Biden Nominates Elliott Abrams, Death Squad Backer Convicted of Lying to Congress, to Gov't Commissi

[RandySF]

President Biden has nominated Elliott Abrams to the bipartisan U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. Elliott Abrams was convicted in 1991 of lying to Congress about the Iran-Contra affair, and later pardoned by then-President George H.W. Bush. He defended death squads in Guatemala and El Salvador in the 1980s, when he served as assistant secretary of state under President Ronald Reagan. Abrams dismissed reports that El Salvador’s U.S.-trained military had massacred 1,000 civilians, including children, in the Salvadoran town of El Mozote in December 1981. He has also been linked to the 2002 attempted coup against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and helped plan the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Under President Trump, Abrams served as special envoy to Iran and Venezuela. Abrams will need to be confirmed by the Senate to serve on the commission.



https://www.democracynow.org/2023/7/6/headlines/biden_nominates_elliott_abrams_death_squad_backer_convicted_of_lying_to_congress_to_govt_commission

[RandySF]

1. Personal Note: I cannot support this.

I love Joe, but I don't know what he's thinking. I will be contacting my senators to urge a 'No' vote.

[gab13by13]

2. Joe has done so much good as president,

this is not one of those times. If the Senate votes Abrams down it isn't going to help him.

[Think. Again.]

3. Has President Biden released any statement...

...as to why he has chosen this nomination?

Or is there a public statement of nomination that we can access?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

4. Nominated by The Pentagon. Tail wagging the dog, again.

[Think. Again.]

5. I see, thanks.

[Celerity]

37. the Pentagon has no control over this, it is the State Department, and Biden has sole discretion

over the nominations


https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218070677#post36

[Autumn]

18. So why is it I have not found an article saying he was nominated by the Pentagon?

Got a link to that?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

19. Same pentagon committee that doesn't want Government to reveal pentagon intelligence on

Russian war crimes, and is so far winning.

[Autumn]

23. So it wasn't the Pentagon. It was Republicans on some committee and Biden is taking credit for it?

Yeah right.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

31. The Pentagons resistance to the rule of law is well known, is scared as hell might

be subject to ICJ jurisdiction…which is long overdue,

[Autumn]

33. Again. Do you have any link saying that the Pentagon nominated him? Any reputable link.

[Celerity]

36. I believe they are wrong: the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy is under the State Dept

It is civilian, and not at all under the control of the Pentagon.

https://www.state.gov/about-us-u-s-advisory-commission-on-public-diplomacy/

The ACPD was originally established as two sister Commissions: the U.S. Advisory Commission on Information and the U.S. Advisory Commission on Educational Exchange, under Section 601 of the U.S. Information and Educational Exchange Act of 1948, commonly known as the Smith-Mundt Act, as amended (22 U.S.C. 1469). The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, commonly known as the Fulbright–Hays Act, led to the reorganization of the Advisory Commission on Educational Exchange into the U.S. Advisory Commission on Educational and Cultural Affairs. In 1977, the Commissions were merged and became the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy.

The ACPD’s seven Members are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They have been selected from a cross-section of professional backgrounds and serve three-year terms, although they can be reappointed. It is a bipartisan body; not more than four members are to be from any one political party. The ACPD’s Executive Director oversees daily operations and works actively with the executive, legislature, NGO community, businesses, and academia to produce critical and constructive thought on how to improve the government’s public diplomacy processes and activities worldwide.

I can find no links saying that the Pentagon pushed this.

[Autumn]

38. It's not a matter of being wrong. It's a matter of purposely posting false

information. There is no link to the Pentagon nominating him because they didn't. Biden nominated him and it's disgusting that he did. There are non republicans that are not murderous, vile bastards.

[Celerity]

39. I was trying to be diplomatic with my words. I am dismayed that Biden nominated Abrams, as

surely there are FAR less shit Republican diplos out there than that criminal necon thug.

Any Republican that is forced (by statute) to be nominated by Biden for any position should be both a non MAGAt and a non neocon.

[Autumn]

40. There are a lot of Republicans out there that could have been appointed instead of this

maggot sandwich.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

41. Many ways the Pentagon leaders exert pressure on any civilian government...link to my thoughts...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/08/pentagon-international-criminal-court-russia-war-crimes

Also paywalled NYT article in guardian article



US legal experts helped draw up the Rome statute, which created the ICC. It was signed by Bill Clinton in 2000, but not ratified by the Senate, and Clinton’s successor, George W Bush, took the unusual step of withdrawing the US signature.

US opponents of the court argued that it could be used by America’s enemies to prosecute US soldiers fighting in foreign wars, despite safeguards written into the statute stating that the international court would only have jurisdiction if the courts in a suspect’s home country were unwilling or unable to prosecute.

…….

The opponents are the Pentagon.

[Celerity]

42. Non responsive. Post evidence that directly backs up your claim that the Pentagon nominated Abrams.

You made the direct claim and you have not posted evidence, just supposition.

Biden is not a puppet of the Pentagon, which your theory implies. Biden is the decider on this nomination, which falls under the State Department.

He also is the final decider on the Russian war crimes evidence being turned over to the ICC.

Your own article confirms that Biden has the final say on that as well:

The New York Times quoted current and former officials as saying Pentagon resistance was the obstacle. It reported that the national security council (NSC) convened a meeting of senior officials on 3 February to try to resolve the dispute, but that the defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, did not budge. Joe Biden has yet to give a final decision.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

43. Ofc Biden has final say! The articles are direct evidence of a pentagon hold.

Pentagon nominated Abrahams…wasn’t meant to be taken literally, sorry for the misunderstanding!

[Celerity]

45. You still have not posted any evidence that the Pentagon nominated Abrams. Biden did, that IS the

final decision he can make (it's up to the Senate to confirm, which hopefully they do not).

The Pentagon cannot nominate him. They lack the constructional power. We are not a military dictatorship.

[RandySF]

7. Biden nominates controversial former Trump-appointee to Public Diplomacy Commission

https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/03/politics/elliott-abrams-public-diplomacy-nomination/index.html

[emulatorloo]

10. Randy, thank you.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. You could have looked, or kept up with the news, or DU, over the past 2 days

There's a search box at the top right of DU. Results:

4 days ago: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100218063349 https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143096488 (both from CNN)

Google also gives: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/07/03/president-biden-announces-nominees-to-bipartisan-boards-and-commissions/ (which, oddly, omits his roles in supporting death squads, or his guilt in Iran-Contra)

Yes, my mileage varies. It's better.

[emulatorloo]

9. Muriel, I appreciate it.

I have never had any luck w DU’s search box, so I appreciate you providing the links.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. This Might Help

I've never liked the simple search here.
But, I've had very good results by using advanced search. It's called "advanced" but it's still simple to use.
Try that out, and see if you have better luck.

[emulatorloo]

15. Thanks for the tip! Will definitely give advanced a go.

[Cha]

27. For the Record.. I hear you about

"Democracy Now". I have a friend who listens to it and I've had to correct her in the past about what she hears on there.

[emulatorloo]

49. Same with my BIL. For a while I think it was his only news source and I had to talk him down a lot.

Thanks for yr post!

[LAS14]

25. So what's wrong with asking a question on DU? You don't have to...

...take the time and effort to reply yourself, but someone else might be happy to.

[muriel_volestrangler]

26. It wasn't just a question, it was also an insult of Democracy Now

saying they were haters of Democrats, and couldn't be trusted with a story.

[emulatorloo]

48. I don't find that source credible. They have brainwashed my brother-in-law over the years

And I always have to pick up the pieces by providing facts when he is overwhelmed by anxiety from what I perceive as an anti-democratic party slant in their reporting.

If you like it, enjoy and good for you!

Notice I am not “insulting” you because you like a source I don't care for.

Also remember that I thanked you for the links you provided and deleted my original post.

Have a nice Saturday.

[muriel_volestrangler]

50. I didn't feel insulted by you at all, and it was good of you to thank for the links

I just felt I needed to say why my reply to you had been rather curt.

I don't follow Democracy Now, but when it's used on DU, I usually find it's factual reporting is pretty good. The opinions from guests can sometimes be unjustifiably anti-Democratic, but it usually seems clear that it's opinion rather than journalism.

[emulatorloo]

52. ...

[Kid Berwyn]

12. Elliott Abrams Protected War Criminals

David Corn explains.

Excerpt…

But Abrams most odious (known) action occurred several years previously. As a top Reagan official, he dismissed reports that the US-trained-and-equipped military had massacred 1,000 civilians—including many women and children—in the Salvadoran town of El Mozote in December 1981. This was the largest mass killing in recent Latin American history. But Abrams wanted to protect the Salvadoran army, which the Reagan administration was showering with guns and money, despite its well-established record of human rights abuses. Abrams trash-talked American journalists who reported on the massacre and claimed the horrific reports were “implausible.” He praised the military unit that conducted this awful action. He suppressed the truth to assist killers.

The Iraq War, Iran-contra, covering up mass murder—Abrams represents the worst of American foreign policy over the past four decades.

The US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy can only have four of its seven members come from the same political party. That means Biden must appoint several non-Democrats. But why go with an apologist for war criminals?

Continues…

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/07/elliott-abrams-war-biden-white-house-bipartisanship/

[Montauk6]

13. "...Biden must appoint several non-Democrats," eh...? Hmmm....

OK, spin time.

Perhaps, a 4D chess move to further demonstrate the complete irredeemability of the Folks Across The Aisle by choosing, when forced to pick someone from the GOP, someone with a scummy background to counter the mildewed argument that there ain't a dime's worth of a difference between the two parties?

Not sure that Dark Brandon is in the driver's seat here but just speculation.

[yardwork]

14. More likely this is some kind of political swap.

Abrams is scum but maybe nominating him is important to somebody who Biden needs to vote a certain way, or something.

It's almost refreshing to see this kind of old time politics for a minute.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

20. Not knowing what was sold to the devil or the price makes positive result speculation impossible.

[yardwork]

24. I trust Biden to be doing the best he can for us.

You're welcome to micromanage from a position of not knowing anything much at all. I prefer to trust Biden on this.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. Quite a lot is known about how odious Abrams is

If Biden has been blackmailed into appointing Abrams, as suggested above, we ought to know (and no, that's not "refreshing" ). If he's just doing it because Abrams has always been polite to Biden, we ought to know. A Panglossian "this is the best of all possible worlds since there's a Democratic president" attitude is useless.

[yardwork]

29. In the list of things I'm worried about, this isn't hitting the radar screen.

It's extremely hot all over the world, for instance. That's very concerning and not even close to the best of all possible worlds.

[Autumn]

16. No. Just no.

[SYFROYH]

17. With the Ukraine-Russian war, this guy could be useful

[Alexander Of Assyria]

22. Nazis were useful to kill Russians but they still Nazis.

Mercenaries were used to kill Ukrainians, but they still mercenaries.

[H2O Man]

21. That's terrible.

[Xolodno]

30. First the cluster bombs...

...and now this.

I wonder who is pushing all this.

[Celerity]

35. ever since Ron Klain left Biden's advisors seem to be pushing him rightward on some (not all) issues

Willow Drilling Project (mixed bag, as he did also remove a lot of land from drilling)

certain immigration issues (deffo leaning onto this for the 2024 race)

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/21/politics/asylum-policy-biden-administration/index.html

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-migrant-families-detention-border-biden-0909546c3984ae439b376d02c40ac7ff

his full State Dinner (pretty rare lately, Trump only had 2, Macron and the Aussie PM, Scott Morrison) for the RW Indian PM Narendra Modi (a case can be made Biden is playing the long game, especially with China)


and then two I vehemently disagree with:

cluster bombs

now this Elliott Abrams nomination

[Alexander Of Assyria]

44. Cluster bombs are criminal weapons. That American factories produce lower dud rate...isn't

an argument some make, it’s an excuse and a deflection from the horrific nature of such a weapon that inflicts massive civilian causalities long after the hot war is over.

Is there a weapon the Pentagon didn’t have a love affair with? Even long after the rest of the world not in love rejected her proposal?

[Celerity]

46. We agree on this. I also think that having an ex 4 star general as the Sec of Defense is not a good

thing at all. It strains the cedulity of civilian military control.

[liberal_mama]

47. I wonder too. This and the cluster bombs is very disturbing and upsetting.

What the heck is going on?

[Alexander Of Assyria]

53. Don't worry! Pentagon assures the horrified world that the weapons are beautiful and will

be responsibly used!

[msfiddlestix]

32. wow. i didn't see that coming

no words, no comment.

[JCMach1]

34. Hell to the no...

[lees1975]

51. Not a good move, regardless of the intention.

Who's in charge of advising the President on these kinds of appointments?