Discussion > President Trump
gc
It's not easy to interpret the position shifting in this. It might be a shot across the bow of Bob Mueller - who's out in the undergrowth clutching the Logan Act throwing people into his investigative smoke generator ... and at the people behind / supporting him.
There is an appetite in the American public for something more wide ranging - as Gowdy says the IG has limited investigative remit and the rot is obviously far wider spread than the IG's mandate can used for.
Systematically using a carnival of Federal bodies for nefarious and illegal political purpose as seems to be the case will require a special investigator. I wonder about Rod Rosenstein ... and his approval of the Mueller operation...
tomo
golf charlie on Mar 8, 2018 at 12:22 AM
I think you have phrased it well: they are probably like minded rather than centrally controlled.
I have seen so many reports that, put together, look too complicated to be a single plan, but sort of hang together, especially if you take just 80% of each fragment. The problem is that we won't know which 80% until the puzzle is complete.
For example, the wife of the DOJ's Bruce Ohr, Nellie Ohr, spent time in Russian archives (in Moscow ?) which hints at her political views (only the like minded are allowed in to see such sensitive documents), has been an apologist for Stalin, and she has connections to many people connected to the famous dossier, in addition to working for Fusion GPS.
She also obtained a ham radio licence, which would avoid being recorded by the NSA.
It has been hinted that Trump has moved from defence to attack: the hunters have become the hunted.
Corsi's investigation/discussion videos are fascinating, even if somewhat long.
Robert Christopher
Robert Christopher
KM4UDZ Ham Radio ... Nellie only applied in 2016.... apparently
I doubt she wanted to brag about the size of her antenna. The damage is done . Her husband's evasion of a declaration of her employment by Fusion GPS is telling as is her relationship with Christopher Steele - obviously a spook but working for who eh?
Handily her Ham license would cover her for the possession of satellite relay hardware like dish antennas and microwave transceivers.
tomo
I very much doubt Nellie used Morse - she could though have communicated at very high speed via one of the many open relays on older telecom satellites which actually promiscuously rebroadcast / leak cellphone towers - negating the need to use military / spook space assets.
Dit-dah-dah; dah; dit-dit-dah-dit
tomo
It has been hinted that Trump has moved from defence to attack: the hunters have become the hunted.
Mar 8, 2018 at 12:02 PM | Robert Christopher
Trump is still in no rush. The tide of opinion is turning, without him actively doing anything.
Trump will enjoy his revenge, personally, politically and personally again. His target will be the Mid Term Elections in 2018. In a years time, Democrats may be wishing that the carnage amongst their ranks of St Hillary luvvies had started in 2017. Those who stood with Bernie Sanders will not be held back at grass roots level either.
Whoever stands for the Democrat Presidential nomination will have to be sqeaky clean, and able to reunite the Democrats. Flinging mud at Trump won't work. If they can find someone, let an honest battle commence.
golf charlie
This is a Trump thread. Trump has achieved progress, but probably because China has threatened to pull funding from North Korea.
Chinese businessmen can see property prices along North Korea's border with South Korea (and Seoul) setting new records for appreciation. North Korea is currently very cheap real estate, and China also needs its agricultural production, and access to South Korean trading opportunities.
Trump and China are heading for a trade war, that will hit the Chinese economy hard. Any North Korean delegation meeting Trump, will know that they are stuck. Trump hopefully knows that Chinese and Korean culture means that the North Koreans cannot be seen to lose respect or "face". This is NOT one of Trump's business skills.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-43345209
The US has expressed surprise at the "dramatic" shift in stance by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that has seen President Donald Trump agree to talks.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said it would take "some weeks" to set up a meeting, due to take place by May.
Mr Trump hailed "great progress" but said sanctions would remain in place.
South Korean envoys had earlier briefed Mr Trump on the meeting they had this week with Mr Kim, saying he was now "committed to denuclearisation".
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said the news of the Kim-Trump meeting had come "like a miracle".
golf charlie
gc
it isn't unreasonable to think that we don't get the entire transcripts of everything that is being said about the NorKs between US + PRC.
I've watched a couple of recent travelog videos (one , two) shot on the northern PRC -NorK border and imho it's obvious that North Korea will have considerable trouble maintaining the hermit state thing that's worked in the past - the adjacent Chinese province has a large ethnic Korean component who are impacted negatively by PyongYang's isolationism. That orphaned bridge speaks volumes for the China/NKorea situation.
China's support for the NorKs has its limits....
If the US administration "dongles" a trade deal with China with a movement on the NorK situation that's a win...
tomo
The Russians are starting to speak...
Oleg Deripaska has written a piece having a go at Victoria "Fuck the EU" Nuland and the US deep state...
tomo
tomo, North Korea has long ceased to be a political asset for China. It became a bit of fun, and a way to annoy the US.
China has now experienced the highs and lows of Capitalism, something Trump does understand. There is a deal to be done, and it may involve lots of Chinese Military Advisers supervising North Korean compliance.
From Wikipedia:
"On 17 December 2011, the supreme leader of North Korea Kim Jong-il died from a heart attack. His youngest son Kim Jong-un was announced as his successor." Will Kim Jong-un celebrate 10 years as Supreme Leader? Possibly, but in Title only.
golf charlie
gc
The Chinese government is used to telling whoppers to the west and by and large the "progressive" eejits swallow them every time (or trouser corrupt payoffs).
They also know how to buy influence - see HRC's brother Anthony Rodham, long time chum Terry McAuliffe and Aussie UK High Commissioner Alexander Downer of Trump Moscow dossier fame.
Swamp hardly covers it.
It even attracted attention of the relevant authorities in the USA when Obamah was in the White House.... inconvenient - but soon papered over.
tomo
tomo, nobody has ever been in a position to hold China accountable. China did not trust outsiders, so had no more dealings with them than necessary.
China is the forgotten victim of Japan in the 1930s-1940s attrocities. China was not part of the Cold War, and therefore had no peace dividend.
The US may have been the World's sleeping giant, woken in 1917 and 1941, but now China wants what it considers it is entitled to.
Peace in Korea is wanted by the South. There are huge peace dividends for South Korea, and South Korean business, manufacturing, agriculture and employers. China knows that, and wants its share of the profits. The US can scale back on its Military presence. Apart from Kim jung-un, there are no losers.
China does not need to invade South Korea, just administer North Korea, and reduce Border Security. There is nothing of value in North Korea that will be missed if it escapes South, apart from the cheap workforce. Mechanising agriculture in the North will lead to surplus workers for manufacturing, and the North could see lots of factories being built.
When the Berlin Wall came down, West Germany took on East Germany. With the DMZ removed, private money will invest in North Korea
golf charlie
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-43361276
Analysis by Stephen McDonell, BBC China correspondent in Beijing
"It is now hard to see Xi Jinping being challenged in any way whatsoever.
He has amassed power the likes of which has not been seen since Chairman Mao Zedong."
(Is it more Politically Correct of the BBC to refer to Mao Tse Tung as Mao Zedong?)
Becoming Supreme Leader of North Korea will be so much easier, cheaper and simpler, as their aircraft maintenance programme has lacked funds.
golf charlie
I won’t rule out direct talks with Kim Jong Un, I just won’t. As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that’s his problem, not mine
Everyone thought that was a joke. It seems Kim is worried that it isn't.
clipe
Sources tell me the meeting will be held in Oakland California as Kim is also scheduled to meet with the mayor of that fine sanctuary city.
clipe
Mar 11, 2018 at 9:50 PM | clipe
Xi Jinping has great plans for his Chinese Dynasty, and they probably include absorbing North Korea, and exclude a trade war with the USA.
Trump has great plans for his legacy, which include dealing with the North Korean problem, without a war, and do not exclude the threat of a trade war with China and South East Asia.
Kim Jung Un has no one to turn to for aid. His Madman problem really is for him to discuss with himself.
golf charlie
Jeeez....
tomo
Such class. Sack your Secretary of State with a tweet. How to enthuse confidence in your followers, encourage belief in your leader. What a man!!!!
Supertroll
Mar 13, 2018 at 5:26 PM | Supertroll
Apparently it was due to the "Iran Nuclear Deal"
St Hillary did far more lucrative deals for nuclear stuff, and thought she should be POTUS. What a deranged woman!
From the BBC "When Mr Trump nominated Mr Tillerson to head up the Department of State in December 2016, he was effusive in his praise, calling him "one of the truly great business leaders of the world".
And while the two were careful not to criticise each other publicly, reports soon emerged that they did not see eye to eye.
According to media reports, Mr Tillerson believed the president struggled to grasp the basics of foreign policy.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, is reported to have been irritated by his chief diplomat's body language in meetings.
Mr Tillerson was said to roll his eyes or slouch when he disagreed with his ex-boss' decisions, the New York Times reported."
golf charlie
GolfCharlie. I do not dispute the necessity for the sacking, nor even the possible necessity for the split. What is objectionable is the manner by which it was done. When Trump was elected and people like myself expressed concerns about his lack of experience, his supporters, here and elsewhere, argued that he had surrounded himself with experience. That experience is quickly bleeding away.
Supertroll
Supertroll, if reports about Tillerson's dismissal are true, then it certainly confirms that Trump lacks the personal touch, even though the personal touch is what he has also been accused of.
The comment that Tillerson had questioned Trump's comprehension of foreign policy is understandable. Trump is not a diplomat, and lacks diplomacy. He does not want to be surrounded by people who question his judgement, and sees people as either with him, or against him.
Trump and Tillerson are both deal makers, rather than negotiators, and Tillerson's background indicates more success than Trump's. Tillerson never needed the salary. Right now, Trump does need the advice and guidance of a former CIA Senior Spook. The CIA and FBI have always clashed.
Trump's many opponents, at home and abroad, may be celebrating another Trump scalp, but Trump is probably happy to have strengthened his Team. The Spooks he inherited have conspired against him.
golf charlie
The Ford Nation lives on in Ontario.
clipe
clipe
"The Ford Nation lives on in Ontario" and predates Trumpism despite media spin otherwise,
clipe
Such class. Sack your Secretary of State with a tweet. How to enthuse confidence in your followers, encourage belief in your leader. What a man!!!!
What a Mann!
clipe
tomo, who does Trey Gowdy ask to instruct a Special Counsel?
Robert Christopher, if the Deep State in the US equates to the UK "establishment", then both were against BREXIT and Trump. They both seem to agree with each other, and have adopted similar approaches. Also, they both believe Climate Scientists, and so does the EU.