June 6, 2017

Trump escalates spiraling Middle East crisis in tweets attacking Qatar

Donald Trump Escalates Qatar Crisis

His statements come amid sensitive negotiations, and after Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tried to calm tensions.

By Akbar Shahid Ahmed

WASHINGTON ― President Donald Trump escalated a spiraling Middle East crisis on Tuesday morning in tweets attacking Qatar, which hosts 10,000 American troops at the largest U.S. military base in the region.

Beginning a little after 8 a.m., the president put out three statements criticizing Qatar and praising neighboring countries ― including Saudi Arabia ― for their moves to isolate the nation in recent days.

The president’s new messages endorse the claims of Qatar’s neighbors, who have waged a years-long campaign to draw U.S. attention to their anxieties about Qatar’s links to political Islam. Emails obtained and authenticated by HuffPost last week show the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the U.S. talking explicitly about shutting down the U.S. base and encouraging former Defense Secretary Bob Gates to publicly criticize Qatar.

U.S. officials have tried to avoid the appearance of picking a side in the dispute, which Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and aligned nations say is over Qatar’s support for violent militants. (Qatar strongly denies the charges.) The Emirates has already taken a hard line, saying Qatar will need to make major concessions for it to re-establish normal ties with the country.

On Monday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson both expressed hope the tension would be resolved soon. The U.S. ambassador to Qatar, Dana Shell Smith, said on Twitter that the country had made progress on blocking terror finance, and military officials said the American base, the hub of operations against the Islamic State group, was functioning normally.

Tweets at link

More:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-escalates-qatar-crisis_us_5936b178e4b013c4816b0065?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

June 3, 2017

Macron: "The U.S. has turned its back on the world, but France will not turn its back on Americans"

"

"

snip

Macron, who made a televised address in French and English, said Trump had "committed an error for the interests of his country, his people and a mistake for the future of our planet."

snip

"France believes in you (the U.S.), the world believes in you, but don't be mistaken on climate; there is no plan B because there is no planet B," Macron said.

In a separate address in English, Macron responded to Trump's Make America Great Again slogan, saying, "Make the Planet Great Again!" Macron called on U.S. researchers and scientists disappointed by Trump's decision to come to work in France to fight climate change.

snip

"Tonight the United States has turned its back on the world, but France will not turn its back on Americans," he said.



http://www.france24.com/en/20170602-paris-climate-deal-not-open-renegotiation-says-france-macron-trump

I hope they don't turn their backs on us. I hope they know we are with them 100% and are deeply concerned. I'm so grateful that there are all the protests scheduled for tomorrow to show the rest of the world how we feel and hopefully this latest will make for an even greater turnout.

June 2, 2017

Trump stoops to primitive brutality when announcing withdrawal from intl' community (Der Spiegal)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other G-7 leaders did all they could to convince Trump to remain part of the Paris Agreement. But he didn't listen. Instead, he evoked deep-seated nationalism and plunged the West into a conflict deeper than any since World War II.
By SPIEGEL Staff
June 2

Until the very end, they tried behind closed doors to get him to change his mind. For the umpteenth time, they presented all the arguments -- the humanitarian ones, the geopolitical ones and, of course, the economic ones. They listed the advantages for the economy and for American companies. They explained how limited the hardships would be.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was the last one to speak, according to the secret minutes taken last Friday afternoon in the luxurious conference hotel in the Sicilian town of Taormina -- meeting notes that DER SPIEGEL has been given access to. Leaders of the world's seven most powerful economies were gathered around the table and the issues under discussion were the global economy and sustainable development.

snip

But Donald Trump remained unconvinced. No matter how trenchant the argument presented by the increasingly frustrated group of world leaders, none of them had an effect. "For me," the U.S. president said, "it's easier to stay in than step out." But environmental constraints were costing the American economy jobs, he said. And that was the only thing that mattered. Jobs, jobs, jobs.

At that point, it was clear to the rest of those seated around the table that they had lost him. Resigned, Macron admitted defeat. "Now China leads," he said.

Still, it is likely that none of the G-7 heads of state and government expected the primitive brutality Trump would stoop to when announcing his withdrawal from the international community. Surrounded by sycophants in the Rose Garden at the White House, he didn't just proclaim his withdrawal from the climate agreement, he sowed the seeds of international conflict. His speech was a break from centuries of Enlightenment and rationality. The president presented his political statement as a nationalist manifesto of the most imbecilic variety. It couldn't have been any worse.

Much More:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/trump-pulls-out-of-climate-deal-western-rift-deepens-a-1150486.html#ref=nl-international

June 1, 2017

The World Is Better Off if We Leave the Paris Agreement; world can get more done without us? (Slate)

One terrible game to play during this presidency is to assess the actual cost of the damage Donald Trump will have wrought by the time he’s done being president. How many people will lose their health insurance? How many Americans will be blocked from voting? How many hate crimes will we endure?

The president’s failure to acknowledge or address climate change ranks high in the catastrophic-Trump-decisions Olympics. Failure to act—or worse, acting to exacerbate—climate change could have lasting implications for the entire planet. It’s true that the train may be out of the station when it comes to avoiding climate change altogether, but we can still attempt to mitigate and alleviate the worst of the effects. In that context, Trump’s almost-guaranteed decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement, the most promising global initiative addressing climate change, seems like a big deal.


And it is, but not because his decision to withdraw will catapult us toward assured and quick global demise. In fact, in recent weeks, many people have started to realize that Trump pulling out of the Paris Agreement is perhaps the best thing that could happen for the future of the agreement and, by side effect, the planet. After all, the accord is largely a voluntary gentleman’s agreement. Trump has exhibited absolutely no gentlemanly interest in keeping the light promises America has made under the agreement, regardless of whether we pull out. He’s already rolled back the policies that would ensure we might make our commitment to Paris, so effectively, he’s stepped out of the accord before officially doing so. It is much better if we, as a nation, are honest about our fickle lack of commitment to these norms than if we stay in and drag down the entire process.

At the Atlantic, Robinson Meyer spoke with a number of experts who believe Trump’s decision might actually have a positive effect on the future of climate negotiations, freeing world leaders to pull together a stronger agreement that forces greater action. At the New York Times, Brad Plumer’s survey of experts came to a similar conclusion—for instance, Australian climate scientist Luke Kemp told Plumer, “I worry that letting the United States just stay in the agreement and do whatever it wants could show how weak Paris is. It sends the message that the agreement is more about symbolism than action.”

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2017/05/america_doesn_t_deserve_the_paris_agreement.html?wpsrc=newsletter_tis&sid=589dfd6ebcb59c58118b45d5

June 1, 2017

Calling Earth a Loser, Trump Vows to Make Better Deal with New Planet (Borowitz)

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—In a dramatic announcement from the White House Rose Garden on Thursday, Donald J. Trump pronounced the planet Earth a “loser” and vowed to make a better deal with a new planet.

“Earth is a terrible, very bad planet,” he told the White House press corps. “It’s maybe the worst planet in the solar system, and it’s far from the biggest.”

Trump blasted former President Barack Obama for signing deals that committed the United States to remain on the planet Earth indefinitely. “Obama is almost as big a loser as Earth,” Trump said. “If Obama was a planet, guess what planet he’d be? That’s right: Earth.”

When asked which planet he would make a new deal with, Trump offered few specifics, saying only, “The solar system has millions of terrific planets, and they’re all better than Earth, which is a sick, failing loser.”

Trump’s remarks drew a strong response from one of the United States’ NATO allies, Germany’s Angela Merkel. “I strongly support Donald Trump leaving the planet Earth,” she said.

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/calling-earth-a-loser-trump-vows-to-make-better-deal-with-new-planet?mbid=nl_060117%20Borowitz%20Newsletter%20(1)&CNDID=49083371&spMailingID=11166266&spUserID=MTgzMjI2MTM1NTc2S0&spJobID=1180106365&spReportId=MTE4MDEwNjM2NQS2

June 1, 2017

Lawrence O'Donnell tweet: If Trump gets dementia...

"If Trump gets dementia, how will we know?"

https://twitter.com/Lawrence/status/819263038511529985

This is one of those that is funny and not at the same time. Too true to be truly funny.

June 1, 2017

With Trump Going AWOL On Climate, California Governor Seeks China As An Ally

Heading to China Friday, Brown told The WorldPost he aims to ramp up cooperation with Beijing on mitigating climate change.

As President Donald Trump reportedly prepares to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, California Governor Jerry Brown is getting ready to take on the role of America’s de facto climate ambassador. Brown will depart Friday for a week-long visit to China, where he will meet with Chinese leaders and members of the global Under2 Coalition, an ad hoc alliance of countries, states and municipalities committed to taking action to keep global temperature rises within two degrees of pre-industrial averages.

While Trump has characterized climate change as a “hoax” created by China, Brown and California have forged numerous climate-action partnerships with Chinese politicians, regulators and scientists. Those partnerships date back as early as 2005 and have involved clean-energy investments, pollution-regulation trainings and sharing of best practices as China builds its first carbon cap-and-trade market this year. In 2013, California became the first subnational body to sign a climate agreement with China’s most powerful economic regulator. Since California and Baden-Württemberg, Germany formed the Under2 Coalition in 2015, two Chinese provinces have joined. Brown will be visiting those provinces and looking to bolster clean energy investment on this China trip.

For years, subnational agreements kept the flame of international climate cooperation burning, despite frosty relations between Washington and Beijing on climate. That frost began to thaw in late 2014, when former President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands on a major bilateral carbon reduction agreement — commitments that cleared the way for the Paris accord a year later. But with Trump now planning to exit that agreement, Brown says the ball is back in California’s court. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has already said that his city will adopt the Paris accord if Trump doesn’t, and Governor Brown will be looking to build on that momentum with his Under2 Coalition.

The WorldPost sat down with the governor in Sacramento and asked Brown about working with China on climate.
Interview with Gov. Brown:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-california-china-climate-change_us_59301c40e4b0e09b11ee00a5?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

June 1, 2017

MAX stabbing survivor discusses attack, healing and his city. "We must protect each other."

By The Oregonian/OregonLive

Micah Fletcher, the man who survived being stabbed on a MAX train in Portland in an attack that killed two others, spoke to TV stations Tuesday, saying he is trying to heal spiritually and physically but is struggling in the aftermath of Friday's violence.

Speaking with KGW (8), Fletcher said he is just focusing on trying to get better.

"I got stabbed in the neck on my way to work, randomly, by a stranger I don't know, for trying to just be a nice person," said the 21-year-old Portland State University student. "Like, I don't know what to do after that, you know.

snip

"If you live here, move here, or if you want to call this city home -- it is your home," KATU (2) reported Fletcher said. "And we must protect each other like that is the truth, no matter what the consequences.

"The Muslim community, especially in Portland, needs to understand that there are a lot of us that are not going to stand by and let anybody – whether they are from here or not – scare you into thinking you can't be a part of this town, this city, this community, or this country," Fletcher said.

Videos and more at link:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2017/05/in_interviews_max_stabbing_sur.html

May 30, 2017

Portland Hero's Mother Pens Open Letter To Trump: "Condemn Violence"

Taliesin Myrddin Namkai-Meche’s last words were words of love.

Namkai-Meche, 23, was one of the victims in a hate-fueled attack on a train in Portland, Oregon, on Friday. While dying of a stab wound, he reportedly told one of the young women he helped save: “Tell everyone on the train I love them.”

It’s no surprise, then, that Namkai-Meche’s family is continuing to fight back against the hate that’s plaguing the area. His mother, Asha Deliverance, has written an open letter to President Donald Trump, which family members provided to HuffPost on Tuesday.

In the letter, she encouraged Trump to be a be a “President for all Americans.”

“Please encourage all Americans to protect and watch out for one another,” the letter reads in part. “Please condemn any acts of violence, which result directly from hate speech & hate groups. I am praying you will use your leadership to do so.”

Letter at link:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/condemn-violence-portland-heros-mother-pens-open-letter-to-trump_us_592d769ce4b053f2d2ae33a4?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

May 30, 2017

Portland Repub says party should use militia groups after racial attack; view into alt right mindset

This is an important view into the alt right mindset. It truly is an alternative universe where they are the victims:

Guardian
County GOP chair James Buchal says security forces may be appropriate as tensions rise after two people died in a racial attack on public transport

As tensions continue in Portland following the racially charged murder of two men on Friday, the top Republican in the city said he is considering using militia groups as security for public events.

snip

Multnomah County GOP chair James Buchal, however, told the Guardian that recent street protests had prompted Portland Republicans to consider alternatives to “abandoning the public square”.

“I am sort of evolving to the point where I think that it is appropriate for Republicans to continue to go out there,” he said. “And if they need to have a security force protecting them, that’s an appropriate thing too.”

Asked if this meant Republicans making their own security arrangements rather than relying on city or state police, Buchal said: “Yeah. And there are these people arising, like the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.”

Asked if he was considering such groups as security providers, Buchal said: “Yeah. We’re thinking about that. Because there are now belligerent, unstable people who are convinced that Republicans are like Nazis.”

snip

“Our enemies are more dangerous than ever” he continues. “We are really in a life and death battle for the future of our society. And these globalist people are not going to give up.”

“If we don’t tell out fellow citizens that there are these dark forces in the government, like the CIA and the shadow government, who are trying to take Trump down with lies, who is going to tell them?”

Lots more:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/29/portland-attack-republican-james-buchal-militia-groups?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+USA+-+Collections+2017&utm_term=228382&subid=20993289&CMP=GT_US_collection