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MAY 26,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET:

NO INDEPENDENT COUNSEL? – FROM FOX:  Sen. Tim Kaine's youngest son was one of eight people charged in Minnesota Friday in relation to their alleged disruption of a rally supporting President Trump.
Linwood Kaine, 24, was charged with one gross misdemeanor count of obstructing the legal process and misdemeanor counts of fleeing on foot and concealing his identity in public.  A criminal complaint says Kaine and others changed into black clothing during the March 4 rally and entered the state Capitol. One group member threw a smoke bomb inside. The complaint says the 24-year-old Kaine was among those who ran away, and he initially resisted arrest.  His father, of course, was Hillary Clinton's vice-presidential candidate last fall.  We don't wish anyone ill.  This young man needs some guidance.

AND ANOTHER NOTABLE ARREST – FROM THE EAST BAY TIMES:   BERKELEY — A former Diablo Valley College professor was in custody Wednesday evening after his arrest Wednesday afternoon in Oakland, according to county records.  Eric Clanton, 28, was being held on $200,000 bail after he was booked into Berkeley City Jail Wednesday evening. He was arrested on suspicion of use of a firearm during a felony with an enhancement clause and assault with a non-firearm deadly weapon.  No date was immediately listed for upcoming arraignment hearings.  A former Diablo Valley College staff directory Web page said Clanton, who earned a bachelor’s degree at California State University, Bakersfield, and a master’s degree at San Francisco State in philosophy, worked at the school since 2015, teaching an “introduction to philosophy with a background in teaching ethics, critical thinking, and comparative philosophy East/West” with “primary research interests” of ethics and politics.  Yeah, he seems just the guy to teach about ethics and politics. 

VEGAS CONCERNED – FROM THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL:   Following this week’s Manchester bombings, and looking forward to Memorial Day weekend, Las Vegas police are stepping up patrols and surveillance on the Strip, downtown and at local community events in an effort to make the valley a “hardened target.”  “Las Vegas continues to be an event destination — one of the world’s greatest event destinations,” Darcy said. “We have to continue to maintain safety and (create) new ways to ensure the safety of the folks that are attending these events.”   There is a massive defense presence in Britain, less so in this country, but authorities throughout the Western world are clearly worried about new attacks.

May 26, 2017        Permalink

TRIBUTE TO TRUMP – AT 10:33 A.M. ET:  From former CIA Director Jim Woolsey, who appreciates the president's triumph in the Mideast, in the New York Daily News: 

Unlike the last eight years under the Obama administration, when the commander-in-chief’s hesitancy to lead the world hobbled American action on too many fronts, there’s no doubt we now have a President who wants to fight and win this war. This kind of clarity of purpose is critical especially in the wake of the horrific killings like those that just took place in Manchester, England.
Trump’s assertiveness in repairing U.S. foreign policy, shoring up international resolve against terrorism, can rally the world to take strong action against the enemy.

One sour note in assessing the President’s trip came from Richard Clarke, who, writing in this newspaper, said Trump had abandoned American values and then speculated, contrary to what the Arab leaders actually said about Trump’s address, that they found the President’s call to “drive out” terrorists “sophomoric.”

Clarke’s take on the speech was a lonely outlier. In fact, it was a courageous speech in Riyadh — just as, in sum, it was a courageous trip to the holiest places in the three Abrahamic faiths.

COMMENT:  Read the whole thing.  Woolsey gets it right.  The president's trip was a victory, and an announcement that America is back.  The leftist press may hate that, but I don't think most Americans do.

Mr. Trump's approval rating is still problematical.  It runs from the low to mid forties.  That isn't disastrous, but the addition of another five points will change the political mood in Washington.  He's got to work on that by delivering, in the face of unprecedented establishment hostility and his own frequent gaffes.

May 26, 2017       Permalink

BRITAIN TERROR LATEST – AT 9:44 A.M. ET:   Apparently the Manchester bomber was part of a much larger operation.  The sweeps across Britain are extensive.  From The Telegraph: 

Counter-terror police investigating the Manchester Arena bombing have carried out fresh raids today, as security services brace for more attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan beginning tomorrow.

Islamic State has called on its followers to rise up in an “all-out war” on "infidels” in the West. Saturday marks the start of a 30-day period of fasting and reflection in the Islamic world, which has in recent years seen a large increase in terror attacks.

As detectives revealed the youngest man in custody over the Manchester attack is 18, early-hours searches were on Friday launched at a Manchester barbershop and a takeaway on Merseyside.

Officers who earlier raided terrorist Salman Abedi's home discovered a working bomb factory with a huge stash of explosive chemicals and other components.

It comes amid fears the attacker might have built a second device that is now in the hands of fellow jihadists.

Security sources now believe he assembled the bomb himself after learning his trade in Libya. But the amount of material in his home has led to fears that he could have built more than one device and and distributed them to other British-based extremists.

COMMENT:  At the same time, Britain is preparing to vote in a national election in two weeks.  As we reported here, the hard-left, pro-Islamist Labour Party is gaining rapidly in the polls, apparently because it promises more freebies than the governing Conservatives.  Conservatives, under Theresa May, are still ahead, however.  If Labour should win, Britain's stance against terror will collapse, and the country's alliance with the United States severely damaged.

New polls should be out in a few days.  They will tell us whether the Labour advance has stopped.  These are critical times.

May 26, 2017       Permalink

NEW TERROR AGAINST CHRISTIANS – AT 9:27 A.M. ET:  The attack in Egypt must be condemned quickly by President Trump, who will soon visit with the president of the country.  From Fox: 

A team of gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians south of Cairo Friday, killing at least 26 people, including children, and wounding 25 other people, Egyptian officials confirmed.
As many as 10 attackers stormed the bus dressed in military uniforms and wearing masks, according to witnesses. The victims were on their way to visit a monastery.

Only three children survived the attack, the Copts United news portal reported. Arab TV stations showed images of a badly damaged bus along a roadside, many of its windows shattered.

Ambulances parked around it as bodies lay on the ground, covered with black plastic sheets.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but Egypt’s Coptic Christians have become the preferred target of the Islamic State in the region. Egypt's Copts, the Middle East's largest Christian community, have repeatedly cried out for help from discrimination, as well as outright attacks, at the hands of the country's majority Muslim population. Coptic Christians account for about 10 percent of Egypt's 93 million people.

COMMENT:  Christians are probably the most endangered group in the Mideast right now, but you'd never know it from the response in the West.  Western politicians are too busy lecturing us about Islamophobia.

May 26,  2017    Permalink

MAY 25,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:57 P.M. (OR LATER):

MONTANA RESULTS – The Republican candidate in Montana's special Congressional election has won, despite an incident last night in which he is alleged to have assaulted a reporter.  Greg Gianforte defeated Democrat Rob Quist by about six points for the seat vacated by Ryan Zinke, who resigned to become secretary of the interior.  In his acceptance speech Gianforte apologized for slamming a reporter for Britain's Guardian newspaper last night.  Gianforte may still be criminally charged in the incident.  Still, his victory shows that a Democratic rebound from last November's election has still not materialized. 

BRITISH NIGHTMARE?  And no, I don't mean the horrible attack in Manchester or the possible new attacks that are feared.  I mean the fact that Britain votes in a national election in two weeks and that the Labour Party, led by the most extreme leftist leader in its history, Jeremy Corbyn, is catching up in the polls.  What had been considered a sure blowout victory by the Conservatives, led by Theresa May, now looks much closer.  But won't the horror of the terror attacks turn voters away from the appeasing, anti-American, pro-Islamist, Labour leader?   We hope so, but Britain is not America.  Many British voters could easily decide that appeasement is the way to go, simply to buy a year or so of peace.  That was the policy in the late 1930s, and it nearly prevailed.  As we've said here before, there's a Great Britain, and a not-so-great Britain.  Remember that Churchill was thrown out of office as soon as victory over Germany was achieved in 1945, and the Communist-appeasing Labourites were then installed. 

GROWTH IN THE SOUTHWEST – FROM FOX:   Phoenix has officially edged out Philadelphia to become the fifth biggest city in the U.S.  The total population of the city is 1,615,017, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday. The new population count allowed the city to surpass Philadelphia, its closest population rival, for the first time since dropping behind in 2010.  Phoenix is also the quickest-growing city in the country, according to the Census Bureau. The city added an average of 88 people per day between July 2015 and July 2016.   Hard to know what the political implications are.  Arizona generally is Republican, but Democratic strength has been growing.

May 25, 2017       Permalink

TRUMP RESPONDS TO INTELLIGENCE FLAP – AT 11:14 A.M. ET:   This is related to the post just below.  President Trump has responded strongly, and correctly, to the intelligence leaks that have damaged our relationship with the U.K.  From Fox: 

President Donald Trump lashed out at diplomatically damaging leaks from the U.S. about the Manchester bombing probe, after British authorities, including British Prime Minister Theresa May, criticized American officials for loose talks about the ongoing investigation.

The name of the bomber, Salman Abedi, was disclosed to U.S. media just as raids were underway both in Manchester and in Libya, where the bomber's father lives. 

"The alleged leaks coming out of government agencies are deeply troubling," Trump said in a statement the White House released. "These leaks have been going on for a long time and my Administration will get to the bottom of this. The leaks of sensitive information pose a grave threat to our national security." 

Trump ordered the Justice Department to launch a full investigation into leaks from the Manchester bomb probe. Following the release of crime scene photos from the bombing, President Trump has asked for "a complete review" of leaks from U.S. government agencies.

The president is expected to get an earful from May following the apparent leak at the NATO summit. The British prime minister said she planned to "make clear to President Trump that intelligence that is shared between our law enforcement agencies must remain secure."

In the statement, Trump said "there is no relationship we cherish more than the Special Relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom," and promised that his administration would get to the bottom of the matter.

COMMENT:  Trump should see this as an opportunity.  As he said, this problem has been going on for a long time.  I want names named.

May 25, 2017       Permalink

ENDANGERING AN ALLIANCE – AT 10:33 A.M. ET:  An intelligence flap has shaken the US-UK alliance.  This must be nailed down on our side, and there should be prosecutions.  From CNN:

Manchester, England (CNN) Britain has suspended intelligence sharing on the Manchester bombing with the US after American officials leaked information to the media, an issue that British Prime Minister Theresa May will raise with US President Donald Trump later Thursday.

US officials released the suspected bomber's name and other details of the investigation into the deadly attack at the Manchester Arena Monday night, irking British investigators scrambling to keep details of the probe confidential.

May said Thursday she would raise leaks with Trump when the pair meet at a NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium.

Arriving at the summit she told reporters the "special relationship" with the US on intelligence sharing is based on trust.

"I will be making clear to President Trump today that intelligence that is shared between law enforcement agencies must remain secure."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said that only intelligence relating to this particular probe had been suspended, adding that "we quite frankly can't afford to risk it any more."

"It has been compromised by the leaks and we can't afford anymore, so we've taken a temporary decision to say let's clear it out and draw a line, let's not have a row that lingers on. Nobody wants that. But equally we have to make our opinions clear so we can get this relationship back to where we all want it to be," Burnham told CNN.

COMMENT:  The Trump administration has a critical problem with leaks.  We don't know yet whether this series of leaks came from Trump officials eager to show what they know, or other officials eager to undermine President Trump.  We should turn the White House and the intelligence agencies upside down to find the leakers.  They are committing crimes, and must be punished.

Earlier this week we learned that a full transcript of a phone conversation between Trump and the Philippines president had been leaked.  Who will trust us if this keeps happening?

May 25, 2017       Permalink 

AFTERMATH – AT 9:43 A.M. ET:  British authorities are engaged in massive searches and raids, following this week's horrible attack in Manchester.  They are finding a great deal.  From the Independent: 

Police and security services have found bomb-making materials which could be primed for imminent attacks in the extensive raids following the Manchester suicide bombing, The Independent has learned.

One suspect device was blown up in a controlled explosion and security sources say that there is a real possibility that there are other materials yet to be found. The law agencies are convinced that a terrorist network had been established to carry out a sustained assault and further arrests are likely in and outside Manchester.

Meanwhile family members of the Manchester suicide bomber Salman Abedi have been arrested in Libya and the UK. The bomber’s father, Ramadan Abedi, was taken away in Tripoli by masked gunmen from a government militia as he was giving a television interview declaring that his dead son was innocent. Another son living in the city with him, Hashem, was detained soon afterwards, with Libyan officials stating that he had links with Isis. Salman Abedi’s mother, Samia Tabbal, and another son, Ismail, have been arrested in Manchester.

Three arrests were made on Tuesday night, and a further three arrests followed on Wednesday of a man in Wigan, a man in Nuneaton and a woman in Blackley, north Manchester. 

The focus is now very much on the Libyan connection. Abedi’s father was a fighter with an Islamist group banned by the UN’s Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee after the 9/11 attacks in New York. The Independent has learned he once worked for the Gaddafi regime’s security apparatus before turning towards hardline Islam: one of his associates once ran a group called the Islamic Martyrs’ Movement. 

COMMENT:  Let us also note that the British national election is two weeks away.  Clearly, the government wants to show that it is on top of things.  The oddsmakers give Theresa May's Conservative Party a strong chance at a sweeping victory.

May 25,  2017     Permalink