The "Middle East and Terrorism" Blog was created in order to supply information about the implication of Arab countries and Iran in terrorism all over the world. Most of the articles in the blog are the result of objective scientific research or articles written by senior journalists.
From the Ethics of the Fathers: "He [Rabbi Tarfon] used to say, it is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but you are not exempt from undertaking it."
"Enemies, including America and the Zionist regime, should know that they will undoubtedly receive a crushing response for what they do against Iran and the resistance front," Khamenei said.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks during a meeting in Tehran(photo credit: IRGC/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)
Iran had a “crushing response” against Israel and the United States
as the Pentagon pledged over the weekend to increase its military forces
in the Middle East.
“Instead
of supporting the people of #Palestine [and] #Lebanon, some countries
are providing economic [and] military aid to the malicious, cruel,
bloodthirsty enemy,” he wrote.
“The
United States of America and the Zionist regime will definitely receive
a crushing response for what they do against #Iran and the #Resistance
Front,” he stressed.
He spoke as Israel remains braced for an Iranian response to its strike a week ago on missile production facilities in the Islamic Republic.
Iran's
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran
(credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News
Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)
Pentagon Press
Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Friday that “should Iran, its
partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or
interests in the region, the United States will take every measure
necessary to defend our people.”
Deployment of additional ballistic missile defense destroyers
“In keeping with our commitments to the protection of US citizens and forces in the Middle East,
the defense of Israel, and de-escalation through deterrence and
diplomacy, the Secretary of Defense ordered the deployment of additional
ballistic missile defense destroyers” to the Middle East in the coming
months, Ryder said.
This
includes “fighter squadron and tanker aircraft, and several US Air
Force B-52 long-range strike bombers to the region,” he said.
Israel
for the last year has been in active battle against Iranian proxies,
Hamas in the south, Hezbollah in the north and the Houthis in Yemen.
Iran has twice directly attacked Israel, once in April and again in
October.
Haidar
al-Lami, a member of the Shi’ite al-Nujaba Movement told the
Al-Akhbar, news outlet that Iran has the right to target Israel from
any place inside Iraq.
Iran is likely to “use advanced missiles in the coming phase, in line
with the escalation that will occur.” is to target Israel before
hitting American bases.
The
US has not participated in any offensive Israeli action against Iran,
but it has taken to the skies both in April and October to help defend
the Jewish state from attacks by the Islamic Republic. The increased
tension between Israel and Iran comes just days before the US elections
on Tuesday, November 5.
The
US has been increasing its diplomatic activity in the last weeks as the
clock is beginning to run out on the Biden administration, with US
President Joe Biden set to step down on January 20.
Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Thursday that “in Iran
today, Israel has greater freedom of action than ever before. We can go
anywhere that we need to in Iran."
[T]he Biden-Harris administration is paving the way for a future where Iran becomes a nuclear-armed state. This outcome would have catastrophic consequences for global security, not only the Middle East.
Iran is now just a technical
step away from acquiring a nuclear bomb, and these advances have been
taking place while the Biden-Harris administration has done not a single
thing to stop or even slow them.
Why are the US and its allies not alarmed?
The dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran are clear, particularly given
the regime's long-standing support for terror groups such as Hezbollah,
Hamas and the Houthis, as well as its history of muscular aggression
into Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, Africa, Argentina, Panama,
Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, and the West Bank and the
Gaza Strip.
[T]he Biden-Harris administration is paving the way for a future
where Iran becomes a nuclear-armed state. This outcome would have
catastrophic consequences for global security, not only the Middle East.
Iran is now just a technical step away from acquiring a
nuclear bomb, and these advances have been taking place while the
Biden-Harris administration has done not a single thing to stop or even
slow them. It is time to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Pictured: A Fattah hypersonic ballistic missile is displayed during the
annual military parade in Tehran, on September 22, 2023. (Photo AFP via
Getty Images)
One of the most alarming features of the Biden-Harris administration
is its permissive stance towards Iran's nuclear program. When this
administration came into power, they promised that they would
effectively address and curb Iran's nuclear ambitions. Yet, nearly four
years into Biden's term, US Secretary of Stare Antony Blinken announced
that Iran is "probably 1-2 weeks" away from having nuclear weapons -- and that was in July.
Iran is now just a technical step away from acquiring a nuclear bomb,
and these advances have been taking place while the Biden-Harris
administration has done not a single thing to stop or even slow them.
According to the latest report
of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations'
nuclear watchdog, Iran has significantly enlarged its stockpile of
enriched uranium, and brought it to enrichment levels dangerously close
to weapons-grade. Tehran has also ramped
up the number of operational centrifuges and invested heavily in the
research and development of advanced centrifuge technologies. Iran is
evidently on a fast track toward achieving full nuclear weapons
capability. Earlier findings paint an even more troubling picture: Iran's uranium enrichment levels reportedly reached 84%, just shy of the 90% level required for creating nuclear weapons.
Why are the US and its allies not alarmed?
Not only has the Biden-Harris administration failed to take any
action to thwart the Iranian regime's nuclear ambitions, it has actually
facilitated Iran's progress. Through its policies, the Biden-Harris administration has provided Iran with "closer to $60 billion," funds that are almost certainly being used to bolster the regime's military and nuclear programs.
The Biden-Harris administration has not only also failed to enforce
sanctions on Iran, they have given it massive financial resources and
political cover, allowing it to develop its nuclear program to the point
of near-completion.
The Biden-Harris administration has, in fact, protected
Iran's progress. After Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at
Israel on October 1, the Biden-Harris administration immediately urged
Israel not to target Iran's nuclear facilities in retaliation. Israel
has a clear opportunity to strike at the heart of Iran's nuclear program
and potentially it from acquiring nuclear weapons. The U.S.
administration, however, has been trying to shield Iran from such consequences, allowing its nuclear infrastructure to remain intact and continue advancing.
By pressuring Israel to refrain from defending itself, the
Biden-Harris administration seems to be protecting Iran's nuclear
ambitions, raising serious questions about U.S. priorities in the Middle
East. At least one Iranian-American, Ariane Tabatabai, for instance,
who has security clearance and close ties to the Iranian regime, not
only still works at the Pentagon, but was recently promoted.
The dangers of a nuclear-armed Iran are clear, particularly given the
regime's long-standing support for terror groups such as Hezbollah,
Hamas and the Houthis, as well as its history of muscular aggression
into Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon, Africa, Argentina, Panama, Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile, Bolivia,Brazil, and the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
A nuclear-armed Iran could also transfer nuclear bombs to its terror
proxies. Imagine if, on October 7, 2023, Hamas had launched its surprise
terrorist attack on Israel with an atomic bomb.
Not just Israel, but every U.S. military base in the region and all
other Western targets would undoubtedly be in the crosshairs of these
terror groups, possibly armed with Iran's nuclear weapons.
Once Iran possesses nuclear weapons, it will also have the power of
deterrence, making it virtually impossible to stop the regime from
pursuing its objectives. The world, knowing that military action against
it would carry the risk of nuclear retaliation, would be forced to deal
with an even more aggressive and emboldened Iran.
The Biden-Harris administration's handling of Iran's nuclear program
is not only a failure but an immensely dangerous one. Instead of taking
steps to enable US allies to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear
weapons, the Biden-Harris administration is facilitating and protecting
Iran's nuclear advancement. The US has allowed Tehran to inch closer to
nuclear weapons capability without facing any repercussions. By warning
Israel not to retaliate against Iran's nuclear sites, rather than
supporting Israel, the Biden-Harris administration is paving the way for
a future where Iran becomes a nuclear-armed state. This outcome would
have catastrophic consequences for global security, not only the Middle
East. It is time to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a scholar, strategist and
advisor, Harvard-educated analyst, political scientist, board member of
Harvard International Review, and president of the International
American Council on the Middle East. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy and Islam. He can be reached at Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
These speculations come after Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei promised a "crushing response" to Israel's October 26 attack.
People stand around apparent remains of a ballistic
missile lying in the desert, following an attack by Iran on Israel, near
the southern city of Arad, Israel October 2, 2024.(photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
Haidar al-Lami, a member of the political bureau of Harakat Hezbollah
al-Nujaba, an Iraqi terrorist militia, said that his organization was
coordinating with Iran to strike Israel in a Saturday interview with the Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar.
Al-Nujaba,
a US-designated terrorist group, is "fully coordinated with Iran to
organize the timing and location of this response," al-Lami told the
Lebanese news organization.
He also told Al-Ahkbar that "the Islamic Republic has the right to target the Zionist entity from anywhere within Iraq."
He
added that "the Islamic Resistance has not ceased its operations
targeting critical sites within the entity [Israel].” He predicted that
in the next round of blows, “the resistance will use more advanced
missiles, in line with the anticipated escalation."
Another unnamed political official told Al-Ahkbar that "Iran possesses the capability to retaliate against Israel from anywhere, and it is by no means incapable."
Explosions
seen near Tehran, amid an Israeli attack on Iran, October 26, 2024
(credit: SOCIAL MEDIA/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)
Khamenei promises 'crushing response'
Al-Lami's interview comes after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameini promised a "crushing response" to Israel's October 26 attack on Iranian military infrastructure. The Washington Post
reported earlier this week that Iran's attack is expected to occur "in
coming days," according to an anonymous senior Israeli official briefed
on the matter.
According to al-Lami, his organization views the Israeli attack as a transgression.
"The
Zionist entity, by attacking Iran, violated Iraqi airspace and
international norms, with cooperation from the United States, despite
its strategic framework agreement with Iraq and other security
arrangements," al-Lami told Al-Akhbar.
"The
current priority is to target Israel first, followed by US bases, as
diplomacy and dialogue have proven ineffective, leaving only the
language of strength and arms."
Axios
reported that the Iranian attack could be launched from Iraq and might
use a significant amount of drones and ballistic missiles. The attack
could reportedly happen before the November 5 US presidential Elections.
The unnamed political official quoted in the Al-Akhbar
article said, "Israel's assumption that a response might come from Iraqi
soil is rooted in the close ties between Iran and armed factions in
Iraq, which now have the capacity to strike deep into Israel.”
Iraqi officials nervously await
The
official Iraqi government is wary of escalation as it does not have
diplomatic relations with Israel. Reuters reported that Prime Minister
Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's government is wary of regional conflicts that
would affect its relations with the US and Iran, two of its allies.
However,
Reuters noted that the Kataib Hezbollah and Nujaba groups, which are
leading the attacks on Israel, have warned the Iraqi prime minister
against pressuring them to halt their actions.
In the Al-Ahkbar
article, the unidentified official stated that "if Iran retaliates from
Iraqi territory, the Iraqi government will face a serious dilemma, as
such action could significantly widen the scope of the conflict and
provide justification for Israel to strike sites in Iraq."
The
official went on to note that “any response from Iraq would require
coordination and notifying the Iraqi government, which seeks to maintain
peace, not ignite war."
The White House has warned the Islamic Republic not to respond to Israel’s Oct. 26 airstrikes.
A banner depicting Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is
placed next to a ballistic missile in Baharestan Square in Tehran, Sept.
26, 2024. Photo by Hossein Beris/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty
Images.
Iran’s supreme leader has instructed the country’s Supreme National Security Council to prepare for another assault on Israel, The New York Times reported on Thursday.
The report, which cited three Iranian
officials, said Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the decision on Monday after
reviewing a report from senior military commanders on the extent of the
damage caused by last week’s Israeli strikes on Iran’s missile
production capabilities and air defense systems, critical energy
infrastructure and a main port.
Khamenei was said to have told his associates that the scope of Israel’s unprecedented Oct. 26 retaliatory strikes was “too large to ignore.”
The sources said that military commanders
were readying a list of dozens of targets inside the Jewish state, but
that the attack would likely occur after the U.S. presidential vote on Nov. 5 due to concern in Tehran that additional tensions in the region could boost former President Donald Trump.
Earlier on Thursday, two sources in Jerusalem told Axios that Israeli intelligence suggests the Islamic Republic was preparing to attack the Jewish state from Iraq within the coming days.
The sources said the attack was expected to be carried out “using a large number of drones and ballistic missiles.”
On Thursday night, the Israel Defense
Forces announced that aerial-defense systems intercepted two drones that
approached the country’s territory “from the east,” a phrase the
military uses to refer to Iraq.
White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre warned the Islamic Republic on Wednesday not to respond to Israel’s Oct. 26 airstrikes.
Should Tehran choose to do so, “The United
States will be standing by to assist Israel in its defense,” she added.
Her remarks echoed those of U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew
Miller, who stressed on Wednesday that Iran “should not respond.”
CNN on Wednesday quoted a “high-ranking” anonymous source as saying Tehran would soon deliver a “definitive and painful” response.
“The response of the Islamic Republic of
Iran to the Zionist regime’s aggression will be definitive and painful,”
the source said, adding that the attack would probably take place
before the U.S. presidential election.
On Oct. 1, Iran launched 180 ballistic missiles
at Israel in its second-ever direct strike on the Jewish state. While
most were intercepted, an Israeli Air Force base suffered damage.
In response, on Oct. 26, IAF jets hit 20
sites in Iran in multiple waves, reportedly knocking out its air
defenses and significantly setting back its missile production industry.
The Israeli strikes reportedly also destroyed multiple radar systems
required to guide the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missiles.
Initially, Tehran downplayed the Israeli
attack, with Khamenei later saying that the strikes should “neither be
exaggerated nor downplayed.”
For its part, Jerusalem has pledged a
strong response should Tehran choose to launch a direct attack on the
Jewish state for the third time.
“If Iran makes the mistake of launching
another missile barrage at Israel, we will once again know how to reach
Iran, with capabilities that we did not even use this time, and strike
very, very hard at both their capabilities and locations that we set
aside for now,” IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi warned on Tuesday.
Intelligence officials clearly identified Hezbollah's complex tunnel system built 800 meters from the border, which, at the peak of the fighting, housed around 1,000 Hezbollah operatives.
Mere seconds after Brigadier General Guy Levy, Commander of the 98th
Division, gave the final approval, a Yahalom officer pressed the button,
and the ground in northern Israel trembled.
The Home Front Command app reported an earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale. In reality, it was the detonation of 400 tons of explosives that collapsed Hezbollah's tunnel system in a Lebanese village close to the Israeli border, opposite Kibbutz Misgav Am.
The
fascinating story of the tunnel system in that village began two weeks
after the IDF launched a ground maneuver to dismantle Hezbollah
strongholds in southern Lebanon.
Intelligence
officials clearly identified Hezbollah's complex tunnel system built
800 meters from the border, which, at the peak of the fighting, housed
around 1,000 Hezbollah terrorists, most of them from the Radwan Force, awaiting orders for a raid into Israel.
In
preliminary discussions between Levy and the Paratroopers Brigade
Commander, Col. Ami Biton, it was evident that the mission's challenges
were multi-staged: maneuvering into the heart of the village amid
anti-tank and sniper squads, explosive devices, rockets, and mortar
shells being fired at them. Once advancing to the village center, the
objectives were to kill terrorists, locate the tunnel system and its
branches, and ultimately destroy it.
IDF uncovers a Hezbollah tunnel shaft in southern Lebanon on October 29, 2024. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
"When
[former Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan] Nasrallah spoke of
conquering the Galilee, he meant terrorists emerging from underground
and rushing to the Israeli border," Biton said. "Everything was clear
before this operation, except for the exact locations of the entrances
to the strategic tunnels built over 15 years ago beneath the village."
Military Intelligence officials explained that Hezbollah's raid plan included launching massive barrages of rockets to overwhelm the Iron Dome batteries.
Under
the cover of this chaos, hundreds of Radwan Force terrorists were to
emerge from the underground, infiltrate Israel, and sever the Galilee
panhandle, akin to Hamas's October 7 plan.
Intelligence
throughout the IDF's ground operation did not disappoint and provided
ground forces with more than just confidence.
Yet,
after days of fierce fighting in the villages and the elimination of
Radwan operatives securing the tunnel system from above, the forces
struggled to locate the strategic facility's entrances and later found
dozens of meters underground.
The searches were prolonged, and indications of the entrances seemed
to have disappeared. Paratroopers scoured homes and structures, some
destroyed by the Israeli air force, artillery, and tank strikes,
reporting every few hours over the network that there was no progress.
At
one point, it was decided to involve experienced Shin Bet (Israel
Security Agency) coordinators alongside Paratroopers and Yahalom
soldiers.
How did the IDF and Shin Bet locate a strategic tunnel?
Their
innovative tactics, reminiscent of operations in Gaza, led to a
breakthrough. Military sources involved in the operational details said
trust between the Shin Bet coordinators and the Paratroopers and Yahalom
commanders—built over previous joint underground operations—facilitated
seamless collaboration on the ground.
After
four grueling days of combat, all shafts were identified, and the
tunnel system was exposed. "Without the Shin Bet, we would never have
found the entrances. This success is thanks to intelligence working hand
in hand with combat forces," sources told Walla.
Biton’s
plan, in coordination with Yahalom and Shin Bet commanders, involved
deploying teams throughout the village to locate all shafts.
Paratroopers stood guard at over 30 hidden entrances, ready for
surprises from below and prepared to trap any remaining Hezbollah
operatives inside. It turned out most of the operatives had fled once
the ground maneuver began, leaving only four terrorists inside.
The
98th Division had hoped to capture more operatives, but reality
unfolded differently, especially when encounters at close range led to
immediate fire exchanges.
One
officer from the 98th Division said, "The task of closing in at night,
securing the area, and making them surrender or taking them down is
ultimately the soldier's decision. Even when trying to force surrender,
the soldier at the forefront makes the call and opens fire. You can't
say a word against that."
After
48 hours, the Paratroopers Brigade announced full control over the two
areas where tunnel systems were found, allowing engineering and
paratrooper units to map out what lay dozens of meters underground.
In
the village's heart, hundreds of meters from Hezbollah's strategic
site, Paratroopers discovered a 250-meter tunnel built to shelter Radwan
terrorists from airstrikes.
While
exposing it, they eliminated four Radwan terrorists. "By the time they
surfaced, they were terrified. They reported back, saying, 'The village
has fallen.' The message was clear," said the troops.
"After
the first two days, we only faced rockets and anti-tank missiles; no
operative approached, giving us the confidence to deploy all these
explosive devices."
The
98th Division noted that Hezbollah engineers invested significant
effort not only in constructing the underground system using various
methods but also in concealing it under the cover of buildings, homes,
courtyards, and infrastructure in the village.
Tunnel could accommodate 1,000 Hezbollah terrorists
A
source who walked through Hezbollah's underground facility described,
"The system was built to accommodate up to 1,000 terrorists. If we had
surprised and attacked them while they were inside, not much would have
happened. They were supposed to choose the timing to launch their
assault against our maneuver."
The
strategic facility, approximately 1.5 kilometers long, was divided into
sections: food storage, dining areas, command and control centers,
sleeping quarters, machine rooms, showers, sewage systems, and various
exit routes.
"It
was incredibly complex. Imagine commanders and troops reaching the
intelligence-designated point only to find nothing there," recounted a
source familiar with the operation.
"They
left just a meter of earth you couldn't see (while standing inside the
tunnel). They didn't touch the tunnel's upper part. When they decided to
emerge (to the surface), there was an iron device they would pull down,
causing the ground to fall into an empty room, and then they'd close a
metal cover to hide the shaft."
The
source estimated that most of the village was unaware of the entrances
and tunnels' extent since, when standing above them, nothing was
visible. The activity was conducted under strict secrecy by the Shiite
organization. Some entrances were located inside homes, courtyards,
garages, and the homes of terrorists. Only after days of fighting did
they manage to identify where the operatives had emerged from.
Commanders
initially believed that once the extensive tunnel system was exposed
and mapped, the hardest part was behind them, but the true challenge was
ahead. "Suddenly, everyone was asking how to destroy this thing," said
an officer about the operation inside the massive tunnel.
"We
brought in a significant presence of intelligence, engineering, and
technology experts. Ultimately, it took four nights to transport all the
explosives from Israel to the village while drilling into the walls.
Fortunately, the entire system functioned as planned. Initially, there
was no clarity on how to proceed with the demolition."
Over
several nights, Paratroopers and Yahalom soldiers unloaded 400 tons of
explosives into the Lebanese village. After the task was completed for
three battalions, 40 soldiers remained in the village under controlled
conditions to oversee the operation and minimize safety risks before the
explosion.
"Ultimately,
the ones responsible for connecting the system for the massive blast
were the company commander of the Paratrooper Reconnaissance Unit, the
reconnaissance unit commander, and the Yahalom company commander.
Everything was constructed to ensure full control, even if an incident
occurred midway," an official involved in the operation explained.
"Experts
stated that Israel had never seen such an explosion. The Russians, in
the distant past, detonated over 1,000 tons simultaneously. But in
Israel? We checked the records, and the highest amount used before was
close to 100 tons."
The
soldier said they did not hear much of a blast but rather felt the
earth shake. "We wanted the entire explosion contained within. For the
ground to rise and fall, and then everything collapses inward. When it
all collapsed inward, the village itself wasn’t significantly affected.
It did exactly what we intended. When they see that what Hezbollah built
over twenty years, we took down in 15 days, they understand they are
part of something bigger."
There
may be other strategic underground facilities across Lebanon, and the
question remains: if they do exist, will the IDF be able to uncover them
before the ground maneuver concludes?
The report outlines possible ethics violations across several Biden administration departments
FIRST ON FOX: A new report from a government watchdog organization is blasting the Biden-Harris administration’s claims that it is the "most ethical and transparent" administration in history, calling it a "myth."
"From its onset, the Biden-Harris administration promised to ‘bring transparency and truth back to government,’ per then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki," the 26-page report from Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) states.
"Psaki
also claimed that President Joe Biden ‘is committed to ensuring we have
the most ethically vigorous administration in history.’ However, the
administration and its executive branch agencies have often failed to
live up to these high ideals, and the myth of a scandal-free
administration is just that: a myth."
The
report outlines alleged ethics violations throughout the Biden
administration from the White House, Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS), Department of Interior, Department of Energy,
Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Commerce, State
Department and other various complaints.
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.(Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images)
In
the Biden White House, the report outlines alleged ethics issues with
the Office of White House Counsel (WHCO) and the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA), including allegations that Biden’s White
House lawyers were acting as his personal attorneys amid the
investigation into mishandling of classified documents.
The report
also suggests that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has
violated the Hatch Act, along with White House deputy press secretary
Andrew Bates, and raises concerns about former press secretary Psaki's
"apparent conflict of interest while looking to leave federal service
for a high-salary television job."
In the portion of the report that discusses President Biden's HHS,
the report says "no agency has lost so much credibility during the
Biden-Harris administration" as HHS.
"As it took the reins amid
the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden-Harris HHS disregarded ethical and
scientific integrity principles as it issued far-reaching recommendations
governing nearly every aspect of Americans’ lives," the report states.
"PPT exposed a number of potential violations and filed several
complaints against appointees in the department and its component
agencies to help preserve what little remains of the public’s trust."
The
report outlines how Biden's Department of Interior (DOI) "has a record
of cutting ethical corners in favor of special interest policies" and
that the Department of Energy has given DOI a "run for its money" with
its own questionable ethics decisions.
"Ethics issues in the
Biden-Harris administration didn’t end with Hunter Biden and the
president’s family," Michael Chamberlain, Director of Protect the
Public’s Trust, told Fox News Digital. "Despite their claims to be the
most ethical in history, we’ve documented possible ethics violations in
most of the Cabinet-level agencies, including confirmed Hatch Act
violations, conflicts of interest, and all the hazards that come with
having a revolving door between official D.C. and well-connected
activist groups."
"While others have found similar Biden-Harris
breaches, they are not the groups and media outlets that were so
enthusiastic about uncovering problems in the last administration. Just
because the public hasn’t heard much about these in the legacy media, we
caution everyone to beware of future attempts to paint this as a
‘scandal-free’ administration," he added.
President Biden speaks at an election campaign event in Pittsburgh on Saturday.(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The
report concludes by saying many of their documented complaints have led
to "investigations by Inspectors General, the Office of Special Counsel
or other investigative bodies, or prompting letters from Congressional
committees."
The report also claimed that the attack also left these facilities more exposed for any further strikes Israel may plan to conduct in the future.
IAF forces preparing for Israel's retaliation attack against Iran, 25-Oct-2024(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT)
Missile production facilities and air defenses of the Islamic
Republic of Iran were severely damaged in Israel's retaliatory strike
last month, the Wall Street Journal cited US and Israeli officials saying on Saturday.
Satellite photos have shown the damage done to the Parchin military site
near Tehran and the IRGC-run Shahroud ballistic missile and space
center, as well as damaging Russian-made S-300 missile defense systems.
The
report also claimed that the attack also left these facilities more
exposed for any further strikes Israel may plan to conduct in the
future. The vulnerability of these targets will be further exposed
should Iran decide to launch another large-scale missile attack that
would provoke yet another Israeli response, the Journal noted.
Islamic Republic can still hit Israel - report
The Islamic Republic
still has missiles in the hundreds with the capabilities of hitting the
Jewish state, the report further states, citing Western officials'
concern that they can do severe damage if Israeli defense systems are
penetrated. However, the report also compares Israel's defenses to
Iran's, and that the damage it has sustained gives Israel a better aim
against sensitive targets.
Former
CIA Middle East specialist was quoted by the Journal saying that "the
operational debate in Iran is likely dominated less by what can Iran do
but how will Iran defend itself when Israel retaliates."
IAF forces preparing for Israel's retaliation attack against Iran, 25-Oct-2024 (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT)
The
report notes that such sensitive targets in Iran include nuclear sites,
energy infrastructure, or the Islamic Republic's own leadership.
"We
wanted them to realize they were exposed," an Israeli regional security
officer was quoted by the Journal on Friday, alluding to Israel being
capable of striking Iran all over the country. The Journal
also quoted retired US Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie saying that
"Iran is the most vulnerable they have been in many years to another
Israeli attack."
Mike Johnson says forcing government workers to leave the Washington "swamp" will lead to resignations and retirements that will quickly shrink costs to taxpayers.
House Speaker Mike Johnson says Republicans have an ambitious plan to
reshape and shrink federal government if they win the election. That
vision includes a plan to deport tens of thousands of federal
bureaucrats from Washington and relocate them to middle America.
In a wide-ranging interview this week with Just the News,
Johnson said he and other GOP leaders want to move federal agency
offices, personnel and assets from the nation’s capital to bring them
closer to the people they serve and farther from the monied special
interests that often hijack policy and spending.
“There's a lot of talk about uprooting, you know, these entrenched
bureaucracies and putting them out elsewhere around the country,”
Johnson told the John Solomon Reports podcast.
He explained such a re-invention of the monstrous federal bureaucracy with more than 2 million federal workers
and contractors would integrate with former President Donald Trump’s
plan to name billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to lead a government
efficiency office and also tie to fiscal conservatives' vision to
eliminate federal bureaucracies and send monies to the states in the
form of block grants.
Just how big has federal government become? Read this Congressional Research Service report.
The Louisiana Republican said the deportation of Washington
bureaucrats would also create a natural shrinkage in the size and cost
of government,
“That accomplishes a lot of important goals but the first would be
that you don't have all these career civil service law protected
bureaucrats,” he said. “Some of them have been camped out of these
agencies for decades. They're nameless, faceless. We don't know who to
hold accountable," he said.
Congressional vision
Johnson continued, saying “The idea is, if you move the agency to,
you know, northern Kansas or southwest New Mexico, or wherever it is
around the country, then some of the swamp dwellers they will not desire
to follow the job to the new, less desirable location," he added. "They
love the swamp. You know they want to stay. They'll turn them into
lobbyist or something to stay in D.C.” The mass transfer and departure
of bureaucrats then leads to a “business reorganization proposition” for
federal government, he said.
"You've got agencies that you can scale down because you have empty
cubicles and ... almost all the agencies are bloated and inefficient,”
he said. “So you can scale that down. And then in the cubicles that you
do need to fill, we've had America First Policy Institute and some of
our other think tanks that have been working to develop a notebook full
of highly qualified, previously vetted, limited government conservatives
who have expertise in these areas.”
Johnson’s comments were the most sweeping he’s made about a
congressional vision for shrinking the budget and reshaping the budget.
He said the process would take a “blowtorch” to the regulatory state and
align government agencies in the aftermath of a historic Supreme Court
ruling this summer that reversed a decades old “Chevron doctrine.” Under
the new ruling, federal bureaucrats can’t make up or interpret their
own regulations and simply must enforce those authorized by Congress.
“We have a once in a lifetime, yeah, once in a lifetime opportunity
to really claw back article one authority to the legislative branch
under the Constitution and have an administration that is in tune with
that whole agenda. So look, I just think there's almost unlimited
potential in front of us, and we've got to seize that moment,” Johnson
said.
If Republicans do win a majority in the House and Senate, it is
likely to be slim, meaning Johnson's government reorganization ideas
would have to appeal to conservatives and moderates alike in his caucus.
One of the leading voices of the House conservative wing, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., told the "Just the News, No Noise"
television show Friday that he likes Johnson idea, but with some
important caveats like first getting stay-at-home bureaucrats to come
back to the office.
"Well, I would prefer an idea where we actually eliminated the
bureaucracies and the agencies that need to go away. But here's the
thing: until you stop the telework epidemic the federal government has,
it won't work. So you're gonna have to first stop that, then you then
you can send them out," Biggs said.
Right-to-work states
He also cautioned Congress not to send unionized federal workers to
right-to-work states that give workers and employers more freedoms.
"They're unionized," he said of federal workers. "And that means,
let's say you've stuck something in Arizona, which is a right to work
state, you'd be sending in all these unionized leftist federal
bureaucrats to our state, and it would make it even harder to maintain."
"So if you're going to send them out, just send them out to a state
that's already deep blue. Send them to California for mercy sakes or or
something like that," he added.
On other issues, Speaker Johnson made clear a GOP-led Congress would
be in lockstep with Trump’s already stated agenda to close the border,
deport illegal aliens, reduce inflation, renew the Trump tax cuts that
expire next year and rapidly improve national security in a turbulent
world.
“I think within the hour of President Trump taking this oath of
office, he'll issue an executive order to secure that border," Johnson
said. "We'll come behind that with legislative action to secure it, seal
it up, and then we'll work on having to deal with the fallout of
everybody who was allowed in, and that's a whole agenda thing.
"But immediately after the border is secured, we go to the economy,
because the cost of living is unsustainable, unaffordable, and we know
how to fix it ... Then we're going to do that and then somewhere you're
going to have an extension of the Trump era tax cuts," he explained.
Of course, all of that must be preceded by Republicans winning the
Senate, House and White House and Johnson winning another term as
Speaker in a fractious GOP caucus. The answer those questions will be
decided this month.
President George W. Bush nominee denies surgeon Eithan Haim's motion for grand jury material in Texas Children's Hospital prosecution with no explanation. "The Feds are running us dry," he says, pleading for donations.
That wasn't enough for the federal judge overseeing the
prosecution of Dr. Eithan Haim, however, to give the Houston surgeon
"all grand jury testimony and evidence relevant to the charges of
committing" Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
violations under false pretenses.
President George W. Bush nominee David Hittner denied Haim's motion for grand jury material Tuesday
without elaboration. "We're obviously disappointed" but will raise the
issue on appeal if it comes to that, Haim's attorney Ryan Patrick told Just the News on Wednesday.
"The evidence speaks for itself and will demonstrate that
Dr. Haim obtained access properly and did not violate HIPAA," lead
counsel Marcella Burke later wrote in an email. They will keep
"preserving error as we go along," defending him against "relentless,
reckless prosecution."
Haim filed motions to dismiss and to strike
on Halloween, saying the government "failed to fix" factual errors in
his first indictment and "introduced new ones of even more gravity" in
the superseding indictment, including charging him with violating a
"nonexistent statutory provision."
"They had at least 5 lawyers on this case," Haim wrote on X that day. "None of them caught this? Have any of them actually read it or were they simply handed the indictment from somewhere else?"
Lawmakers are watching. "LAWFARE," GOP state Rep. Brian Harrison, a former Department of Health and Human Services official in the past two GOP administrations, wrote on X.
The feds are also trying to control the language Haim uses in the jury trial that starts Dec. 2. Its pretrial motions ask Hittner to ban Haim
from calling himself a "whistleblower" and using "inaccurate and
inflammatory" descriptions for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and
genital surgeries, such as "sterilization" and "mutilation."
"DOJ needs a show trial to avoid confronting reality" about the nature of gender affirming care, Haim wrote on X Monday.
The feds are peeved at Haim and his lawyers for telling the
media his prosecution is intended to "intimidate and/or extort the
defendant and to silence whistleblowers" and saying Assistant U.S.
Attorney Tina Ansari – whose law license in Texas was suspended for part of the case – is "despicable," "should be ashamed of herself" and has a "poor grasp on her own profession."
Hittner should limit "testimony and argument regarding
issues pertaining to transgender care," prohibit Haim from discussing
the feds' alleged motivation and "prosecutorial misconduct" or "possible
punishments or collateral consequences," exclude testimony that he's a
"good doctor" and ban him from "derogatory remarks" about prosecutors
and law enforcement, the filing says.
Haim's Oct. 18 motion
argues the government's original count of "violating HIPAA under false
pretenses" was based on a falsehood, that "he had no patients" at TCH
after finishing a rotation in January 2021, and thus "no reason
whatsoever to have access" to its electronic records.
The feds only acknowledged Sept. 13, four months after the
indictment, that TCH found records showing Haim treated adult and
pediatric patients "long past" his rotation's end – all the way up to
April 2023 – and that he gave them those records of their treatment, the
filing says.
Two days after disclosing these to Haim's team, DOJ said it had asked TCH to turn over "all records"
pertaining to Haim after his rotation ended, "including but not limited
to [electronic] records and badge swipes at TCH facilities," and the
feds have neither told his team it "dropped this request" nor "completed
such a collection from TCH."
Haim's lawyers requested a continuance Sept. 26, telling
Judge Hittner the feds should have known about Haim's post-rotation
procedures because its own legal discovery documented "an audit trail"
showing Haim made entries for TCH patients after January 2021.
It also knew the hospital told the HHS Office for Civil
Rights that Haim "appropriately had access" to the system "through the
relevant times in 2023 because he was continuing to cover patients at
TCH even while rotating at other hospitals," the motion says.
While it deleted allegations contradicted by TCH's records
and other evidence it had in the superseding indictment, DOJ "added
false pretenses to all of the charges."
Haim deserves to see grand jury materials because DOJ has
"repeatedly represented" to his lawyers it has "provided full discovery
of its case file of the evidence that it obtained during its
investigation and the materials it intends to use at trial," the motion
says.
DOJ's Oct. 25 opposition
argues he has not shown "with particularity" that it "knowingly
sponsored false information before the original grand jury," the motion
is moot because those allegations are missing from the superseding indictment and that he can't get the new indictment transcript through "unsupported speculation about the adequacy of the evidence."
It doesn't even acknowledge making a mistake, describing
the allegations it removed as "allegedly inaccurate" and saying Haim
"merely speculates about what evidence and theories the Government
relied on in grand jury."
The new indictment "merely amended allegations in light of
new information and narrowed the focus for trial," the opposition says,
calling it "extremely common for the Government to learn new facts, or
to understand evidence in a new light, during preparation for trial."
Haim responded to the opposition
the same day, arguing the government falsely characterized his motion
as based on "little more than assumptions and speculation."
His team actually "explained the history of the two
indictments, the way the allegations changed, and the evidence the
government had at various points in time" to suggest "a strong inference
that the government knowingly sponsored false testimony for the
superseding indictment—not to raise a moot issue as the government
asserts," it says.
Prosecutors "triple down on the same claim in their second indictment without explanation or evidence," Haim responded on X Oct. 27.
"The Feds are running us dry," he said, pleading for donations to show
"these tyrants that the days of average people not fighting back are
over."
Even with a "very slim" legal team of four attorneys and
one paralegal "working at discounted rates," Haim said he's already
spent "well beyond" a million dollars over 16 months to fight
"unprecedented legal charges … We'll be paying off legal bills for
decades."
Haim's GiveSendGo page
shows he's raised about $1.16 million from nearly 14,000 people as of
Thursday. Most this week are $50 and under, but two are $100 each and
one $500.
Haim's wife, Andrea, is a federal prosecutor, as he has disclosed. She was six months pregnant when the first indictment was unsealed, telling Fox News
she was "terrified" that her "hero" husband would miss their daughter's
birth or "the first part" of her life and blasting her employer for a
"baseless political prosecution for telling the truth."
The newly elected conservative leader has a history of making pro-Israel statements.
Updated: NOVEMBER 2, 2024 15:36 Kemi Badenoch smiles on the day she was announced as the
new leader of Britain's Conservative Party, in London, Britain, November
2, 2024.(photo credit: REUTERS/Mina Kim)
The UK Conservative Party elected Kemi Badenoch as the party's new
leader on Saturday after winning 57% of the vote, according to British
media.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer congratulated Badenoch but also took aim at the party.
"Congratulations to Kemi Badenoch on being elected leader of the Conservative party," the Guardian
cited Starmer as saying. "It’s been a long leadership election, but
sadly, one thing is clear – the Conservatives have learned nothing since
the British people resoundingly rejected them in July. It’s been a
summer of yet more Conservative chaos and division.
"They
could have spent the past four months listening to the public, taking
responsibility for the mess they made, and changing their party.
Instead, Kemi Badenoch’s election as leader shows they’re incapable of
change."
History of being pro-Israel
Badenoch,
a 44-year-old North West Essex MP, has a pro-Israel track record,
according to Jewish News. She has reportedly publicly supported the
Conservative Friends of Israel organization.
Education
Secretary Kit Malthouse and Kemi Badenoch walk outside Cabinet
building, in London, Britain September 7, 2022. (credit: JOHN
SIBLEY/REUTERS)
The newly elected party leader
also told Sky News last month that Israel was showing “moral clarity in
dealing with its enemies.”
Asked
pointedly by a reporter if she would give Israel a "free pass" if she
became PM, she responded ”It’s not about a free pass, Israel does have a
right to defend itself. … If we look at what happened on October 7, we
can see they cannot be complacent.”
She has recently visited the country and is currently involved in talks to set up a free trade agreement with the Jewish state.
Badenoch
was also reportedly deeply critical of the weekly pro-Palestinian
protests that have overtaken London and other major cities.
She
claimed, according to Jewish News, ”Our streets were soon filled with
hordes of joyous people, not appalled at the acts of terror or demanding
the perpetrators be brought to justice, but instead protesting against
Jews under the guise of attacking Israel.”
She stirred up controversy in September, according to the Guardian,
when she claimed “not all cultures are equally valid” when it comes to
deciding who should be allowed into the UK - adding that she was shocked
by “the number of recent immigrants to the UK who hate Israel.”
Under [Ursula von der Leyen's] leadership of the European Union, the economy is collapsing, industry is disappearing and Islamism is proliferating.
With Merkel gone, Germany finds itself on an accelerating trajectory of impoverishment.
One might have hoped that the German Right would learn a few lessons from the Merkel disaster. It has not.
The European People's Party (EPP), the largest political group in
the European Parliament -- in which the CDU is a member party --
appointed Ursula von der Leyen as head of the European Commission. Under
her leadership of the European Union, the economy is collapsing,
industry is disappearing and Islamism is proliferating. Supposedly, all
of that does not matter because Europeans have the Holy Grail: the
"energy transition" to a "zero-carbon" Europe, and more regulations than
all the other civilizations combined.
Unfortunately, that policy is an absolute myth. "Zero-carbon
Europe", a physical impossibility, will never happen. Even if it did, it
would make no difference to the global explosion in CO2 emissions. Europe accounts for just 8% of global CO2 emissions. Even if Europe ceased to exist, it would make little difference to global CO2 emissions. They would continue to grow on all five continents.
To get Germany and Europe out of this rut, would it not be more constructive for the CDU to consider governing with the AfD?
The European People's Party (EPP), the largest political
group in the European Parliament -- in which the CDU is a member party
-- appointed Ursula von der Leyen as head of the European Commission.
Under her leadership of the European Union, the economy is collapsing,
industry is disappearing and Islamism is proliferating. Supposedly, all
of that does not matter because Europeans have the Holy Grail: the
"energy transition" to a zero-carbon Europe, and more regulations than
all the other civilizations combined. Pictured: Von der Leyen at the
European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on July 18, 2024. (Photo by
Frederick Florin/AFP via Getty Images)
Today, Germany embraces the ideologies of "green energy" and a zero-carbon society -- a society that no longer emits CO2.
Germans seem serious about ideology; they seem serious about
everything. Once they buy into an ideology, it might be hard to change
their mind.
This is how Chancellor Angela Merkel came to power (2005-2021). Many
forget that she did not emerge from the extreme green left, although
judging by her record, one might think so. She came, in fact, from the CDU/CSU, Germany's "center-right" party.
Merkel's record is clear: 1) the demographic Islamization of Germany
by opening its doors to a flood of migrants alien to German culture,
and apparently with less than no interest in absorbing it; 2) the subordination of Germany's energy to Russia, 3) the destruction of Germany's nuclear heritage. If Merkel had have been an agent of the Russian regime -- which trained her -- she might have acted no differently.
With Merkel gone, Germany finds itself on an accelerating trajectory of impoverishment. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung,
the German Economy Ministry now projects a 0.2% GDP contraction for
2024, reversing its earlier prediction of 0.3% growth. Germany also
faces industrial annihilation.
BASF, for instance, a flagship of Germany's industrial sector since
1865, symbolizes the nation's manufacturing strength. With nearly 400
production sites across 80 countries, its heart remains in Ludwigshafen,
Germany, where it operates a vast complex with 200 plants and employs
around 39,000 people. However, this hub has recently become a focal
point for BASF's challenges.
Over the past two years, the company has shut down one of its two
ammonia units and idled several others at this location due to their
lack of competitiveness, resulting in the loss of 2,500 jobs, explains
Chemical and Engineering News. BASF also experienced a significant
decline in 2023, with sales dropping by 21.1% and adjusted earnings
plunging by 60.1%. Adding to these woes, BASF recently announced plans
to cut costs by an additional $1.1 billion in Ludwigshafen,
foreshadowing further job cuts.
As a result of this industrial disaster, the German establishment is confronting a democratic revolt
by growing segments of its people, as shown by the recent regional
elections in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, which saw the surge of
the right-wing AfD party, which demands that Germany say goodbye to the
green energy myths that are destroying its industry.
One might have hoped that the German right would learn a few lessons
from the Merkel disaster. It has not. Federal polls and the recent
regional elections seem to agree, predicting a disaster for the left, while the center-right CDU/CSU and the right-wing AfD are on the ascent.
While logic demands that the center-right and the right, which
together have a large majority, govern -- their policy convergences,
whether on migration or energy, are numerous -- the center-right has
made clear its absolute refusal to govern with the AfD, in any way whatsoever.
This is forcing the CDU to consider governing
tomorrow with... the Greens, Europe's most radical extreme left (along
with the Belgian and French environmentalists) -- the party most opposed to the CDU on the issues of migration, the environment and prioritizing nuclear energy. The movement responsible for the destruction of Germany's energy resources, and a direct accomplice
of the Russian regime and under its patronage -- the Greens -- who
signed and celebrated the dismantling of Germany's nuclear power
stations in the middle of the war in Ukraine after destruction of Nord
Stream 2 gas pipeline; nuclear power stations that were still
operational and could have continued to produce cheap energy for years.
Is the CDU actually preparing to close the borders with those who
want to abolish borders; to send back unintegrable migrants despite the
Greens' opposition to deportation; to lower energy prices with the
authors of the very policies that caused the prices to explode in the
first place, and to counter Islamism with the help of its most dedicated
allies?
This collaboration is being facilitated by a massive ideological
convergence: both the CDU and the Greens believe in the necessity of the
Energiewende
("energy transition"). The elimination of fossil fuels and nuclear
power is to be replaced by the "renewable energies" -- mainly wind and
solar -- which are intermittent, often unaffordable and of limited
practical use. Wind and solar are massively impacted by weather
conditions. Solar panels produce less on cloudy days, and wind turbines
generate less during calm periods. This variability makes it difficult
to ensure a consistent energy output.
The center-right CDU supports the market economy, the Atlantic
alliance and German industry -- but also adheres to environmentalists'
ideology. That view helps to explain why the European People's Party
(EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament -- in
which the CDU is a member party -- appointed Ursula von der Leyen as
head of the European Commission. Under her leadership of the European
Union, the economy is collapsing, industry is disappearing and Islamism
is proliferating. Supposedly, all of that does not matter because
Europeans have the Holy Grail: the "energy transition" to a "zero-carbon" Europe, and more regulations than all the other civilizations combined.
Unfortunately, that policy is an absolute myth. "Zero-carbon Europe", a physical impossibility, will never happen. Even if it did, it would make no difference to the global explosion in CO2 emissions. Europe accounts for just 8% of global CO2 emissions. Even if Europe ceased to exist, it would make little difference to global CO2
emissions. They would continue to grow on all five continents. The
destruction of European industry by the German right would have no
effect on the climate -- zero.
Today, with environmentalists touting the "zero-carbon society" and
"100% renewable energy," Germany has locked itself in myths hardly
better than the Lebensraum of the previous century.
Today, as yesterday, these myths risk precipitating the ruin not only of Germany, but of the whole of Europe.
To get Germany and Europe out of this rut, would it not be more constructive for the CDU to consider governing with the AfD?
Drieu Godefridi is a jurist (University Saint-Louis,
University of Louvain), philosopher (University Saint-Louis, University
of Louvain) and PhD in legal theory (Paris IV-Sorbonne). He is an
entrepreneur, CEO of a European private education group and director of
PAN Medias Group. He is the author of The Green Reich (2020).
