Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

WH changes their strategy. Mulvaney is now openly admitting that Trump ordered a hold on Ukraine aid until he got "assurances" that they would investigate the right-wing conspiracy theory that Ukraine framed Russia regarding election interference and is hiding Hillary's server from the world. And yes, that's what the conspiracy theory posits. It's closely related to the Seth Rich stuff.

Like as often happens with Trump, he's shifting to a strategy of "it can't be wrong if I'm admitting I did it"

[froot loops]

Time to get Q out of the White House

[Dr. Strangelove]

Altogether it's not a bad strategy. They're essentially admitting that nearly everything the Dems have claimed is true, except they still aren't admitting any request was made about the Bidens specifically. It can't be seriously bad if they're openly boasting about it (ignore the weeks of attempted denials). Probably a better strategy than what they were doing before today.

"We did it. So what? You gonna remove a President for that? Gedafugouttaahere"

[Dr. Strangelove]

Meanwhile, in the carnival that is DC, the Ds won't even let the Rs sit in on key depositions: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...ts/3997318002/

Their agenda is brazenly obvious.

Just to go back to this for a second, here's an example of a Republican having another Republican removed from a deposition. Back in 2015 Trey Gowdy kicked Darrell Issa out of the room during Sidney Blumentahl's Benghazi deposition because he wasn't a member of the Select Committee. And Issa was Chair of the Oversight Committee! Not some junior league Congressman like Gaetz

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/watch-trey-gowdy-on-why-he-had-to-give-darrell-issa-the-boot

[Dr. Strangelove]

I take it back...apparently neither DOJ nor Trump's personal legal team were thrilled with Mulvaney's show today.

"If Ukraine is part of the Durham investigation that's news to us"...""Not helpful"..."Stunned"..."We were not involved in this"

[Jeff Buchanan]

Pence actually appears to have gotten something done with Erdogan.

My take is that Erdogan is playing the US. The "Cease Fire" will merge to become a permanent peach deal when the Kurds leave the undefined safe zone the Turks have asserted they will create and enforce. I doubt that happens. Furthermore, the Turks are completely capable of driving further into Syria should that suit Turkish Military commanders - the one's left after the Coup attempt that are fiercely loyal to Erdogan (upon penalty of being shot should they be heard to speak out against him). Historically, the Turkish military was considered a bulwark against authoritarian/Islamic rule. That has changed almost completely. They serve at the pleasure of Erdogan who soft sells Islamic based governance to the masses meanwhile fundamentally installing it..

I'm also wondering what kind of phone call Erdogan had with Putin before Pence sat down with him.

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/17/770909360/pence-say-turkey-has-agreed-to-suspend-its-incursion-into-syria?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news

[Ghengis Jon]

You mean what kind of phone call Trump had with Putin before Pence was sent begging to Turkey.

What did the Turks get? First, a green light to slaughter Kurds with impunity. Second, to have the US look the other way on some ethnic cleansing in a Kurdish area where Erdogan will dump 2 million Syrian refugees (all the Kurdish homes and villages will be available). Third, a portion of the "safe zone" will be annexed into Turkey (if your buddy Vlad can annex territory, so can I!). Fourth, the illusionary sanctions imposed this week will be lifted and no new sanctions will be imposed. Fifth, there is no ceasefire - five days pause for all Kurds out of the 5000 sq mile "safe zone" or military operations resume immediately after.

What did the US get? Five days to abandon their Kurdish allies on orders of Trump. Further loss of geo-political influence to Trump's patron Russia. Further entrenching of the Syrian regime.


Gosh, trump is right. I am sick of winning.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Pence actually appears to have gotten something done with Erdogan.

My take is that Erdogan is playing the US. The "Cease Fire" will merge to become a permanent peach deal when the Kurds leave the undefined safe zone the Turks have asserted they will create and enforce. I doubt that happens. Furthermore, the Turks are completely capable of driving further into Syria should that suit Turkish Military commanders - the one's left after the Coup attempt that are fiercely loyal to Erdogan (upon penalty of being shot should they be heard to speak out against him). Historically, the Turkish military was considered a bulwark against authoritarian/Islamic rule. That has changed almost completely. They serve at the pleasure of Erdogan who soft sells Islamic based governance to the masses meanwhile fundamentally installing it..

I'm also wondering what kind of phone call Erdogan had with Putin before Pence sat down with him.

https://www.npr.org/2019/10/17/77090..._campaign=news

It's a good thing that the Kurds have some breathing room to get away over the next 72 hours, but it's hard to view this as anything but a complete victory for Turkey. At least in the short term. Long-term I have no idea what they hope to accomplish. Permanently annexing that territory?

[froot loops]

It's very hard for walk back a confession. I would suggest Mulvaney get a good lawyer, the witness has rights.

[froot loops]

[Dr. Strangelove]

[Dr. Strangelove]

[Dr. Strangelove]

I guess Mattis is done pretending he respects Trump

[Ghengis Jon]

McRaven let Trump have it with both barrels in his op-ed at the NYT. First Crybaby should provide some entertaining tweets today.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Link?