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGgJPmOUmDU

tomder55: Yes, I know, but I don't know why the Democrats are so anti-Russian now....the Democrats used to love Russia and Bill and Hillary Clinton visited Russia in the Vietnam conflict era to organize protests efforts for the war and Bernie Sanders honeymooned in Soviet Russia during on of his three marriage honeymoons.....so I really don't get why the Democrats are so anti-Russia now after loving them so much for so many years.

I have always loved the soaring rhetoric and spin conservatives can put on things. Im truth the The WMD thing and the wholesale corruption of the meds for oil by darn near everybody still gave no cause for wholesale invasion or attacking Bagdad instead of all those military installations that were supposedly rebuilding delivery systems for whatever WMD's Saddam was supposeded to have. Bush dropped the ball by destabalizing the whole country and region. Count those continuing resolutions over the years to fund those efforts.

I can see working with Russia on many common interests, but if you don't see the difference between the Russian people and the dictator that rules them with his band of henchmen, I really don't know what to tell you folks except wear protection. Reagans words on the subject still ring true, Trust but Verify, and we know as much as we want a positive relationship with PUTIN, his actions make that really hard to say the least. Giving him a leg up in who our president is even a bigger mistake. I know our history, we have meddled in the affairs of others for a very long time with really mixed results and it's an old practice in the world, but let's get real since everybody has or will interfere on each others politics, seems to me we should be a lot better at it and a lot harder to have it done to us. We sure don't need OUR president shilling for PUTIN, and not looking out for US because it benefits him. TREASON? Your call, I have made mine.

I don't trust either of them and especially not in the same room! That has to be the ultimate stupidity, beyond foolish! Go ahead keep ignoring King Reagan and while your at it, turn in your Conservative ID cards, and get out of the liberals way.

Trump has been much tougher on Russia then the emperor ever was ,or Evita would've been . That is just the verifiable facts . How many Russian soldiers were killed by US troops under emperor Zero ? The answer is zero . Trump authorized lethal aid to Ukraine ;something the emperor did not do . Trump enforced red lines in Syria ;something the emperor did not do . Trump has moved missile defense weapons into Poland . Trump encourages and has the US participate in war games on the Russian border . Trump has imposed much tougher sanctions on Russia . So if Vlad the invader thought he was getting a good deal with Trump then he is dumber than he looks .

This is all smoke and mirrors by the Dems . They hate Trump more than the Russians. If Evita was there we would be seeing more things like American uranium to Russia for donations to the Clintoon Foundation .

Quid pro quo emperor style ......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mgQaFlo_p8

Nice spin Tom, but your verifiable fact only tell half the whole story, and while the Russian people may suffer most, PUTIN is still raking in his bucks for himself, his cohorts, and his military. The Ukraine debacle revealed some real verifiable facts, because Obama's international coalition took a long hard look at Ukraine before they sent them anything, and what they sent was more than just blankets, and you know it. The dufus sent anti tank stuff, and of course conservatives spin that as a big deal, but lets face it, it came with some dirty dealing and pressure to undermine the new government in favor of PUTIN. That too is a verifiable act, so lets not just ignore it, and cherry pick in favor of the dufus and his sycophants just because Moscow Mitch, and the boys gave the dufus an immunity from prosecution card he has used to clean house and purge his enemies both real, and perceived from his palace.

Keep cheering for the FIRST American dictator, who has completely run a coup on the repub party, and corrupted it like he corrupts everything he has ever gotten his hands into. Wake up conservatives! You aren't dealing with the Russian people, and NEVER will until PUTIN is GONE, and that ain't likely. A dictator and a snake oil salesman ain't a good relationship for anybody but them! AND that's the bottom line.

PS

A clip showing Obama and a different Russian president doesn't make your case either.

Talaniman: What really is the difference between DEALING WITH RUSSIA and DEALING WITH THE CHICOMS? I think I can say that the ChiComs are EVERY BIT AS BAD as Russia in all the ways you say Russia is bad or evil. Xi is Putin! maybe worse because he is probably sneakier. Just because we have massive TRADE WITH THE CHICOMS doesn't make them good.

Keep cheering for the FIRST American dictator, who has completely run a coup on the repub party,
By my count Trump is at least the 5th FIRST American dictator identified by the loony left (Nixon ,Reagan ,GWHBush ,GW Bush )That rhetoric ;as well as calling every Repub a Nazi or Hitler is real old .



Wake up conservatives! You aren't dealing with the Russian people,

Your hatred of Trump is leading to a very dangerous world .....much more dangerous than the last cold war . One way or another we have always "dealt " with the Russian leadership aka tzar . WE fought the commies in favor of the Romanov family

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/forgotten-doughboys-who-died-fighting-russian-civil-war-180971470/

We allied with Stalin in WWII
Kennedy negotiated nuclear test ban treaties with Khrushchev.He also secretly removed nukes from Turkey
Reagan and the commie dictator Gorbachev negotiated nuclear arms treaties .
Clintoon installed the "elected " leader of Russia Yeltzin .
Putin is just the latest tzar .
So stop pretending that we ever dealt with the Russian people .

No president to my knowledge has ever stood on the world stage and defended PUTIN while calling into question his own government specifically the intel community. I have never said we shouldn't work with the Russians, but do we have to slob on the guy, and ignore the bad stuff PUTIN does? Is it hatred to call out the bad stuff the dufus does?

According to conservatives it is.

Obama said he told Putin he better "cut it out". With such strong language as that, I'm sure Putin stopped all of his activities. After all, when you're told to "cut it out", then that has to be chilling. I'll bet that's what Chamberlain told Hitler. "Adolf, you better cut it out, and I mean it!" No doubt Putin went back and told all of his henchmen, "Guys, we have to straighten up. Mr. Obama told me I better cut it out."

As opposed to Russia if your listening help me beat Hillary! Worked so well he is trying for a repeat performance, and conservatives cheer, as the dufus cheats. No surprise since conservatives cheer when he lies, steals, and bullies even other conservatives who dare step out of line.

Except, of course, that Mueller's report puts the lie to your statement. Even the dems in the House gave up on that one. You need to take the saddle off and move on. That horse has been ridden to death.

only the dimwits would not recognize the sarcasm in his statement during the debate . I stand by what I wrote . If Putin backed Trump then he bet against his interests .

Now do I believe the Russians have meddled ? Of course . They were doing it years before Trump considered running . Do I believe an American political leader attempted to collude with Russia . You betcha
https://html1-f.scribdassets.com/4itq73cnnkcxa4f/images/1-b1641ac45b.jpg

Except, of course, that Mueller's report puts the lie to your statement. Even the dems in the House gave up on that one. You need to take the saddle off and move on. That horse has been ridden to death.

There you go with lying about what something even if you read but didn't understand that not only laid out Russian interference, encouraged by the dufus, but also pointed out the dufus and his ilk destroyed the evidence and obstructed the investigation. The horse may be dead, but let's be clear it's YOU and repubs that shot the horse. Poor horse didn't have a chance with the dufus and conservatives hunting him down.

Now do I believe the Russians have meddled ? Of course . They were doing it years before Trump considered running . It's absolutely true, just like it's true that we meddle in other countries. It is fact that Obama meddled in Israel's election a few years ago. I'm sure it has been going on since elections started, and even before that in the selection of kings/queens.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/12/obama-admin-sent-taxpayer-money-oust-netanyahu/

It's absolutely true, just like it's true that we meddle in other countries. It is fact that Obama meddled in Israel's election a few years ago. I'm sure it has been going on since elections started, and even before that in the selection of kings/queens.

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jul/12/obama-admin-sent-taxpayer-money-oust-netanyahu/

I can agree with you both, it's the history of man and gaining self interest through politics, but the issue is not history but the dufus solid control of a major political party and ruling it like a dictator and screw up our country.

The blame falls on repubs who worked hard for years to take over state houses to further their agenda and giving that hard work away to the a feckless corrupt dufus. Naw that's not hate, that's just me aggressively push back against conservative lies and misdirection. What liberals should just roll over to conservatives now? I don't think so!

The blame falls on repubs who worked hard for years to take over state houses to further their agenda and giving that hard work away to the a feckless corrupt dufus.So it's the repubs fault that Obama chose to interfere in Israel's election??? I bet you also think that the Japanese tsunami was the repub's fault.


The horse may be dead, but let's be clear it's YOU and repubs that shot the horse.Earth to Tal. It's the dem House that chose to not pursue the fake Russian story.

We need to start a real dialogue with Russia: In my opinion, what we really need is trade agreements with Russia and possibly military cooperation agreements with them so that we can better isolate the ChiComs.

When the Tiananmen Square episode occurred, a protester was interviewed and he said something VERY PROFOUND: "If the world doesn't change China, China will change the world!" We are seeing that right now: The Chinese influence in OUR MEDIA and in OUR ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY (Hollywood) and, even, in U.S. based athletics (NBA) is being felt....the ChiComs are exerting leverage into these and other aspects of our lives....what we see is a mere thimble of the box car load of influences they are peddling...and you can bet ChiCom influence is rampant in the halls of Congress and the Senate, especially at times of elections. Meanwhile, we are concerned at RUSSIA? We need a reality check!

I got this crazy idea to stop foreign interference in our elections . Let's have voter ids ! And maybe we should stop Russians contributing to our campaigns
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/russia-probe-witness-charged-funneling-millions-hillary-clinton-s-2016-n1096221

LOL, you know well I fully agree with voter ID's. I just abhor the way repubs add the tricks and traps and shenaigans to make it hard to get one, and easy to get purged from the rolls. Especially the favorite trick of keeping control of the statehouse, no matter if the dems out vote repubs. Honestly district redrawing is a dem trick too, but we can always just leave that to a computer! They make non partison maps.

So it's the repubs fault that Obama chose to interfere in Israel's election??? I bet you also think that the Japanese tsunami was the repub's fault.

I was very specific what I blamed repubs for so why are you adding to that with your nonsense? Can't you at least stay on subject?


Earth to Tal. It's the dem House that chose to not pursue the fake Russian story.

The articles of impeachment were specific about an event, and don't think there is a FAKE Russians story, except the one the dufus tells.

oh yeah the Dems are as pure as the driven slush when it comes to redictricting . The last Rep who represented me retired when his district (20th) was gerrymandered out of existance and was divided between the
17th, 18th, 19th and 22nd Congressional Districts. Since then I have been in districts where my Representative lives on the other side of the Hudson river . At one point it followed a thin like along the river and then divided our county so my rep lived 2 counties away on the other side of the river in the Bronx. I have never seen Nita Lowey or Elliot Engel when he was the rep visit my town .And now I am hearing nightmare rumors that Chelsea Clintoon wants to run for the seat.

I've acknowledged that both sides do it to death, and its shameful no matter who does it, and I feel for ya Tom being a minority in the biggest dem bastion in the country, but if you get here before spring you could vote for a long time repub incumbent no matter where you go...almost. I seem to do okay having lived in red states all my life, heck half my family is consevatives, or was. The elders are dying off and the newbies are difinitely more liberal and progressive than I am. It's all good. I guess, but my generation is getting old rather quickly.

I do feel for ya Tom, a little bit, since you seem to not be ready for the Mickey D's old folks coffee club. On second thought might be better to see if Texas turns blue the next few years.

yeah libs move into red states like locust through farmlands .

anyway this makes more sense ……


Bernie Sanders briefed by U.S. officials that Russia is trying to help his presidential campaign

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/bernie-sanders-briefed-by-us-officials-that-russia-is-trying-to-help-his-presidential-campaign/2020/02/21/5ad396a6-54bd-11ea-929a-64efa7482a77_story.html

Subscription expired. Darn.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-elections-bernie-sanders-condemns-russian-efforts-to-help-his-presidential-campaign/ar-BB10gmGi

Guess the Russians are back. In a maybe related case.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=trump+fires+intell+cheif&&view=detail&mid=9990CB5AEDE0CEE74A509990CB5AEDE0CEE74A50&&FORM=VDRVRV

The purge continues, or lets gut the government?

there are a lot of deep state-ers who still think they run the country over the elected President . Purge yeah call it that if you will . But the people Brennan and Clapper installed in the intel agencies indeed have to be purged if they continue to show blind loyalty to their former bosses . I am frankly shocked they keep going back to this Russia card . It is played out .It was a hoax from the beginning It was not to take out Trump initially .They wanted Flynn's head but had to go after Trump when he chose Flynn as a campaign and later National Security Advisor …..something the emperor warned Trump against doing .Now Trump will remain in their cross hairs and they will continue to reinvent it because they have the Dems believing the big lie

The truth is that before the Intel agencies were doing illegal FISA surveillance on the Trump team ;the emperor approved of them illegally doing domestic spying on members of Congress and the Senate .

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2014/12/a-brief-history-of-the-cias-unpunished-spying-on-the-senate/384003/

So yeah go ahead and tell me that the itel agencies and the Justice Dept agency personnel who participated do not need to be purged from government .

Tom, you are pretty well hitting the nail on the head. Anyone who really thinks that the Russkies want Trump to be reelected is really living in a fantasy world. His strengthening of the American military alone is a nightmare for Putin who would much rather have a Warren or Sanders in the White House.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-idUSKBN20F01B

an even worse nightmare than that is that Trump has allowed the US to unleash it's energy resources . The world price of energy falls meaning less money for Putin and his oligarch benefactors .Our policies have also eaten into the Kremlin's market share .I would say pols like il duce Cuomo who still refuses to allow fracking and the building of LNG pipelines in the state of NY ….and the dopes in Mass. who actually import Russian LNG ;are the ones colluding with Russia.
https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/gas-and-oil/massachusetts-limits-gas-pipelines-imports-lng-russia-instead/

an even worse nightmare than that is that Trump has allowed the US to unleash it's energy resources . The world price of energy falls meaning less money for Putin and his oligarch benefactors Another really good point. During the debate you had Warren bragging that she would close off public lands to energy exploration and shut down off shore exploration. How dense can a person be? Our achievement of energy independence under Trump was somethig that we could have just dreamed about even twenty years ago. It is virtually a gift from God, and Warren would just throw it out the window. So yeah, the Russians would LOVE to have her in the WH.

It has been concluded that the Russians DID NOT get into the voting machines or any other electronic voting system. The whole idea Russia could have a big influence on our elections through some YouTube account or Twitter account would force us to suspend our capacity to think logically: This is an argument built on sand...its a bucket that cannot hold water.

It would be a good idea that Trump line everyone who works for him up and go to each one and demand an OATH OF LOYALTY: that way, any leakers or spies could be prosecuted and imprisoned, if necessary. An Oath Of Loyalty would stop all the O-bama spy network in its tracks.

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB10cFVO.img?h=416&w=624&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f&x=1935&y=834

There should be a rule about to many conservatives getting together any place, but church. At least God can keep an eye on them.

Pardon Stone! Pardon Flynn! Blago has a story to tell: About how filthy the Demo APPARATUS is in Illinois.

You think the dems are filthy in Illionois? Check ot the repbus going back many years. Funny how a lawful conviction by 12 people all of a sudden means NOTHING! When did that happen?

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB109Qyj.img?h=416&w=624&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f

Funny how a lawful conviction by 12 people all of a sudden means NOTHING! When did that happen?When did that happen? Maybe the seventy people that Obama pardoned?

https://www.thoughtco.com/people-pardoned-by-president-barack-obama-3367599

OMG that means the dufus has thousands of pardons to go including all his friends. The world sucks sometimes.

https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB10fmu8.img?h=416&w=624&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f
https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB10a9Cs.img?h=416&w=624&m=6&q=60&u=t&o=f&l=f

Pardons okay they all d it, but don't remember this much turnover in any other administration. I guess he is draining the swamp with his lying, cheating, stealing, a$$!

Pardons okay they all d it, but don't remember this much turnover in any other administration. I guess he is draining the swamp with his lying, cheating, stealing, a$$!So you strike out on the issue of pardons, so let's change the subject? Clever!

I don't mind being wrong if I am, not a big deal. We live and learn. I don't dwell on it either, since being stuck keeps you from striving to learn more, plus I thought pardons and staffing were related to the same person, so relevant.

Your staffing question is a legit point. It concerns me that so many people have come and gone with Trump.

so let me get this straight . The intel agencies told Bolshevick Bernie that the Russians were trying to help his campaign . But they didn't tell candidate Trump in 2016 . Hmmm They also told FrankenFeinstein that there was a Chinese spy working on her staff . Hmmm .

The Ruskies have a single mazut fueled turbine engine aircraft carrier as the only carrier in their fleet …..The Admiral Kuznetsov . It bellows black smoked making it visible from miles away . It has a ski slope deck design because they don't use catapults to propel their jets off the deck. It is in a constant state of non-repair .During one docking period a crane crashed through the deck . They fixed that ,but in December they had a fire on the boat .That was not the first time it had a fire .

But as the Kuznetsov rounded Europe and headed towards the Syrian coast, the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet kept close by in case the carrier … sank.


https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-navy-was-worried-old-russian-aircraft-carrier-could-sink-124646


But these same Russians have the resources to corrupt the whole American electoral system ?????????????

Wait now that I think about it there were Ruskies cruising my neighborhood with bottles of vodka extended . Is that how they were able to convince all those heartland simple rubes to vote for Trump ?

Your staffing question is a legit point. It concerns me that so many people have come and gone with Trump.

More concerning is who he replaces them with. For example his DOJ replacement Whittaker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Whitaker), and his latest Richard Grenell (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Grenell) an ambassador/donor with no intel experience to run an intel agency.

When he forces out the head of an agency and the #2 is passed over or resigns and replaced by loyalists/donors, that can be good for the agency or a functioning government.

Whatever he's doing, it is working for the economy. Black unemployment at lowest level ever. Lowest female unemployment in nearly 20 years. Lowest Latino unemployment ever. Maybe every pres should use his methods???https://mediadc.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2e69d99/2147483647/strip/true/crop/446x304+0+0/resize/446x304!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmediadc.brightspotcdn.com%2Ffc% 2Ffe%2F6be548584d79aefb028a9493d844%2Funemployment table.png

so let me get this straight . The intel agencies told Bolshevick Bernie that the Russians were trying to help his campaign . But they didn't tell candidate Trump in 2016 . Hmmm They also told FrankenFeinstein that there was a Chinese spy working on her staff . Hmmm .

The Ruskies have a single mazut fueled turbine engine aircraft carrier as the only carrier in their fleet …..The Admiral Kuznetsov . It bellows black smoked making it visible from miles away . It has a ski slope deck design because they don't use catapults to propel their jets off the deck. It is in a constant state of non-repair .During one docking period a crane crashed through the deck . They fixed that ,but in December they had a fire on the boat .That was not the first time it had a fire .

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/us-navy-was-worried-old-russian-aircraft-carrier-could-sink-124646


But these same Russians have the resources to corrupt the whole American electoral system ?????????????

Wait now that I think about it there were Ruskies cruising my neighborhood with bottles of vodka extended . Is that how they were able to convince all those heartland simple rubes to vote for Trump ?

Are we worried about the Russian military which only looks good against even weaker opposition, but their cyber campaign is REAL as are the cyber capabilities of other nations. Of course you warn others as targets but why give the dufus a heads up when he was under investigations because of the people around him. He did get warned about Flynn, several times, and ignored the warning.

Everybody who warns, disagrees with the dufus or does their job lawfully gets fired, or haven't you noticed that?

The staffing doesn't concern me . He came in as a novice without a team of sr staff for the positions that require them. So initially he had to count on people Reince Priebus and the swamp critters suggested . It is also true that most of the people who have filled his staff have been swamp critters . He has no choice to remove them once he finds out they oppose his agenda . This is especially true with the intel agencies and State .


Good thing there are people who track these things . In Trump’s first year, the turnover rate for senior-level staff was twice as high as in Reagan’s first year and almost five times as high as George W. Bush’s first year. President Trump’s second year rate was high but was less of an anomaly overall. During former President Reagan’s second year, 40 percent of the 60 senior White House positions changed hands, while the Trump administration posted a turn rate of 32 percent in his second year. President Trump’s third year is trending closer to the recent presidents’ turnover in their third year.
https://www.statista.com/chart/15071/how-does-trumps-turnover-compare-to-other-presidents/

Good post, Tom.

So who is giving him advice and recommendations now, deep state conspiracy theories aside? I cited two people he stuck in important positions but have no clue where he got them and one can ask are they quailified? Loyalty and inexperience means do as I say do, lawful or not. Something to consider just from past actions and words.

We are underestimating Russia's military capabilities: Russia would defeat China right now and SOUNDLY. Russia's investment in hypersonic missile technology is way, way ahead of ours and hypersonic missiles have really made aircraft carriers floating targets (i.e. targets that cannot be protected by any means). Russia has also invested heavily in PORTALBEL ICBM technology WITH REUSABLE TUBES, which allows them to cart their ICBMS all over the vastness off Russia and makes them hard to target and knockout...by contrast, our ICBMs are FIXED and easily targeted and OLD! In terms of new fighter aircraft, Russia's technology is tit for tat with ours and their ground force and hard target antiaircraft defense technology, with the SS-400 systems, is probably ahead of ours. If you look at attack helicopters, Russia also leads the way.

VERY DANGEROUS to underestimate your enemies.

Russia would defeat China right now and SOUNDLY.

What? What do you base that on? Conventional or nukes?

Russia and China may never get into a shooting war since mutual annihilations is GUARANTEED!

Russia and China may never get into a shooting war since mutual annihilations is GUARANTEED!Pretty good observation.

Russia is vast a ground war would advantage noone china has learned to expand using economic leverage in this america is far behind

I cited two people he stuck in important positions but have no clue where he got them and one can ask are they quailified? Loyalty and inexperience means do as I say do, lawful or not. Something to consider just from past actions and words.

that would be like JFK appointing Bobby Kennedy as AG ?Whitaker has tons more experience than bobby Kennedy had except being council for Joe McCarthy's committee.


The key for Grenell will be to demonstrate the same independent streak to the job that he had as Amb Germany so he can avoid being captured by the permanent bureaucracy that seems to rule all of the intelligence agencies no matter who is appointed.
Trump announced a list of possible nominations yesterday for DNI . So he will only serve a few months. He did make an important change already in hiring former Devin Nunes aid
Kashyap Patel …..who knows where all the bodies are buried in the Russian hoax

I can't figure out if the Dems are more concerned that Trump is hiring people who will finally take action against the leaders of the coup ;or upset because Grenell is homosexual ..

Tom, you're seeing the ball well today.

Conservatives always see conservative stuff clearly. Anything else is fuzzy as hell. Grenell is a place holder, and fetch boy, to snoop on what the intell is and report to his master to debunk!

The fact Grenell is a homosexual does put a feather in Trump's hat because it shows his inclusiveness within his administration.

Has nothing to do it. He fired McGuire and the #2 IDNI to make sure he could control the flow of information to the congress about Russian interference in 2020. Hiding the cyber capabilities of other countries from the American people is what destroys our ability to separate the truth from the lies. He covered for Vlad in 2016, and he will surely do it again, after getting away with it before.

Reported today is the US intelligence community warning Trump that Russia is again interfering in the presidential election as they did in 2016. time for an update :


U.S. intelligence officials are concerned that their latest findings about Russian election interference are being distorted and weaponized for political gain ...
Last week, a bombshell report in The New York Times said Pierson and other briefers in the meeting had told lawmakers "that Russia was interfering in the 2020 campaign to try to get President Trump re-elected."
Intelligence officials say that was an overstatement, fueled, they believe, by a misinterpretation by some Democratic lawmakers on the committee.
Two intelligence officials told NBC News this week that Pierson did not tell lawmakers that intelligence showed Russia was actively working to help the president's re-election campaign.



https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/u-s-intel-officials-worry-their-latest-findings-about-russian-n1142821

I suggest that the op should be edited to say Democratic lawmakers (aka bug eyed Shiff ) are distorting intelligence briefings again .

fueled, they believe, by a misinterpretation by some Democratic lawmakers on the committee.Why am I not surprised.

time for an update :



https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/u-s-intel-officials-worry-their-latest-findings-about-russian-n1142821

I suggest that the op should be edited to say Democratic lawmakers (aka bug eyed Shiff ) are distorting intelligence briefings again .

My spin is the dufus is promoting more Russian hoax stories and fake news and has the intel community buffaloed to say anything. Worked in 2016, and adapted by DOJ Barr after the Mueller Report. More of the same from the dufus.

My spin is the dufus is promoting more Russian hoax stories and fake news and has the intel community buffaloed to say anything. Worked in 2016, and adapted by DOJ Barr after the Mueller Report. More of the same from the dufus.

Yes why should he abandon a successful ploy, but he has seen off Meuller, he has seen off impeachment and he has his enemies on the run

What is wrong with an open policy towards Russia

For now.

What do you mean, Russia isn't being aggressive but Syria may lead to consequences between Turkey and Russia and Europe will have trouble keeping those pesky refugees out. None of this is an issue for the US yet, but as Turkey is a NATO ally we will see

The dufus has taken over the repub party, and rules it tighter than most countries and he survives by being the repub dictator and uses fear as his tool to rule. Tyranny from within without firing a shot, because words are more effective. He wins for now, but come on Clete, how do you have an open policy with a dictator that uses tanks and armies to conquer countries and help ruthless dictators to consolidate their domination of populations?

That is a strange notion at best, as they are the enemy by their own actions, and how are pesky refugees created in the first place?

That's blaming the victim and not the cause.

No not blaming the victim but they shpuld look after their own first and not cause them to flee with perpetuating a fight they cannot win

Man has always fled adverse situations and conditions, you know that fight or flight thing, so what's a person with or without a family to do when faced with starvation or destruction? You tell me.

A citizen is mostly just an immigrant himself with squatters rights by what ever the law says, or we would all be in our places of origins, and you would be bending a knee for the queen. I'd be a king in West Africa if some white man had not been looking for cheap labor in a new land. This notion of sovereignty has fueled many a bloody conflict and made many refugees in our history, when it's really about who can you dominate now for profit, while bleating about what you took and how to keep it.

Conquest and plunder is the history of humans to this day. Doesn't matter how civilized you claim to be, because we all know the one with the biggest stick makes the rules. It's always been that way, and not likely to change soon.

you would be bending a knee for the queen. I'd be a king in West Africa.

Funny how you assume Clete would be a serf but you would be a king.


Conquest and plunder is the history of humans to this day. Doesn't matter how civilized you claim to be, because we all know the one with the biggest stick makes the rules. It's always been that way, and not likely to change soon.The great exception to that rule is the United States. Much of what we have done the past hundred years has been to secure the freedom of others and not to colonize.

Conquest and plunder is the history of humans to this day. Doesn't matter how civilized you claim to be, because we all know the one with the biggest stick makes the rules. It's always been that way, and not likely to change soon.


The great exception to that rule is the United States. Much of what we have done the past hundred years has been to secure the freedom of others and not to colonize.

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush.He answered by saying that, “Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.”

Talaniman: Filthy Turks are using drones "en mass" over Northern Syria and are putting Russia in a weird situation: The Russian SOLD the Turks the AS-400 Anti-Aircraft Missles Systems. Also, the the Turks are trying to coerce Europe into taking them in as an E.U. member by threating to UNLEASH more immigrants through Turkey from Syria! Soon, Syria will have lost so many souls that IT will have import people from somewhere else to fill the population!

Great quote, Tom.

Talaniman: Filthy Turks are using drones "en mass" over Northern Syria and are putting Russia in a weird situation: The Russian SOLD the Turks the AS-400 Anti-Aircraft Missles Systems. Also, the the Turks are trying to coerce Europe into taking them in as an E.U. member by threating to UNLEASH more immigrants through Turkey from Syria! Soon, Syria will have lost so many souls that IT will have import people from somewhere else to fill the population!

Most of those refugees running to Greece are Syrians who fled THAT war and Turkey is tired of them. Of course they want Mo'Money from the EU or let the caravans begin. We just got a taste and yes Syria is a total mess.

Talaniman: We (i.e. the world) would be better off letting Russia "correct" the Syrian problem...otherwise, it becomes our problem...maybe similarly to how Afghanistan became OUR problem once the Russian high tailed it back home. Problem is that the nasty Turks, with their dictator, are trying to exert their will STILL after all of the historical plundering and horrors they committed in that part of the world over the centuries: The Turks never learned any lessons because they never got SLAPPED hard! They committed the Armenian Genocide but never had any repercussions from it at all...and that is just one example.

We should be thankful everyday for becoming energy independent under the Trump administration. It makes the fate of much of the Middle East less important to us.

jlisenbe: That it does! The preservation of Israel is important, however.

Most of those refugees running to Greece are Syrians who fled THAT war and Turkey is tired of them. Of course they want Mo'Money from the EU or let the caravans begin. We just got a taste and yes Syria is a total mess.

They should just open the Syrian border and push them back to Syria. Most of that country is pacified now, no excuse for staying in Turkey or the EU for that matter. the EU can pay Syria to take them back

Let Assad do what he must: There is no way that we (as non-Arabs) can understand the dynamics of these ancient lands when it comes to control of their people: We need to stop looking at them with the idea that "They are just like us" when all evidence says that are not or that they definitely do not think like us. Assad is a secular President and the Baathist Party is secular: These are not crazy, wild-eyed radicals: Assad will deal with the problem as he must and as it must be dealt with: ASSAD is far better than the Turks...and the Turks are not Arabs and the Arabs despise their arses.

You can always just google news feeds and get updated on what's going on in that part of the world and maybe get a perspective of the chaos and humanitarian crisis that tyrants, dictators, despots, and authoritarian strong men reek on their own populations and how it spills over to neighboring countries.

Not like us Vac? I don't know, as take away the trauma of long term war and all that brings with it, you could be surprised how alike they are to us.

all I know is that NATO and Russia is very close to a face off there . That is not good news for anyone .

Talaniman: Syria was fine until the CIA and Obama decide to start the ARAB SPRING B.S.! Did you know Syria has some of the oldest operating Churches in the world and even operating Synagogues? They had a hell of a lot more before the ARAB SPRING! All the Arab Spring was about was getting a gas pipeline into Europe through Syria from Saudi Arabia: All the killing they did and ASSAD is still in power and still no pipeline: this was all done for Europe's benefit and to prevent Europe from having to buy natural gas from Russia: Whole damn thing was criminal.

tomder55: Turkey is the aggressor here: Turkey decided they were going to grab Syrian territory. Syria didn't invade Turkey, Turkey invaded Syria: Turkey can't be calling NATO to help them on anything here! If Russia kicks the dogsh&t out of Turkey, NATO doesn't need to get involved because Turkey asked for it.....CAN'T DEFEND THE FILTHY TURKS!

what have you got against turks, vac? they are no worse than any of the ME

The Turks have skirted the law and skated through the centuries and gotten away with murder. They were German allies in WWI and there was no Allied retribution doled out to them like it was to Germany. They committed the Armenian Genocide and nothing happened to them: Everything has a beginning, a middle, and an end: Time for the Turks to pay: Let the Russians bash their brains in!

The Turks have skirted the law and skated through the centuries and gotten away with murder. They were German allies in WWI and there was no Allied retribution doled out to them like it was to Germany. They committed the Armenian Genocide and nothing happened to them: Everything has a beginning, a middle, and an end: Time for the Turks to pay: Let the Russians bash their brains in!

There is no land border between Russia and Turkey, the Russians will not be invading Turkey, Russia will not do the US dirty work for them

Russia sells weapons to the Turks to do their dirty work for them in the case of the Syrian refugees and as we have seen the Kurds while enjoying NATO protections and US air bases with it's Nukes. Anybody ever ask what we gave up for that airbase? Or the role Turkey played in the ISIS fight? You don't have to go back a century to question the Turkish agenda run by their tyrant, to be suspicious of their actions. I mean this was always a gateway to ISIS recruiting from all over the world especially from Russia.

Syria ain't paying a dime for their refugees that can't go home, so who benefits from them going to the EU countries? Who benefits from this rift in NATO, with this in house proxy war not just with weapons but people as weapons too?

There is no land border between Russia and Turkey, the Russians will not be invading Turkey, Russia will not do the US dirty work for them

Yes there are Clete and a simple map shows the land mass known as Eastern Europe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_states_(Eastern_Europe)#/media/File:Bacon's_Standard_Map_of_Europe_WDL528.png)is a direct route between Turkey and the USSR. We aren't talking invasion of Turkey so much as collaborating with them against EU and US interests in that part of the world.

How hard is it to cross the Black Sea from Russia to Turkey?

Talaniman: Now you got me thinking! You are saying RUSSIAN INTERESTS are being served in all this? I think that is what you mean...….and, I can see your point.