Don’t listen to the Western media version of what Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says. It is important to listen to his words directly:

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CNN has intentionally broadcast a filtered version of this interview focusing on the “foreign invaders” perspective. However, pay close attention to the 06:15 point of the video above where Assad discusses President Trump and his policy, and how Assad (correctly) views Turkey as facilitating ISIS.

“We have hopes that this administration in the United States is going to implement what we have heard, taking into consideration that talking about ISIS doesn’t mean talking about the whole terrorism; ISIS is one of the products, al-Nusra is one of the products, you have so many groups in Syria but they are not ISIS – but they are al-Qaeda. They have the same background of the Wahhabi extremist ideology”. [ie. The Muslim Brotherhood]

Asked about cooperation with President Trump specifically, President Assad expands: (more…)

Nothing sends the international consortium of global leftists into fits of unbridled rage like the historic appearance of a U.S. President and Israeli Prime Minister in a synergy for peace and strength.
Unfortunately, those who make their living within the various promotions of hate and rage will offer only luke warm support for this never-before-seen alliance of possibility.  More likely, the Levin’s and Shapiro’s of the world will seek to undermine any potential stabilizing efforts; anticipate multiple masks falling yet again.
First, it must be emphasized how uniquely historic this moment is in history:

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[…] if I can respond to something that I know from personal experience.  I’ve known President Trump for many years, and to allude to him, or to his people — his team, some of whom I’ve known for many years, too.  Can I reveal, Jared, how long we’ve known you?  (Laughter.)  Well, he was never small.  He was always big.  He was always tall.
But I’ve known the President and I’ve known his family and his team for a long time, and there is no greater supporter of the Jewish people and the Jewish state than President Donald Trump.  I think we should put that to rest.  [Transcript Link]

To fully appreciate this very specific moment it is helpful to stand back and look at the much larger picture.
Imagine the scope of the relief felt within the weighted heart of a national leader who has withstood hate from most and, at best, antipathy from luke-warm friends, to finally feel the fellowship of a genuine ally that can be trusted.  (more…)

To understand the activity within any intelligence action any observer must do two things:

• #1 You must stay elevated. If you try to get into the weeds you will be lost because your insight will be lacking specificity briefs.
• #2 You must always reflect upon the recent historic context of the engagement you are observing. Including, most importantly, the engagements of the parties therein.

The recent example of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Mike Pompeo traveling to Saudi Arabia last weekend, at the request of President Donald Trump, to personally present Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef with an award named after former CIA director George Tenet, is an example of the need for this approach.

If you want to understand what’s going on, you must understand the recent relationship of the parties.  It begins with understanding modern political Islam.
Within “political Islam” there are various factions. However, again with the intent to remain elevated, let us just approach two larger congregations as: “Authentic supporters” and “Reform Agents”. (more…)

Investigative reporter Michael Isikoff interviewed Syria’s Bashar al-Assad about the civil war and the ongoing refugee crisis.  Isikoff did not expect to hear Assad confirm President Trump’s position that terrorists are embedded within the refugee community.

Worth noting, amid the 30,000 foot view of the larger issues, is how accessible Assad is to this western journalist interview.  Ask yourselves, why hasn’t the New York Times, or Washington Post interviewed Assad and delivered a similar finding?….

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Reminder, everything discussed in this interview has been previously outlined with documented research.   This is not spin by Assad, there have been multiple independent sources who have confirmed these aspects.

(Via Yahoo News) Weighing in on one of the most contentious issues in American politics — the danger posed to host countries by the 4.8 million people who have fled from Syria’s civil war — Syrian President Bashar Assad told Yahoo News that some of the refugees are “definitely” terrorists.

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Tonight at 6:00pm EST / 3:00pm PST three judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments from Washington State and the President Trump Department of Justice on a motion to stay the previous injunction halting the Trump administration’s temporary visa suspension (90-day travel ban) from seven identified nations.
The appeals court hearing is being held via phone conference and not in an actual courtroom.  However, the hearing will be live streamed at the website of the 9th circuit, and also it appears RSBN will be running a duplicate live stream feed.
9th Circuit Live Stream HERE – RSBN Live Stream HERE:

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The Department of Justice 15 page court brief outlining their position and the request for the appellate stay is available HERE, and is also embedded below for review:
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Last week Seattle Judge Robart claimed no-one had been arrested from the seven nations that are included in President Trump’s executive order. From the hearing:

• Judge Robart: “How many arrests have there been of foreign nationals for those seven countries since 9/11?”
• DOJ Attorney Michelle Bennett: “Your Honor, I don’t have that information.”
• Judge Robart: “Let me tell you… The answer to that is none, as best I can tell. So, I mean, you’re here arguing on behalf of someone [President Trump] that says: We have to protect the United States from these individuals coming from these countries, and there’s no support for that.”

Judge Robart is just factually wrong.

Somalia – More than 20 people in Minnesota have faced federal charges related to Al Shabaab, an African terror group, with at least 10 more cases related to ISIS. Defendants have usually been detained while awaiting trial, as prosecutors have argued that they remain flight risks and threats to the community. (link)
In November 2016, 18-year-old Abdul Razak Ali Artan, a Somali refugee, plowed his car into a crowd at Ohio State University, and then stabbed people with a butcher knife. He was not arrested, but would have been if a police officer had not shot him dead.
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The White House says it expects the courts to restore President Donald Trump’s temporary ban on Syrian refugees and 90-day suspended visa status for travelers from seven countries, via an executive order founded on a claim of national security.
Despite the initial 9th circuit denial of the Trump administration’s request to immediately set aside a Seattle judge’s ruling that put a hold on the executive order nationwide, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (the most liberal and overturned appellate court in the nation) requested legal briefs from both sides by 6:00 pm EST today / 3:00 pm PST.

(Via AP) [4:30am EST]  Lawyers for Washington state and Minnesota have told a federal appellate court it would “unleash chaos again” if it lifted an order temporarily halting President Donald Trump’s ban on refugees and travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States.

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President Donald Trump sits down with Fox News Bill O’Reilly for a pre-game interview on Super Bowl Sunday:

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King Abdullah of Jordan is part of the mid-east freedom alliance with President Fattah Abdel el-Sisi of Egypt.   Due to President Obama’s extremist politics, Abdullah and Sisi formed a working security and economic relationship with Vladimir Putin.
Prior to taking the oath of office President Trump spoke personally to President el-Sisi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.   Since the inauguration – The geo-strategic evolution continues -> President Vladimir Putin (Russia), President Fattah el-Sisi (Egypt) and King Salman (Saudi Arabia) have all held diplomatic and strategic discussions with President Trump.
Now today:

[From the Office of the Vice President] The Vice President hosted His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan for a working breakfast at the Vice President’s Residence at the Naval Observatory this morning.
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This is a jaw-dropping exhibition of the scope of President Trump’s strategic leverage. Remember how Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refused to take the bait from Senator Marco Rubio regarding Saudi Arabia?  Put this outcome in the dividend column.
Those who have not followed the back-story of non-extremist politics in the middle-east will miss the obvious play identified more readily by those who have followed closely.
One of the major influences and advisers for King Salman of Saudi Arabia is Egyptian President Fattah Abdel el-Sisi.  El-Sisi has already established a productive relationship with President Trump both before and after the election.  No doubt King Salman and President Sisi debriefed the prior conversations between Trump and el-Sisi.

Today King Salman agrees to a primary expressed policy position of President Trump.  Saudi Arabia will support and finance “safe zones” within Syria and Yemen.  This is a big, big deal.

(Via Reuters) Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, in a phone call on Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump, agreed to support safe zones in Syria and Yemen, a White House statement said.

Trump, during his presidential campaign last year, had called for Gulf states to pay for establishing safe zones to protect Syrian refugees.

A statement after the phone call said the two leaders agreed on the importance of strengthening joint efforts to fight the spread of Islamic State militants.

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