Warning: Undefined array key "rbname" in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 14
Hello !
Recent Appearances... Rantburg

Economy
Markets recovered 80-90% of losses from Monday's Stock Market Dive
2024-08-10
Wall Street mounted a major comeback at the closing bell, culminating in a win on Friday and a turn-around that nearly wiped away Monday's heavy losses.

The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose close to 0.5%, while the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) increased 0.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) gained 0.1% or about 50 points.

Traders poured back in after Monday saw the worst rout of the year, and Wall Street's "fear gauge," the CBOE Volatility Index (^VIX), soared to its highest levels since the throes of the pandemic. But encouraging labor data and reassurances from analysts and economists helped to level-set the panicked mood.

All three major indexes
Link


Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Makhachkala resident convicted for nexus with At-Takfir Val-Hijra
2022-03-08
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] A court in Makhachkala gave a local resident a two-year suspended sentence, finding him guilty of participating in a religious extremist organization, the Dagestan FSB reported.
Here’s hoping they can keep track of him going forward, against his next big adventure.
The court and the investigation established that the native of Makhachkala was a member of a cell of the At-Takfir Val-Hijra religious extremist organization banned by the court in Dagestan, took part in the meetings of its adherents and called for the overthrow of the constitutional order in Russia.

The At Takfir wal Hijra movement has existed since 1971. Its leader was the Upper Egyptian agronomist Shukri Mustafa (1942-1978).
Originally Muslim Brotherhood, he joined Sayyid Qutb in splitting off to pursue violent jihad. After Shukri Mustafa was executed, the group split again, the more moderate faction following Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who subsequently became Al Qaeda’s second in command. Takfir wal Hijra has cells all over the place — Ukraine reported arresting three Crimean turbans in 2009, and a larger cell was tied up in Moscow in 2013.
The creators of the movement came to the conclusion that the Egyptian society no longer corresponds to Islam, so in 1973 the Takfirists left for the sparsely populated foothill regions of Egypt.

In 1976, the size of the group (they called themselves Jamaat al-muslimin - "community of Muslims", considering the rest infidels) was several thousand people. In 1977, members of the movement took hostage the former Minister for Religious Affairs of the Egyptian government, Muhammad al-Dhahabi. Shukri Mustafa was arrested in 1977 and executed in 1978, RIA Novosti informs. The activity of the international religious association "At Takfir wal-Hijra" (Atonement and Exodus) is prohibited in Russia decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of September 15, 2010.
Smart move, Russia.
The Leninsky District Court of Makhachkala found him guilty of participating in a religious extremist organization (Part 2 of Article 282.2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), RIA "Dagestan" cited a message from the press service of the FSB for the republic today.

"The court sentenced him to a two-year suspended sentence with a one-year probationary period," the agency said.

Note that the maximum penalty under this article is six years in prison.

The verdict has already entered into force, the report says.

The "Caucasian Knot" does not yet have any comments from the local resident or his representatives regarding the decision of the court.
Related:
Takfir wal Hijra: 2011-11-14 Egypt arrests Islamist linked to pipeline attacks
Takfir wal Hijra: 2006-06-19 Bracing for the final battle
Takfir wal Hijra: 2006-02-10 GSPC in Italy
Related:
Makhachkala: 2022-03-07 Resident of Dagestan convicted of incitement to extremism
Makhachkala: 2022-02-22 Resident of Karachay-Cherkessia fined for justifying terrorism
Makhachkala: 2022-02-09 Dagestani resident suspected of financing terrorism
Link


-Lurid Crime Tales-
Man tries to storm JetBlue cockpit, attacks attendant, asks to be shot
2021-09-25
[NYPOST] A passenger aboard a JetBlue flight from Boston to Puerto Rico tried to storm the cockpit before choking a flight attendant — and shouted at the pilot in Arabic and Spanish to shoot him, officials said.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading. The Green Zone is for diplomacy. The Gray Zone is for conundrums."
Flight 261 was about an hour from San Juan late Wednesday when Khalil El Dahr became enraged
...those Irish can be so temperamental...
after a phone call he tried to make was unsuccessful,
"We're sorry. The number you have dialed is non-existent. Please hang up and make the people around you suffer."
according to an FBI
...Formerly one of the world's premier criminal investigation organizations, something for a nation to be proud of. Now it's a political arm of the Deep State oligarchy that is willing to trump up charges, suppress evidence, or take out insurance policies come election time...
 affidavit obtained by ABC News.
With the Feebs involved there's no telling what actually happened.
Some 25 minutes later, he "pulled himself out of his seat and rushed toward the flight deck yelling to be shot" in Spanish, the document says.
"Shoot me! Shoot me!... Stop that! I didn't say touch me!"
The heroic
...Gary Cooper in a dress...
flight attendant pushed El Dahr into a space between the front row and the galley, the feds said.
[Shove!] "Stay, boy!"
"Say! That's my feet he's sprawled on!"
"Sorry. Put your shoes on. He's a biter!"
When the crazed man saw the cockpit door being opened by a pilot, he grabbed the flight attendant by the collar and tie, grasped the overhead compartment for leverage and kicked the crew member in the chest, the affidavit says.
[KICK!]
"Ow!"
"Thanks for gettin' off my feet!!"
"Shuddup!"
"At least spit my shoes out! They cost a lotta money!"
“Shuddup!"
He then allegedly yelled again for the pilot to shoot him.
"Shoot me! Shoot me!"
"Why?"
"I missed a Zoom call!"
"Sorry. I don't have a gun with me. We're not allowed to take them outta the cockpit. We got a lotta forms to fill in when we do."
"Oh."
[PUNCH!]
"Ow! Hey! I'm bleeding! What the hell was that?"
"Knuckle dusters. There's no paperwork with them."
"While El Dahr was yelling, he was still holding the JetBlue (flight attendant) by her tie.
"Gurk?"
This resulted in the tie tightening and ultimately prevented the JetBlue FA from breathing," the affidavit reads.
[Swoon!]
[COLLAPSE!]
The flight attendant managed to break loose from the man and prevented him from reaching the cockpit.
[SNIP!]
"Hey, you!"
"You carry scissors?"
"You never know, do ya?"
"Don't run with them. Take my advice!"
"Shuddup!"
"You got shoe polish on your chin!"
"Shuddup!"
[TACKLE!]
But the struggle continued until six or seven crew members finally immobilized El Dahr using makeshift restraints, including the flight attendant’s tie, which they wrapped around his ankles, and seatbelt extenders they used around his torso, the document says.
"DOG PILE ON THE RABBIT!
"DOG PILE ON THE RABBIT!"
El Dahr, who also was restrained with flex cuffs, was then tied to a seat in the back of the plane for the rest of the flight.

Another flight attendant told authorities that the passenger demanded in Spanish and Arabic
...an interesting combination. Is he some sort of hyphenated American or a legal or illegal visitor from elsewhere? Is he a known wolf or nutter? On drugs? So much is not mentioned in any of the articles I could find on the subject, though one hopes the answers are written down in his FBI file ...
to be shot and killed — and that at one point he yelled "Allah."
"I told him this is Jet Blue. if we shoot one, then all the steerage passengers are gonna want put out o' their misery!"
"Mrp?"
[pluck.]
"What was that you tried to say?"
"I said, thanks. I'm over it. I sometimes have these spells. I'm Arab, you know. It's genetic. I'm much better now. Let me up? I really gotta pee!"
"Shuddup." [stuff!]
"Mrp!"
El Dahr faces felony charges of interfering with a flight crew, Special Agent William Lopez of the FBI’s San Juan Division said in the affidavit.
"Nossir. We ain't allowed to shoot you without fillin' in forms. But we can put you up for a few years pretty easy."
Reports of unruly passengers on US airlines have taken off this year — spiking by 500 percent thanks largely to passengers who refused to wear masks on flights during the pandemic, according to a report from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Link


Africa North
Algeria Says Arrested Four Islamists, One Surrenders
2020-12-17
[AnNahar] Algerian security forces have arrested four Islamists, while another heavily armed krazed killer handed himself in, the defense ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

The Islamist who surrendered was in possession of a machine gun, two rocket-propelled grenade launchers and ammunition, in Tamanrasset, in the extreme south of the country near the border with Mali, the statement said.

The arrests take the number of people detained on suspicion of supporting "terrorist groups" to 17 across the country since the start of December, according to the ministry.

Algerian authorities use the term "terrorist" to describe armed Islamists who have been active in the country since the early 1990s.

On December 1, the ministry reported that three Islamists had been killed in festivities with the army in the northeastern province of Jijel, and said the following day that an Algerian soldier had been killed in festivities in the same area.

State media has reported that the army recently thwarted a plan by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to redeploy.

AQIM's leader Abdelmalik Droukdel
... aka Abdel Wadoud, was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's supremo in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui. Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb....
 was killed in June by French forces in northern Mali, but was replaced in November by Abu Obaida Yusuf al-Annabi, a well-known AQIM veteran and Algerian national.
Related:
Algeria: 2020-12-15 Lebanese Activist Jailed for 'Collaborating' with Israel
Algeria: 2020-12-13 Russia condemns US recognition of Morocco's claim to Western Sahara
Algeria: 2020-12-13 Israel is on 'our borders and awaiting to target Algeria': Algerian PM
Link


Africa North
Abu Obeida al-Annabi replaces AQIM's late emir Droukdel
2020-11-22
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
The Jerusalem Post adds:
The French army killed Abdelmalik Droukdel
... aka Abdel Wadoud, was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's supremo in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui. Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb....
 in Mali after hunting him for more than seven years in the Sahel region
... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas...
AQIM said that following Droukdel's death, another Algerian, Sheikh Mujahid Yazid Mubarak, also known as Abu Ubaida Yusuf al-Annabi, was chosen as successor.

The group also confirmed the death of Swiss Beatrice Stockly who was kidnapped from the Malian city of Timbuktu in January 2016.
Related:
Droukdel: 2020-11-14 French Forces in Mali Kill Jihadist Commander
Droukdel: 2020-08-21 France says its military operation will continue in Mali
Droukdel: 2020-07-02 Sahel summit agrees need to intensify campaign against jihadists
Related:
Beatrice Stockly: 2020-10-09 Mali: Four hostages released by extremist fighters
Beatrice Stockly: 2017-07-03 Al-Qaeda in Mali releases video showing 6 foreign hostages alive
Beatrice Stockly: 2017-01-12 Swiss nun abduction: Al Qaeda affiliate releases video showing hostage alive
Link


Terror Networks
Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, the emir of the Islamic State’s Saharan branch, heavily critiques Al Qaeda’s operations in the Sahel
2020-11-15
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Link


Africa North
French Forces in Mali Kill Jihadist Commander
2020-11-14
[AnNahar] Troops with La Belle France's anti-jihadist force in Mali have killed the military commander of an al-Qaeda-aligned group linked to attacks in the region, Defence Minister Florence Parly said Friday.

Parly hailed the operation involving helicopters and ground troops that "neutralised" Ba Ag Moussa, the military commander of the Group to Support Islam and Moslems (GSIM).
...in Arabic Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Moslemin (JNIM), the regional umbrella affiliated with Al Qaeda in North Africa.
Ag Moussa, alias 'Bamoussa', is "believed to be responsible for several attacks against Malian and international forces," she said in a statement.

"He is considered one of the top military jihadists in Mali, in charge in particular of the training of new recruits."

In June, French forces in Mali killed Abdelmalik Droukdel
... aka Abdel Wadoud, was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's supremo in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui. Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb....
, the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the rival jihadist group to GSIM.

La Belle France has more than 5,000 troops deployed in its anti-jihadist Barkhane force in the Sahel region
... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas...
Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 and has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso
...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other...
 and Niger.
Related:
Mali: 2020-11-13 Seven Soldiers Killed in Burkina Faso Attack
Mali: 2020-11-06 Security guard shoots bank manager over accusation of blasphemy
Mali: 2020-11-05 Nigeria's Government Blamed for Not Preventing 'Herdsmen' Violence
Related:
Group to Support Islam: 2020-10-10 French aid worker freed by captors returns home from Mali
Group to Support Islam: 2020-06-23 Ivory Coast says it has captured jihadist leader behind border attack
Group to Support Islam: 2019-12-25 35 civilians killed in double Burkina Faso attack
Link


Economy
President Trump Signs Order to Protect Fracking Industry
2020-11-01
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 style='float:right;border:1px solid midnightblue;padding:3px;margin:3px;' />[Breitbart] President Donald Trump on Saturday announced the signing of an executive order to protect both the fracking and oil and gas industries following former Vice President Joe Biden’s pledge to "transition from the oil industry."

"Just signed an order to protect fracking and the oil and gas industry," the president wrote on Twitter. "This means JOBS, low energy bills, and continued AMERICAN ENERGY INDEPENDENCE! Sleepy Joe would BAN fracking and destroy American energy jobs! He has NO clue!!"
Related:
Executive order: 2020-10-17 uoregon president sent out this statement to students. It says the university will defy the @realDonaldTrump executive order on ending critical race theory.
Executive order: 2020-10-17 More people receiving unemployment benefits than are unemployed, research finds
Executive order: 2020-10-11 The Outright Stupidity Of "Wolverine Watchmen"
Link


Africa North
Sahel summit agrees need to intensify campaign against jihadists
2020-07-02
[AlAhram] International and regional powers agreed at talks on Tuesday to intensify a military campaign against Islamist murderous Moslems in the West African Sahel region
... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas...
, with French President Emmanuel Macron saying victory over the jihadists was within grasp.

Militant attacks in the Sahel have increased over the last two years, especially in the tri-border region of Niger, Burkina Faso
...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other...
 and Mali known as Liptako-Gourma, where local authorities have been overrun.

Mauritania hosted a meeting of the leaders of five Sahel nations plus La Belle France and Spain to plot future strategy in the scrubland south of the Sahara where since 2013 thousands of French troops have been helping countries counter insurgencies.

"The heads of state stressed the need to intensify the fight on all fronts by national and international forces against terrorist groups," the final communique said.

The so-called G-5 Sahel nations comprise Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad - all former French colonies. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also attended the summit, while other EU leaders joined by video.

"We are all convinced that victory is possible in the Sahel. We are finding our way there thanks to the efforts that have been made over the past six months," Macron said after the summit.

Ahead of the summit, a joint statement by the United Nations
...a lucrative dumping ground for the relatives of dictators and party hacks...
 and a group of aid organizations painted a dark picture of the situation on the ground.

"The security situation in the Sahel countries has tanked considerably in recent months. Conflicts prevailing in the region are having unprecedented humanitarian consequences," it said.

The joint forces, led by La Belle France's 5,100 troops, have so far targeted the regional affiliate of Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
, concentrating military efforts on Liptako-Gourma.

French forces said this month that they had killed al Qaeda's North Africa commander Abdelmalik Droukdel
... aka Abdel Wadoud, was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's supremo in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui. Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb....
. But the G-5 force has been hampered by a lack of funding, equipment and coordination.

La Belle France has long called for more help from its European allies for the mission, which it sees as essential to protecting the security of Europe's southern flank.
Related:
Sahel: 2020-06-28 Journey to jihad: Iran’s Sunni Kurds fighting a holy war in Idlib
Sahel: 2020-06-19 AQIM officially confirms by video the death of its leader Abdelmalek Droukdel by airstrike in Mali
Sahel: 2020-06-12 About 10 dead in jihadist attack on Ivory Coast border post
Related:
Abdelmalik Droukdel: 2020-06-07 Al-Qaeda North Africa chief killed: What next for the region?
Abdelmalik Droukdel: 2020-06-06 Good afternoon
Abdelmalik Droukdel: 2020-06-06 French forces kill Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelmalik Droukdel
Link


Africa North
Al-Qaeda North Africa chief killed: What next for the region?
2020-06-07
More on this story from yesterday.
[NEWS.YAHOO] The leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) was killed this week by French forces in Mali.

Although Abdelmalik Droukdel
... aka Abdel Wadoud, was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's supremo in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui. Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb....
 had a low public profile, he was one of the most powerful Islamist warlords in the region and his death is likely to have an impact on jihadist groups there.
Link


Africa North
French forces kill Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb leader Abdelmalik Droukdel
2020-06-06
What, another one? Photos or ears are the usual proofs, I believe.
[NEWS.YAHOO] French forces have killed the leader of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Algerian Abdelmalik Droukdel
... aka Abdel Wadoud, was a regional leader of the GSPC for several years before becoming the group's supremo in 2004 following the death of then-leader Nabil Sahraoui. Under Abdel Wadoud's leadership the GSPC has sought to develop itself from a largely domestic entity into a larger player on the international terror stage. In September 2006 it was announced that the GSPC had joined forces with al-Qaeda and in January 2007 the group officially changed its name to the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb....
, in Mali, French Defence Minister Florence Parly said on Friday.

Droukdel was killed on Thursday in the northwest Mali town of Tessalit. "Many of his close associates" were also "neutralised", said Parly.

"Abdelmalik Droukdel, member of al-Qaeda's ruling committee, commanded the whole of the jihadist groups in North Africa and the Sahara" including Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Moslemin (JNIM) -- an umbrella group of al-Qaeda affiliates, Parly said.

AQIM stems from a group started in the late 1990s by radical Algerian Islamists, who in 2007 formally subscribed to al-Qaeda's ideology.

The group, formerly known as the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat
... now known as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb...
, has bases in northern Mali from where it regularly carries out attacks and abductions of westerners in the sub-Saharan Sahel zone.

La Belle France also claimed on Friday to have captured a leader of the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
 in the Greater Sahara (EIGS) group, which carries out frequent attacks over Niger's western borders.

Operations against EIGS "the other great terrorist threat in the region" are continuing, said Parly.

La Belle France has over 5,000 troops deployed in its anti-jihadist Barkhane force in the Sahel region
... North Africa's answer to the Pak tribal areas...
Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso
...The country in west Africa that they put where Upper Volta used to be. Its capital is Oogadooga, or something like that. Its president is currently Blaise Compaoré, who took office in 1987 and will leave office feet first, one way or the other...
 and Niger.
Related:
Abdelmalik Droukdel: 2019-02-23 France kills top Al-Qaeda commander in Sahel: Defence Minister
Abdelmalik Droukdel: 2018-12-13 Jihadists Deny Mali Leader Killed in French-Led Attack
Abdelmalik Droukdel: 2015-12-06 AQIM shares responsibility for Mali hotel killings
Link


-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
How Did Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden Screw This Up?
2020-03-22
GSPCrAnX1rQpaUh9MlC2zqTMEz7J1BozZW9byLtm21tAKzAKWVZs/UWQTygVLbI4EGVPLcEqdVJ1lJIHrJjnUVj2NrZfyW9vnAcCSQJKUkIKo7dfhW/wBf4o5ftbycmUbaNJDih+aD4VW3BBNW7atqHnAeZ58eOtVJ9MKNaLoyl/TG1Ukmlmm1imI9FLmm00oCgBbe8UI8SFqI5mPOjGhQi1nMrSdT8aGAa1iPNJnsIolpzPqRlHmaigDv+dGW6t2VJ94pICcw26Q3K1ZsoE6AlRjgk8J07NBNQOM4su4cK1aAaJSPVQnkPrU/a2brrTgbWhOVPWCjEpM6JnjpQ69gr0HRKCDx6RPvqeO7Kc3XEhLAtFUOhZTGgbjNm4b6YuCnMrKCEyYzetHbHGrla7B3SRJQyozM9KpJHcRTithLgmega13np1Sa08oiyjTXTWst+ji0IGbODGoC5E8YJpB9GdqdzjnmD8qKDRlM1xNai56L2ODzn+36UyPRe3+OvyTuooNGZZq6a0lXotE/55jh1RSP/S//AOx/s/rRQaLhfW6UzAjxNBE11dVFZOxwKNRO1dytPQoSqEqJzDnC2yPia9rq58/SDG2noqOIoBSonUydTqd/OohKa8rq1XQS7GluqBIBp9Dyo311dVIRGKMq111olBiurqkB9Qq2ej5wpU7BjRHxVXV1AFf2jbCblwJEdafPfS7GurqAZo/o/wASdUMqllSQdAdavVvhrKVl1LaQszKo1PnXtdQ+2Blm3jpVcKJ1MfDQbqot765rq6kgGKQ5XldTA5Ne11dQA81/fnUeB1j417XUMAm0OtSatIiurqSA64WQnQ8flQn6Rd/EV511dTEx0Yo9+Irzp9rFX/xV/wAxrq6qEPjGLif85f8ANTqMduR+2X511dTAfTj91+Mvzp4bQ3X4yvd9K6uoAea2juo/zleSfpT3+Irr8Y+SfpXV1AH/2Q== style='float:right;border:1px solid midnightblue;padding:3px;margin:3px;' />[Huffpoo] The Democratic response to the coronavirus has been a political disaster.
Joe, are you sure you parked in this lot ?
President Donald Trump has unleashed a humanitarian and economic disaster on his own people. There is no way to escape this fact.

While other places ‐ Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea and others ‐ prepared for the coronavirus and took proactive measures to prevent its spread, Trump did nothing. He dismantled the White House task force responsible for pandemic responses, sat on his hands while the death toll escalated in other countries, called the virus a "hoax," repeatedly claimed it would "miraculously" go away on its own, downplayed the intensity of the virus by comparing it to the seasonal flu and insisted for months that the situation was "totally under control" while his administration failed even to procure basic tests.
"dismantled" is bullshit. It was part of the NSC reorganization and downsizing
As a result, the United States now faces a domestic crisis unseen since the Great Depression. This is the result of political malpractice, not merely biological bad luck.

But Trump does not have a monopoly on political malpractice. As the crisis has spread, Democratic Party leaders ― House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden ― have either been missing in action or short on solutions.

Incredibly, a handful of arch-conservative Republicans have been able to take public credit for advancing the popular, progressive idea of just sending every household a large check for the duration of the crisis. Pelosi explicitly rejected that very idea in early talks among House Democrats, overruling pleas from Democratic economists. With Democratic leaders thinking small, a majority of the public now actually approves of Trump’s catastrophic pandemic management, according to a new poll.

The leader of one party has caused a national calamity, while the leaders of the other have nothing much to say.
Link



Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$T in /data/rantburg.com/www/pgrecentorg.php on line 132
-12 More