Trump Administration Still Distressingly Vague About Soleimani's Supposed 'Imminent Attack'
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The Trump administration continues to be evasive about those so-called “imminent attacks” that they allege Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was planning. As those attacks play a huge role in the justification of the United States’ assassination of Soleimani, it would be pretty helpful for someone like, say, National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien to provide the press with more insight about that.
But that would be asking too much, as evidenced by O’Brien’s inability to provide details in an interview with NPR on Friday:
It was “incredibly strong intelligence,” okay? The best intelligence. Beautiful intelligence.
Don’t you just love feeling like we’re being lied into another war?
And in other reassuring news on the Forever Wars front, the Wall Street Journal reports that Trump’s actions against Soleimani may have been encouraged by… his upcoming impeachment trial?
From the Wall Street Journal:
The way the strike was handled has drawn scrutiny from Democrats and some Republicans. Critics say the decision was hasty, considering the risk of all-out war. They also question whether the intelligence that prompted the action was as clear-cut and alarming as the White House has said, and see the move as doing little to further U.S. interests in the region.
Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate, associates said.
Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.
Jared Kushner’s quest to bring peace to the Middle East will be put on hold as he suits up for his new role as Trump 2020 campaign monkey.
The New York Times reports that Kushner will “supervise” Trump’s re-election campaign:
Unlike the behind-the-scenes role he played in the 2016 campaign — where he was seen as a key figure but, campaign aides said, never took a title and avoided blame — Mr. Kushner is positioning himself now as the person officially overseeing the entire campaign from his office in the West Wing, organizing campaign meetings and making decisions about staffing and spending.
Now, Kushner will get a title, and plenty of blame when the white nationalism really pops off. Joy.
And look, it’s Kushner’s birthday, too. Joy, the redux:
- Elizabeth Warren unveiled a great disability rights plan. [New York Times]
- Bernie Sanders and Larry David are still twinning:
- We’re stuck with Tom Steyer for just a little bit longer. [NPR]
- Remember that Clinton investigation? [Washington Post]
- The Iran plane crash story continues to unfold. [NPR]
- The Trump administration wants to expand that travel ban. [Buzzfeed News]