By now most discerning political followers have identified the ideological source of the attacks against HR McMaster.  A widely diverse community of domestic America-Second interests that have come together, in common ideological purpose, to attack President Trump’s National Security Advisor.
Sadly these interests often use the divisive label of antisemitism to attack people behind policies they disagree with.  It is an unfortunate, albeit historically predictable, approach.  Specifically because of the agenda behind these attacks, last night President Trump delivered support for McMaster noting the NSA head’s support for Israel.

“General McMaster and I are working very well together.  He is a good man and very pro–Israel. I am grateful for the work he continues to do serving our country.”
~ President Donald Trump, August 4th, 2017

Today, the Times of Israel also comes to McMaster’s defense by pointing out that officials within Israel are well aware that HR McMaster supports the pro-Israel viewpoints of the Trump administration:

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman meets with US National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster on May 22, 2017.

(ISRAEL) Israeli officials responded to mounting allegations that US National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster is anti-Israel, saying that these were blatantly false and he was a staunch supporter of the Jewish state.
“Anyone who meets McMaster among us and is in contact with him is constantly impressed by how pro-Israeli he is,” an unnamed Israeli security official told the Haaretz daily on Saturday. “The connection with him is excellent.”

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President Trump’s strategic approach using economic leverage to gain U.S. national security has established a very rare victory in the U.N. with unanimous support for Security Council sanctions against North Korea.  Yes, China and Russia supported.
Remember, from Day #1 of his administration President Trump was faced with a threat from N-Korea.  On his departure President Obama told the incoming new President Trump that North Korea would be his #1 Geopolitical national security challenge.
The MSM will likely never give President Trump credit for the remarkable long-term economic strategy he deployed to gain China and Russia’s support today.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday that could slash by a third the Asian state’s $3 billion annual export revenue over Pyongyang’s two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July.

The U.S.-drafted resolution bans North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood. It also prohibits countries from increasing the current numbers of North Korean laborers working abroad, bans new joint ventures with North Korea and any new investment in current joint ventures.

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Here’s one angle to the Robert Mueller investigation that was entirely predictable.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is now seeking documents from the White House on Michael Flynn and his personal arrangement to lobby for Turkey during the 2016 election.  Specifically they are looking into the financial aspects and whether Flynn masked the lobbying payments made to him.
Before getting to the crux of the issue, CTH must remind everyone that back in November of 2016 when we first discovered (During the Transition) the possibility that Flynn was under consideration for ODNI or National Security Adviser role – WE WARNED this was going to be an issue – SEE HERE November 17th, 2016.
We knew even before the election this could be a problem.  As far as we could surmise at the time – the Trump Campaign and subsequent President-Elect transition team, had no idea that campaign advocate and campaign adviser Michael Flynn was also being paid to lobby in DC on behalf of the government of Turkey, and Recep Erdogan.
The entire Flynn lobbying arrangement was beyond sketchy.  Before the election Flynn penned an op-ed advocating heavily for Recep Erdogan –SEE HERE–  The content was entirely disconnected from the assembled foreign policy outlook of Candidate Donald Trump. The Flynn Op-Ed was actually counter to candidate Trump’s policy views.
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After spending 72 hours looking specifically at the motives of those pushing almost identical paragraphs including the catchphrases: “holdovers”, “purging loyalists“, “unfettered access” and “Caroline Glick“; it comes as no surprise to hear the administration perceives the anti-McMasters crowd as having “jumped the shark”… “reached too far”, and  “exposed their agenda” etc.
Ironically HR McMaster appears to be safer than ever in his position as National Security Adviser not specifically because of anything he has done, but as an actual outcome of the piranha approach taken by his detractors.  The severity of his opposition’s group-think actually exposed the common denominator.

“General McMaster and I are working very well together.  He is a good man and very pro–Israel. I am grateful for the work he continues to do serving our country.”

~ President Donald Trump, August 4th, 2017

HR McMaster might not get the Afghanistan policy outcome he prefers, but his position as NSA appears safe; and we won’t have to go to war against Iran to appease his opposition.  This looks like a genuine win/win/win.  Bannon wins on Afghanistan policy; McMaster wins on Iran policy; America-First wins because we’re not going into another war in either Iran or North Korea.  Perfect.

WASHINGTON […]  John Kelly, Trump’s new chief of staff, has told McMaster he supports him remaining as national security adviser, Politico reported, citing two unnamed senior White House aides.

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U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is structuring a U.N. Security Council resolution toward North Korea by targeting a ban on DPRK exports.  This approach is in line with the larger Trump strategy to leverage economic sanctions as pressure on North Korea to stop advancing military expansion and nuclear weapons.
However, how President Trump has set Nikki Haley up for success on this resolution is something for the history books to write about:

♦First: A review of the possible enhanced sanctions against N-Korea should be incorporated with the larger issue of policy toward the DPRK’s enabler, China.  President Trump, Secretary Mnuchin and Secretary Ross have positioned a severely consequential trade reset between the U.S. and China.  [Trump and Ross delayed an announcement on trade sanctions against China which was scheduled for today.]
♦Second: The enhanced U.S. energy export initiatives, in conjunction with lower oil prices, an outcome of U.S. energy policy and a mutually beneficial relationship between President Trump and Arab states in the GCC, have severely weakened the economic position of Russia.
Russia’s energy export economy is dependent on energy prices remaining high. President Trump has brilliantly worked the geopolitical economic relationships to leverage influence over a large portion of the Russian economy.
Combine these two points and you discover the leverage President Trump’s team has created.
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Chuck Schumer reveals the economic campaign priorities for 2018.  Look familiar?

(LINK)

Essentially the “Better Deal” plan is to copy, identically copy, President Trump’s MAGAnomic economic and trade policy.   Heck, the only thing missing is +”Build a Wall”.
It’s enough to make you wonder if Schumer copied his homework.
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The U.S. economy added 209,000 jobs in July exceeding expectations and forecasts by over 25,000.  The measured unemployment rate dropped to 4.3%.  The number of employed Americans hit 153.5 million, the highest since February 2009.  Year-over-year measures of wage rates remained at 2.5%; however, additional private sector jobs analysis shows wage rate growth substantially higher than fed measures.

Media economists say: “It’s difficult to find anything really negative in the report.” But they sure are trying…

(Via CNBC)  The U.S. economy continued a strong summer, adding 209,000 jobs in July while the unemployment rate fell to 4.3 percent, the lowest since March 2001, according to a government report Friday.

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A visibly angered U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions gave a passionate press conference earlier today to announce a stunning new anti-leak initiative: Mr Sessions has asked leakers to stop.
Additionally, during the much heralded press conference with Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Attorney General Sessions warned those who leak classified intelligence he is now talking to senior officers within the intelligence community.
The incredibly harsh “just don’t do it” program, as launched by an obviously angered Sessions, includes three seismic measures.  They are:

♦First – A jaw-dropping appointment of Rod Rosenstein to monitor the intelligence community for possible leaks.
♦Second – A strong conversation with the NSA (Mike Rogers) about possible help stopping leaks.
♦Third – A  stern review of DOJ policies toward leak investigation standards.

The DC-based intelligence leaking community has officially been put on notice. No-one expected the Attorney General to go this far.  The “Just Don’t Do It” request has stunned and visibly shaken the anti-Trump forces in Washington. According to several DC officials, and sources who know a guy in Starbucks, “no-one is safe now”.

According to numerous media reports Robert Mueller has empaneled a grand jury so that subpoenas can be dispatched to begin taking testimony in the ongoing investigation into Russian interference within the 2016 election.  Apparently Donald Trump Jr. in the first batch of recipients.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Grand jury subpoenas have been issued in connection with a June 2016 meeting that included President Donald Trump’s son, his son-in-law and a Russian lawyer, two sources told Reuters on Thursday, in a sign that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is gathering pace.
The sources added that Mueller had convened a grand jury in Washington to help investigate allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. (link)

Attorney Jay Sekulow weighed in earlier (video below)
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The ongoing saga of intelligence community and DC government official leaks targeted to undermine the presidency of Donald Trump has created a large group of people wondering why Attorney General Jeff Sessions has done nothing about it.
In an effort to respond to the growing voices of inquiry the Attorney General and those who advocate on his behalf, has been teasing out a “leak  investigation” announcement for approximately three weeks.

The latest “DOJ announcement” date was established as tomorrow, Friday August 4th.  However, on the eve of the announcement the Department of Justice is positioning a lowering of expectations.

WASHINGTON – […] Sessions will be joined by Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina on Friday in Washington to discuss “leaks of classified material threatening national security,” the Justice Department said Thursday afternoon. (read more)

Tomorrow’s pending discussion marks the possible announcement that might actually lead to a future briefing wherein the DOJ could announce the potential for a formal investigation into a series of leaks that have damaged the Trump administration since he took office in January.  Fingers crossed.
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