Stephen Schwartz @AtomicAnalyst
When the next pandemic occurs (and make no mistake, it will) and the federal government is unable to respond in a coordinated and effective fashion to protect the lives of US citizens and others, this decision by John Bolton and Donald Trump will be why.
[….] 4:50 PM · May 10, 2018
It’s as if some people with expertise saw this coming.
The top White House official responsible for leading the U.S. response in the event of a deadly pandemic has left the administration, and the global health security team he oversaw has been disbanded under a reorganization by national security adviser John Bolton.
The abrupt departure of Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer from the National Security Council means no senior administration official is now focused solely on global health security. Ziemer’s departure, along with the breakup of his team, comes at a time when many experts say the country is already underprepared for the increasing risks of a pandemic or bioterrorism attack.
[….]
“It seems to actively unlearn the lessons we learned through very hard experience over the last 15 years,” said Konyndyk, now a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development. “These moves make us materially less safe. It’s inexplicable.”
[….]
“…In a world of limited resources, you have to pick and choose…”
That will be chiseled on our tombstones, if there’s anyone left to do it who cares.
Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
I am disappointed we were not able to vote to acquit @realDonaldTrump tonight – but I look forward to casting that vote next week, and ending this bitter, partisan circus 7:06 PM · Jan 31, 2020
Says the partisan hack and sycophant who can’t be bothered to hear witnesses.
It’s so cute that the junior senator from Missouri thinks it’s over.
Some of the comments:
Just think about all the times you get to go on Fox and talk about how pressuring an ally to investigate a political opponent and withholding crucial information and witnesses are not an impeachable offense. After all, if the President does it, it’s not impeachable.
“The most dangerous place to stand in Washington D.C. is any place between Senator Josh Hawley and a live microphone” – Charles P. Pierce
Impeached forever. No exoneration. The Dems should impeach him again on new charges.
Imagine hitching your wagon to Donald Trump (r) and believing he won’t do the same shit, eh Josh?
Voting for ending free, fair elections so Donald Trump can select himself president like Vladimir Putin does.
Sounds like you expect a patronage position as an American Oligarch out of the deal to vote for acquittal.
I believe your side has the elephants and the clowns.
Your party wants to do it Soviet style – pre determined outcome, attained with no witnesses or evidence. Not one scrap of paper. That does not exonerate DT – he is impeached forever.
In similar fashion, we’re disappointed in you.
To put it mildly.
You also refused to hear all the evidence. I think that’s sad for a former attorney general. Or anyone for that matter.
I’m completely disappointed that I even voted for you. #HawleyHidesTheTruth
It’s only partisan because you choose to be complicit instead of honoring your oath of office
I’m disappointed that you’re my senator. You have abandoned the constitution and your nation in your furvor to acquire more power for your party at the expense of this country and your dignity.
So disappointed you weren’t able to legalize bribery and obstruction?
The only reason it was partisan was because one side decided to double down on the cover up.
You violated your oath of office. Plain & simple.
i am so disappointed someone in your position isn’t taking this extra time reviewing the materials presented to them and seriously, IMPARTIALLY coming to a conclusion they keep to themselves until voting
#RIPAmerica #RIPGOP
You’ll never actually be able to acquit because you never actually held a trial. You just let him off like good puppets.
Although you’ll vote for acquittal, he’s guilty and you all know it.
Again, I ask; how did it feel to recite the pledge of allegiance, only to turn around and shred the Constitution?
The circus is nothing compared to the crimes that will come to light. We will not forget. History will revile you, toady.
Well, okay, the first one is a little poem written for children by a socialist minister in the early 1890s, the other is the governing document of the United States of America and is apparently no longer operative.
Look at that!
We have a Senator from Missouri showing he has no intentions of being an impartial juror.
Too bad his seat isn’t up until 2024.
Yes you would take joy in acquitting a criminal and not listening to the people who pay your salary.
@GOP knows trump should be impeached and removed. 75% of Americans know how a trial is supposed to work!
@GOP do not want the American People to hear from witnesses! #GOPCowards
What was your soul worth?
I’ve lost all respect for that darn GOP
And it’s not just because we so rarely agree
It’s their lies and deceit
How they shamelessly cheat
That’s distasteful, disgraceful, disgusting to me
Can’t aquit with a sham trial. 80% wanted witnesses. Only little people have to follow the law.
I’m embarrassed to be represented by you.
The democrats just don’t get it do they? They cannot accept election results unless they win and when they don’t we’re going to have continuous temper tantrums because they didn’t get their way.
Projection doesn’t just happen in movie theaters.
We appreciate that you support President @realDonaldTrump, it’s painful to see this disgusting trial go on another day. Hasn’t he been put through enough?
And, wait for it:
No
Gives you plenty of time to shine his shoes.
Problematic if you can’t tell shit from Shinola.
You mean you look forward to licking the boots of a corrupt dictator as you abandon any pretense of working for anyone but him. And the Kremlin.
Okay, not Shinola.
The American people are disappointed in you and the 50 other senators that are perpetrating a cover up. What kind of trial doesn’t have witnesses and documents? You are proving just how corrupt our government is and how much of a need there is for us to rise up against it.
tRump is IMPEACHED for life, even if he is acquitted in the Senate. He will still go down is history as being impeached. As @MickMulvaneyOMB would say “Get over it”.
#GOPCowards
We at least still got the victory knowing he will be acquitted.
“Knowing,” as in pre-ordained? How extra-constitutional. [see also: Pyrrhic]
With all due respect…you might be watching alternative news too much.
I understand your hurry. After all, the truth might come out.
The bitterness will not end with your gift to Putin and transnational crime, I guarantee you that.
“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.
I look forward to your next chapter in life when you’re voted out of the senate….
Partisan?!The majority of THE PEOPLE would like to hear witnesses.Have this be a true trial.Not the us vs them crap that you and other sycophants are parroting to save your rears.Wholly unbelievable.History won’t be kind to you Josh.The damage will be irreparable.#RIPAmerica
You and your Impeached Leader, enjoy it while you can. Tick, Tock.
If you think Trump’s troubles will end just because 51 sycophants and scaredy-cats cast a vote, think again
53, actually.
I can’t believe ANYONE agreed to leave this Trial open while the Democrats, as they are admitting, want more witnesses and to continue digging. 49 / 51
That is absolutely outragous!
#WeThePeople want you ALL too Get Back to WORK!
That’s so cute. They think that #MoscowMitch keeps the U.S. Senate working.
Its what will happen this week that concerns me.
Well, we are talking about Donald Trump (r) here.
Like it or not – you’re still an irrelevant nobody and no matter how much you kiss Trump’s behind you can bet he’d throw you under the bus in a minute.
Well, we are talking about Donald Trump (r) here.
Let’s hope, Senator Hawley, that you’ll do your part to end the partisan behavior. That means you’ll have to seek common ground and find compromises.
What color is the sky in their world?
If only there was a way you could have made it non-partisan, like actually listening to witnesses, looking at evidence and DOING YOUR DAMNED JOB.
Do you think, like Senator Alexander, that Trump did what Schiff said, but it wasn’t impeachable? Or do you think Trump’s call was perfect?
We could ask, if Josh Hawley (r) ever held open public town halls in Missouri.
Josh doesn’t think. At least not for himself.
He proved he’s just another GOP hack this week.
#GOPCorruptionOverCountry
I’m disappointed to see the GOP continue to put party over country, constituents, and Constitution. The corrupt must be very deep and very wide. #ShamTrial #TruthMattersRightMatters
Follow the money.
Rush to judgement to decide without even considering all the evidence, witnesses. What a shameful exercise.
#SenateGOPCoverup
I could not be more embarrassed of my elected senators right now. Cowards, both of you. This is a fake trial and there will be a fake acquittal.
He may be acquitted in a few days, but he’ll never be exonerated.
This tweet won’t age well. You’ll see it again at election time.
Frame that, and put it up on your wall.
This tweet will come back to haunt you. Get ready. And yeah, history has its eyes on you. So do millions of thoughtful, thinking people everywhere. Craven sycophancy isn’t a good look; nor is shredding the Constitution.
Donnie was impeached…forever and lost the popular vote. You went against the American public too, we wanted witnesses (if just one could have cleared Donnie we would have seen them=this means YOU know he is guilty and don’t care)
Well, at least this gives you the weekend to find a nice scepter and crown for his majesty.
Trump’s lead attorney in the impeachment trial could also be a witness, according to Bolton’s book
John Haltiwanger
…Cipollone was at this meeting, the manuscript said, suggesting he witnessed Trump order a top adviser to get involved in the coordinated effort to pressure Ukraine. This raises ethical questions about whether it was appropriate for Cipollone to lead Trump’s defense in a trial pertaining to matters he’s said to have firsthand knowledge of…
Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
1) Bolton is telling the truth
2) Cipollone was in the meeting
3) Cipollone is a fact witness and has misled the tribunal
4) Cipollone has violated the ABA Rules of Professionall Conduct
5) Cipollone should be disciplined by the Bar and potentially lose his bar license. 2:15 PM · Jan 31, 2020
And, now:
Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].
Josh Hawley (r) on allowing witnesses: No
Roy Blunt (r) [2016 file photo].
Roy Blunt (r) on allowing witnesses: No
Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check…
A trial without witnesses or documents in evidence. Really.
So their cult leader can take a victory lap before a sporting event?
“The most dangerous place to stand in Washington D.C. is any place between Senator Josh Hawley and a live microphone” – Charles P. Pierce
***We cannot assure anyone that no pedestrians were trampled in the hurry to issue this Tweet or in the efforts of Josh Hawley (r) to get in front of a microphone.
This evening:
Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
Questioning for 5 hours so far in the Senate. Adam Schiff just said House Dems’ case is about bribery. But they didn’t allege bribery in the Articles! Or extortion. Or any unlawful conduct of any kind. But we should overturn an election? Schiff & Co getting desperate 5:46 PM · Jan 29, 2020
Josh Hawley [2016 file photo].
As always, there’s much hilarity in the responses:
You’re dishonest and should resign because you very clearly do not plan to follow through on the oath you swore.
I’ve never been a Hawley fan, but I didn’t expect him to this blatantly show his corruption to the world
Josh we want witnesses. I’ll remember this in 2024.
IT IS NOT OVERTURNING AN ELECTION. Because the bribe was not accepted does not negate the bribery. Please call witnesses!
Senator, you do realize that we have TV &/or radio & can listen in real time, right? Because….that is so not what he said.
Impeachment is NOT overturning an election. It’s in the Constitution
How did trump cheat in an election? He won fair and square. This impeachment has nothing to do with crimes or misconduct and everything to do with the Democrats trying to alter the course of the 2020 election. This is a coup. Fuck the dem pieces of shit.
Obvious satire.
He’s making it up as he goes.
Hey Josh, I’m a Missouri resident and I will be voting against every Republican on the ballet from now until the day I die!!
The shit show that you’re party has brought to our national politics is nauseating to say the least. Witnesses and documents or it’s a cover up…
Sure they alleged bribery in the Articles.
Here’s the text.
Impeachment doesn’t overturn the election. It replaces Trump with Pence. It’s in the Constitution. Read it.
Hey Josh just so u know, the “Constitution” (mentioned above) is the founding document of the American govt. I actually feel like u took an oath to it at some point, might be relevant here IMO. I heard it’s widely available online if you want to check it out.
Good luck buddy!
The description of Trump’s crimes by Democrats includes the solicitation of a bribe by Trump, when he asked Ukraine for a “favor”.
We want witnesses and documents.
Those silly Democrats trying to protect the sanctity of our elections and our constitution!!
Okay, that one’s sarcasm.
Are you a Senator or a Trump’s defense attorney? They aren’t the same.
It’s hard to tell. Either way the quality of the work is just as bad.
Remember the oath you took.
I am so disappointed in you Josh! Your allegiance to this virale, corrupt President is going to come back and bite you so badly!
There is no overturned election. This is a lie that Republicans perpetuate. The election stands but Pence becomes POTUS. If it were overturned there would either be a new election or Clinton would become POTUS. #RemoveTrumpNow
Ask if Josh is under oath! Ah wait he is! He just doesn’t seem to show it.
I’m a constituent and would like to see the Senate call for Witnesses and documents. It is then I think we will know the truth and there will be no doubts one way or another! Otherwise there will be a SHADOW over the Republican Senators as a coverup! Truth!
Your lack of knowledge is overwhelming.
We want witnesses and documents and a vote to remove. He is guilty Josh.
If you want to call Hunter Biden, go ahead. You have the majority. But it’s all a sham isn’t it? You guys would rather just smear someone than actually hear from them. You can’t ignore Bolton and think this will be a real trial. An overwhelming number of citizens want witnesses.
Are you sure you’re a lawyer? Abuse of Power by bribing a foreign official, (I will release the aid if you help me), to help with an election. Does that help. Your very disappointed constituent.
“…Now I know he went to Yale, I think, or Harvard, one of those, one of those fancy ones…”
Heh.
Your email to me was absolutely horrendous! Blunt emailed me back, and he was considerate and talked about how my views were justified; However, you just slammed my views and said they were unfounded and ridiculous! I’m insulted by this display! Expect another call!!!
Or, a sternly worded memo might work.
Article 1 describes bribery. We’re not that stupid.
He is.
You could not be more wrong.
Overturn an election=Not doing my job of holding a president accountable to the constitution.
Who said anything about overturning an election? Besides you.
Smart move to say the Democrats can only remove Trump after catching him in ALL his crimes since he’s proven he can commit them at break-neck speed.
Bribery IS Abuse of Power.
This isn’t overturning an election, that election is long over. Impeachment is removal of a President that abuses his power, in this case, by bribery.
That’s covered under abuse of power Sparky. Find a better lie than overturning the election.
This too… right in the Articles
“President Trump solicited the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, in the 2020 United States Presidential election.”
“The most dangerous place to stand in Washington D.C. is any place between Senator Josh Hawley and a live microphone” – Charles P. Pierce
**We cannot assure anyone that no pedestrians were trampled in the hurry to issue this Tweet or in the efforts of Josh Hawley (r) to get in front of a microphone.
This afternoon:
Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
After listening to the Dems’ 20+ hours of argument and the rebuttal arguments from @realDonaldTrump, I’ve got lots of questions for the Dems. Like this one: Why did Schiff lie about his contact with the “whistleblower”? More to come! 1:33 PM · Jan 28, 2020
As always, there is much hilarity in the responses. They ain’t buying it:
But you don’t have any questions for Bolton, or Pompeo, or Trump? You’re the worst senator, and that’s a hard title to earn.
I’ve got questions:
Q1: Why did Trump ask Ukraine to do him a favor – check into Biden, when that was old news & already resolved?
Q2: Why was he ONLY interested in them announcing an investigation?
Q3: Why did he withhold the $ from Ukraine?
Huh, Josh?!!!
Why are we not asking the president why he illegally withheld aide from Ukraine in order to benefit his campaign? #politicalhack
@HawleyMO, I’m sorry, what exactly was the defense? All I’ve heard so far.. Bidens, Bidens, Bidens, oh, they threw in Obama, a lecture on impeachment and all the half truths and selective testimony taken out of context. BUT, I have heard no defense for #trumpIsACorruptLiar
What are you even talking about? Focus on the trial and stop the whataboutism
You’re worried about fiction instead of facts. Typical of republicans these days.
Mostly, we’d like to have some genuine first-hand information about the conversation. Bolton was there. He knows more than anyone we’ve heard from. It sure would be helpful to hear his side of the story.
#BoltonTestify
You are missing the point and just parroting the last few whitehouse points that were written on a map with a sharpie.. the oath needs to be replaced. New idea attach 50k Volts to each bollock and swear on that instead. If you lie you get a shock .. how to sort out politicians
Oh, FFS. This isn’t hard. Come to Kansas City and let your constituents ask questions of you, Senator. I’d say more to come, but you only show up on Fox News.
Have you tried using a bank of microphones as bait?
Call the witnesses; produce the documents. We deserve to know the whole truth. Doesn’t sound to me like Schiff did have contact. But does it matter? The whistleblower was just a tip; the facts have supported those claims.
@HawleyMO, where you sitting in on the trial? Do they have a little box in the senate room that the impeachment trial is playing on while Hannity gives his views? I’m thinking you didn’t see the first half of the trial. IGNORANCE is no excuse for the law!!!!
That would be funny if there actually was a little senators’ table.
Why did @realDonaldTrump lie about knowing Parnas? Why did @realDonaldTrump say to “take her out” about Yavonovitch? And why was the State Dept worried about her safety when they wisked her out Ukraine in the middle of the night?
This is performance art right? Like a bad Andy Kauffman/Tony Clifton thing. There is no way you could be this craven and devoid of integrity.
Tony Clifton had a better haircut.
Knock yourself out. By the way, Americans want to hear from John Bolton.
More to come = waiting for #MoscowMitch to tell me what to say.
Missouri deserves so much better. Impeach and Remove.
Better question, what is trump hiding?
I have a question… who is the hackiest hack, you or @SenJoniErnst?
Let Bolton Speak
Resign
Witnesses.
Yes, and what is the current market price of tea in China?
Call the witnesses. Produce the documents.
Do you have any questions about the President illegally impounding military aid to a vulnerable ally to coerce them into announcing a fake investigation to interfere in our elections on his behalf?
Why don’t you care about Trump’s abuse, betrayal, and corruption? #DoYourJob
How about, “Why did #ImpeachedForever #FakePresident think it was ok to bully a foreign government desperate for funds already allocated by congress, and then lie about it?” The good thing is that you are actually young enough to find another job when you are voted out of office.
Let’s call this exactly what it is: a cover-up.
What a ridiculously fraudulent partisan sham whitewash cover-up being executed by Trump and GOP.
Nobody believes you, Joshie. You’ve lied to us too many times.
#HucksterHawley who wants to be president in 2024 panders to the Trump base keeping their conspiracies and hocum alive. #GOPCorruptionOverCountry
You are a disgusting excuse for an American. You do not deserve the job of Senator. You should resign in shame.
You took an oath to defend the Constitution, and now when your defense is needed, you join the assault on our most sacred document. Why don’t you care what trump did?
Distract. Distract. Distract. Flashing objects at your base isn’t respectful. Cluttering the discussion can only hurt your cause. Schiff isn’t being impeached. Trump is. Lead or leave. And, stop having high school sophomores managing your messaging.
@realDonaldTrump
Not high school sophomores, a middle school dance decorating committee (volunteer). High school sophomores would be doing a much better job.
Great….now, how about you answer some questions for your constituents? You clearly have the time judging by your appearances on Fox News and your tweets yet we never get a response.
Why would you vote not to see witnesses when 70% of Americans would like to see testimony?
You’re lying and it the whistleblower is irrelevant. The Biden’s are irrelevant. The only thing that matters here is what Trump did and he’s guilty. If you don’t vote to remove, I hope you’ll be a one term senator.
He’ll have all the money he needs in 2024.
Where’s your moral compass? It seems to be MIA.
#OneTermJosh #OneTermHawley
I can’t believe there are enough gullible voters here for you to have a job. You’re a liar and a shill for your dear leader.
Deflection is such a played out tactic, Josh – is your case THAT weak?
Have you noticed @RoyBlunt is not tweeting? Maybe he’s at least trying to appear impartial.
You should just stop. It’s making you look dumb.
Look?
Dude, you like the tweaker who steals tools out of your garage and then comes back to help you look for it…shameless.
You’re a special kind of stupid, aren’t you? #RemoveandIndictTrumpNOW
John Bolton @AmbJohnBolton
Glad to be back on Twitter after more than two months. For the backstory, stay tuned…….. 7:00 AM · Nov 22, 2019
There was much disdain in the comments:
Okay, lightweight.
Testify
If only John Bolton had the courage of Fiona Hill
“Few Republicans are going to want to read a Bolton book showing Trump in a bad light. And Democrats are not about to put money into the pockets of a man who effectively blocked us from hearing damning testimony.”
It’ll be enough.
Testify to Congress under oath. That’s really the only thing we want to hear from you.
While you were away from Twitter, sir, a lot of people found it cowardly that you chose to discuss the Trump administration before a “gathering of Morgan Stanley’s largest hedge fund clients” but not before Congress.
There’s that.
In it for the glory, but mostly the profit.
There’s that, too.
Trump is burning this country to the ground. DO SOMETHING.
Testify in public and under oath, or you are just wasting air and space.
Hey John Bolton why don’t you do your patriotic duty and come forward – if it’s a matter of money we can start a Go Fund Me page for your testimony
It wouldn’t be a “quid pro quo” cause the GOP doesn’t think anything is so we are good!
We see what they did there.
To sell a book? Or do justice now? You watched Trump up close and know what he’s capable of if he’s allowed to continue.
It will be on you.
You sent those under your charge to the NSC lawyers and they agreed to testify to Congress. Are you too cowardly to do the same? Is the power of your party affiliation more important than your duty to country?
Testify under oath or leave us all alone.
Public servants with everything to lose stepped forward.
Come forward for the right reason.
We’re full up on schemes and bribes.
Just testify, dude. Fiona Hill did.
The only way I want to hear from you is under oath, before the American people. It’s your duty.
You need to testify.
#BoltonUnderOath
Do your duty; testify.
You’ll always be able to sell your book. But you’ll never be able to get this moment in history back.
How about testifying in the Impeachment hearings and tell the FRONT story? That madman you’re protecting in the White House is destroying our country, and you stand silent? You are better than this, sir.
I think we’re very close to finding out whether John Bolton really is better than this.
Quit fan-dancing for tips and testify.
Testify first. Tweet later.
We’re waiting…..
Your timing is curious sir. It’s either to promote your book (which is more likely the case) or to antagonize the monster in the WH. Either way I care less about what you tweet and more about you stepping forward and telling the Impeachment committees what you know. #BeBest
Sir, US Capitol Building, First Street SE, Washington, D.C. Wear a jacket and tie.
Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check…
Last night:
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
Shifty Schiff now seems to think they don’t need the Whistleblower, who started the whole Scam. The reason is that the Whistleblower has lost all credibility because the story is so far from the facts on the Transcript. Also, the second Whistleblower is no longer even mentioned! 7:17 PM · Oct 14, 2019
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House. I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore…. 10:58 AM · Sep 10, 2019
One of many salient observations:
Jennifer Rubin @JRubinBlogger
which is worse, Trump with Bolton or Trump without? Yes. 2:10 PM · Sep 10, 2019
Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check…
From Josh Hawley (r), yesterday evening, via Twitter:
Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
One year since the U.S. withdrew from the terrible Iran nuclear deal and Iran is already threatening to stockpile & resume uranium enrichment unless we prop up their failing economy. Our partners and allies should not give in to nuclear blackmail
[….] 6:35 PM – 8 May 2019
WTF? Uh, Donald Trump (r) withdrew the United States from the deal.
Some of the responses:
Yes, Josh. When one side fails honor their end of a deal, the other side tends to not keep their end up either. One year of Trump’s policy and what do we have? Iran back to enriching uranium. Americans still in jail or missing. More chaos in the region.
Call me a skeptic but I doubt any man who negotiated his way to losing $1 billion over a decade is going to how the hell to negotiate a complex nuclear deal.
So maybe the “terrible deal” was actually a pretty good deal?
What partners?
Ironic or sarcastic? Your guess is as good as mine.
Don’t you have some kid’s video game to ruin?
That’s definitely sarcastic.
The 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council+Germany+Iran were signatories.The only country to break the treaty & exit the deal is the US.
Deal was verifiable.
The US is pushing Iran into a corner.
Mortifying but true: our country is the one destabilizing this situation.
We abandoned the deal unilaterally, and somehow the Iranians are supposed to be the bad guys for adhering to the deal we abandoned for an additional year?
Does anyone in your office have _any_ respect for your constituents? Your contempt for us and reality is pathetic.
This is perhaps the most dumb tweet you’ve made. And that is an impressive accomplishment.
I’m sad that I have to wait so long to vote against you.
Josh, I’m no foreign policy expert, but it might have something to do with the #BillionDollarLoser withdrawing from the deal for no good reason and against advice from both his Sec. of Defense and National Security Adviser. Also, you are an embarrassment to Missouri.
Well, compared to Donald Trump (r) you certainly are a foreign policy expert.
Hey genius, they weren’t threatening to stockpile & resume uranium enrichment when the “terrible” deal was in force. You sure you went to an elite law school? [….]
One of those fancy ones.
What did we expect to happen? I don’t get “already.” We walked out on the agreement. This had to have been expected, no?
Expect Kim Jong-un to be thinking that it would be stupid to make any deal with Trump.
Your complicity to this failed white house is putting our country in danger.
Thanks to orange Nixon’s tax cut the deficit is higher than ever, you and your cronies are trying to get rid of what little healthcare we have, and now you’re advocating for another war?
Utter bullshit.
Sign up for your own damn war and take the 1% with you.
Whatever trump says the puppet repeats. You are a dangerous sycophant.
We noticed that, too.
What would you expect them to do-we pulled out of the deal. Spare us your fake outrage. It’s similar to how you ran your Senate race running commercials about health care-straight up lying -you were part of the lawsuit. We’re on to you #Gaslighting
You realize you’re owning yourself in this tweet, right?
No. But he did attend one of those fancy law schools.
What allies? We ditched them all when we unilaterally backed out of the agreement.
Senator, I’m not really hearing a solution here. What’s the GOP’s plan here? So far Trump broke America’s word, removing all incentive to slow down Iran’s enrichment program, all while making incendiary comments increasing tensions. What are you doing as my senator to solve this?
Nothing.
Dumbest fucking thing I’ve read today. Good job.
I can’t believe you’re actually whining about Iran not holding up their end of a deal your boss walked away from. You are an empty shirt, and a syncophant of the highest order. A soulless automaton that cannot think for itself.
You and your idiot ignorant party will drag us into a huge war. The republican party has zero clue with regards to common sense, let alone geo-political affairs.
“Only an idiot would fight a war on two fronts. Only the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Idiots would fight a war on twelve fronts.”
— Londo Mollari, “Ceremonies of Light and Dark”, Babylon 5
In response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings, the United States is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force. The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or regular Iranian forces.
Like anyone is surprised?
In 2010:
[….]Question: …Why does the United Nations allow Iranian President Ahmadinejad to address the U.N. Assembly and then recognize his government when he frequently denies the Holocaust and says it was an elaborate falsehood circulated by Jews and Jewish friendly nations such as the U.S.?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, this, that, that’s because that’s the U.N. is. I mean, this is a, uh, this, this is, it’s not, it’s not, I think most Americans look at Ahmadinejad and the fact he is a Holocaust denier, uh, and say we shouldn’t even let him into the country. But, uh, we have agreed, uh, as a member of the United Nations through what’s called the Headquarters Agreement, obviously it’s headquartered in New York, that, uh, heads of state, foreign ministers, diplomats from any U.N. member who come to the United States to come to New York to do U.N. business will be admitted to the country. We can restrict their other activities, uh, but that’s what it, that’s what it means to, uh, have the U.N. functioning. Uh, and it’s also part of one of the basic premises of the U.N. that I think, uh, it’s, it’s very hard for us to understand, and that’s the so called principle of sovereign equality. Is that every member of the U.N. in the General Assembly is equal to every other member of the U.N. So the United States has one vote in the General Assembly and so does Palau. Uh, and, and you can go on down the list of the hundred and ninety-two member states of the U.N. The way the U.N. functions, uh, is a, is the product of decades of cultural development. Uh, and it is the way that it is and it is extraordinarily difficult to change. What that means to me is that, uh, the U.N. has very limited, uh, functionality. It can do some limited number of things well. Some of the specialized agencies of the U.N. do important humanitarian work, uh, they do important scientific work, they do, uh, work in areas that nobody even thinks about the, like the Universal Postal Union that helps handle the transfer of mail between countries, uh, and which functions with, us, essentially no attention at all. Where the U.N. doesn’t work is in the political decision making area, the field of human rights, the field of international security which should have been, uh, one of its, uh, principal responsibilities, in large part because of this culture that has developed, uh, and that, uh, basically requires treating every country just like it’s every other country. So, Fidel Castro, when he was able, would come and speak at the U.N. During the cold war you’d have dictators from all over the world. Uh, today you have, uh, uh, countries like Iran and North Korea, uh, that use the U.N. and, and, and it’s, uh, and the opportunities that presents just like any other country. Uh, we, we may find this very difficult to accept. We do find it very difficult to accept, but that’s the way the U.N. is. That doesn’t mean it’s a good thing it just means that’s the way the U.N. is and to me it indicates how limited, uh, are the benefits we’re gonna get from a system that is developed that holds those kinds of cultures. [applause]
[….]Question: …Tonight during your discussion you were talking about Iran’s developing nuclear program. I was wondering what the U.N. or the U.S. would do, um, to intervene when the, um, the, Iran’s, um, threatening Israel, um, Israel’s sovereignty? And do you think it would make a difference if Mousavi got elected in the past Iranian, um, election because most of the power lies within the theocracy and, aya, Ayatollah Khamani?
Ambassador Bolton: Well, I, I don’t, I don’t think the election fundamentally would have changed very much. But I think that the fraud that was, uh, so visible in last year’s election, uh, actually helped demonstrate to a lot of Iranians just how, uh, illegitimate, uh, the Islamic Revolution nineteen seventy-nine has become. I think it’s a very unpopular government in many respects. And I wish the United States, both during the Bush administration and the Obama administration, had done more to supply the opposition with support so that when that fraudulent election had occurred, if we had really given them the resources we might have had an opportunity to see the regime overthrown. Uh, that didn’t happen, we didn’t give them adequate support, either in two thousand nine or in the years preceding that. Uh, and so that opportunity has slipped away and I think it will be quite some time before it comes back. The fact is that, uh, because we have engaged in, uh, now nearly eight years of diplomacy with Iran they have used that time to overcome essentially all of the complex scientific and technological obstacles that stand in the way of a nuclear weapons program. They’re very close to having a weapons capability, it’s really a matter for them when they decide they’re gonna do it. Uh, the diplomacy has failed, the sanctions have failed, uh, so I think today, uh, there are really only, uh, two options facing us with respect to Iran’s nuclear weapons. One is, and this is the most likely option, that indeed they do get nuclear weapons and we’ve got to deal with the consequences of a nuclear Iran. The only thing that will stop that is the second option, which is that some outside power uses preemptive force to strike against the nuclear weapons program, uh, and destroy as much of it as, uh, might be possible, thus setting Iran back, two, three, four, maybe more years. That that is in itself not a complete solution to the problem, but two to four years in, in this business is nearly infinity. I think there’s no chance that the Obama administration will use force. I once thought there was a chance that President Bush would use force. That obviously didn’t happen. I’m not even holding my breath on this administration. Which means that the choice, it’s a very [applause], it’s a very, it’s a very unpleasant choice for Israel, is between seeing Iran get nuclear weapons and taking preemptive action. Uh, military force here is a very unattractive, uh, outcome. It’s very risky, uh, there could be enormous, uh, potential consequences, uh, but in Israel’s case, uh, nuclear weapons in the hands of Iran, uh, could bring, uh, a second Holocaust, this time a, a nuclear holocaust. And, uh, I don’t think that’s something that they want to wait and find out about. When Israel has faced, uh, a potential nuclear threat in the past it has not hesitated to act, uh, preemptively. It destroyed, uh, Saddam Hussein’s Osirak reactor outside of Baghdad in nineteen eighty-one, as I mentioned a few moments ago it destroyed the North Korean reactor in Syria, uh, in September two thousand seven. Uh, so given, given the alternative of a nuclear Iran I think the military option is very much on the table for the Israelis. I don’t know what they’re gonna do but I don’t think they have much time. Both because, uh, that Iran is increasingly close to actually having a nuclear weapons capability and because, uh, at, at some point the Russians may yet deliver the, uh, what we call the S three hundred air defense system, a very sophisticated air defense system that Israel couldn’t penetrate, uh, which would effectively eliminate the Israeli military option.
So, I think we’re very close to a decision by Israel and, uh, and the consequences that will, that will, that will flow from that. [applause]
