President Trump’s Deputy Assistant, Dr. Sebastian Gorka, spoke exclusively with One America News about how the Trump administration has been involved with defeating the Islamic State. One America’s Chief White House Correspondent Trey Yingst has the interview from the White House.
More Winning – A federal judge in Hawaii has rejected a motion filed by that state seeking to limit the scope of President Donald Trump’s so-called travel ban, parts of which were cleared to be implemented by the U.S. Supreme Court.
“Because Plaintiffs seek clarification of the June 26, 2017 injunction modifications authored by the Supreme Court, clarification should be sought there, not here.”
U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson said in a ruling Thursday in Honolulu that the Supreme Court is the proper venue to deal with the issue. (read more)
There are people on all sides of the political continuum entirely missing the reason for President Trump to threaten Bashir Assad publicly. Key word to understanding the Trump motive is: “publicly“.
President Trump, according to all high-brow punditry, is breaking diplomatic and national security norms by announcing the threat of punishment publicly instead of directly to Assad via a back-channel like Russia. However, that approach appears entirely by design; not by some arbitrary dispatch or happenstance breech of security protocol.
Here’s the big picture.
♦ FIRST – Who benefits from the U.S. attacking, weakening or taking out Assad?
Four primary groups:
♦ SECOND – President Trump doesn’t want to engage in Syria beyond the elimination of ISIS (al-Qaeda, al-Nusra) etc. Trump’s announced strategy is to defeat the Islamic extremists, ISIS; and then work on a regional governorship type structure toward a diplomatic internal political solution (Rex Tillerson).
So much winning. The Supreme Court is letting a version of the Trump administration ban on travel from six mostly Muslim countries to take effect, a victory for President Donald Trump. In the decision to lift the stay the court outlined temporary limits to the ban based on status.
The court said Monday the ban on visitors from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen could be enforced as long as they lack a “credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.” The justices will hear arguments in the case in October. President Trump said last week the immigration and travel restrictions would take effect 72 hours after being cleared by courts.
#1: Agree to hear case:
[W]e grant both of the Government’s petitions for certiorari and consolidate the cases for argument.
#2: Agree to allow ban to continue:
We grant the Government’s applications to stay the injunctions, to the extent the injunctions prevent enforcement of §2(c) with respect to foreign nationals who lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.
Thomas, Alito and Gorsuch said they would have let the complete bans take effect without any limits. (more…)
(VIA STATE DEPT) Qatar has begun its careful review and consideration of a series of requests presented by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
While some of the elements will be very difficult for Qatar to meet, there are significant areas which provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to resolution.
A productive next step would be for each of the countries to sit together and continue this conversation. We believe our allies and partners are stronger when they are working together towards one goal which we all agree is stopping terrorism and countering extremism.
Each country involved has something to contribute to that effort. A lowering of rhetoric would also help ease the tension. The United States will continue to stay in close contact with all parties and will continue to support the mediation efforts of the Emir of Kuwait.
~ U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson
“The core allies were certainly encouraged by the clear narrative by President Trump in Riyadh, and thus decided to address the Qatar-Ikhwan [Muslim Brotherhood] problem. The speech changed the narrative.” ~ Walid Phares
According to a Fox News Exclusive report, the President Trump administration is considering a Camp-David style Arab peace summit. Those who have followed the administration’s structural activity all year will see this as a natural progression of events within the alliance formed by President Trump and the Mid-East coalition.
The four major allies within the growing alliance, Egypt, Saudi, UAE and Bahrain, as well as other moderates supportive of the larger objectives to restore stability, are currently engaged in a campaign to change the outlook of Qatar and stop their support for the Muslim Brotherhood. A peace summit around their united efforts, with the support of President Trump, would follow a logical path.
The media will go bananas at the thought of such a consequential accomplishment.
(Via Fox News) President Trump is considering calling a Camp David-style summit to address growing tensions among long-established U.S. allies in the Arab world and renew his call for those nations to confront the “crisis of Islamic extremism,” Fox News has learned.
Men of consequence – Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis hold a joint statement and press availability to discuss ongoing constructive discussions with China and the current efforts to deal with an increasingly unstable North Korea.
While I greatly appreciate the efforts of President Xi & China to help with North Korea, it has not worked out. At least I know China tried!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 20, 2017
The FBI is investigating the stabbing of a police officer at a Flint, Michigan airport as a possible act of terrorism. The officer, identified as Lt. Jeff Neville (pictured left), is in critical condition after being stabbed in the neck at Bishop International airport.
The suspect was shouting “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, witnesses said. The unnamed male suspect was taken into custody alive. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said:
“Right now we are still awaiting more information about the situation at Bishop Airport this morning. My thoughts and prayers are with all of our law enforcement officers who work to service and protect us each and every day. I want the public to know that several agencies are involved and working to ensure the situation is under control. However, at this time we are taking extra precautions just to be safe.”
The airport was evacuated and security was stepped up across the city. The FBI is leading the investigation.
Initial reports are sketchy, however it appears a suicide bomber has been neutralized by security forces in Brussels. There is at least one report the bomber’s suicide vest had some sort of malfunction. An additional backpack carrying explosives is also thought to be present.
BRUSSELS — Belgian media report that explosion-like noises have been heard at a Brussels train station. A main square has been evacuated.
Belgian police report that an incident occurred at Brussels Central Station prompting an evacuation, the Reuters news agency reports.
Another possible terrorist attack in North London as a large rented van has intentionally driven into a crowd of people in Finsbury Park, London on Seven Sisters road. The incident happened in front of a very well known mosque (Finsbury Park Mosque) where extremist cleric Abu Hamza was expelled earlier.
Multiple extremist clerics are identified with the Finsbury Park Mosque. The incident took place around midnight local time.
Initial reports of multiple people hit by the vehicle. The Daily Mail reports: Several people were reportedly hurt after the van ploughed into a crowd on Seven Sisters Road near Finsbury Park Mosque. Eyewitnesses reported seeing bystanders wrestle the suspect to the floor and pin him down until officers arrived.
Twitter users claimed the victims were Muslims leaving late-night prayers being observed for the month of Ramadan.