Last week's posts at Moon of Alabama were fewer than usual as your host was a bit under the weather.
- October 28 – Endorsing The Deep State Endangers Democracy
- October 30 – Who Is Supposed To Define U.S. Foreign Policy – Hint: It Is Not The Borg
- November 1 – Impeachment Theater
This from WaPo is ridiculous:
> [Lt.Col. Vindman] told lawmakers that he was deeply troubled by what he interpreted as an attempt by the president to subvert U.S. foreign policy and an improper attempt to coerce a foreign government into investigating a U.S. citizen. <
That the WaPo scribe lets it stand without pointing out that, constitutionally, the president sets foreign policies is even worse. An earlier NYT piece about an NSC staffer who Trump likes and had asked about the Ukraine had a similar bad formulation:
> Any involvement by Mr. Patel in Ukraine issues would signal another attempt by Mr. Trump’s political loyalists to go around American policymakers to shape policy toward Kiev. <
Other issues:
A good overview of how the conflict in Syria developed:
Russia Isn't Getting the Recognition It Deserves on Syria – Scott Ritter, Truthdig
US Needs To Occupy Syria Because Of Kurds Or Iran Or Chemical Weapons Or Oil Or Whatever – Caitlin Johnstone
Former U.S. supplied proxy forces kill other former U.S. supplied proxy forces with U.S. supplied weapons (video):
Cᴀʟɪʙʀᴇ Oʙsᴄᴜʀᴀ @CalibreObscura – 8:24 PM · Nov 2, 2019
TFSA hitting a YPG/SDF vehicle (Humvee?) with a likely originally US-supplied BGM-71 TOW ATGM.
video
Russiagate: Growing Indicators of Brennan's CIA Trump Task Force – Larry Johnson, SST
Ukrainegate: Some interesting backstories on John Brennan in this Kiriakou and Matt Taibbi talk. Kiriakou thinks that the 'whistleblower complaint' is a part of the CIA plot against Trump:
CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou on Impeachment, "Assets," and the Espionage Act | Useful Idiots (vid)
Last week Germany won an important battle against the U.S.:
Denmark grants permit for construction of Nord Stream 2 pipeline in its waters – Tass
Europe’s gas alliance with Russia is a match made in heaven – M. K. BHADRAKUMAR, Indian Punchline
Use as open thread …