Open Thread - 19 May 2016

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Comments

[Tyler]

Working paramedic internships now as well. More wild times.

Egypt Air Liner shot down, and Trump passing Hillary in the polls.

[Generalfeldmarschall von Hindenburg]

I fear the Syrian situation will fester through the US election. If Clinton manages to ooze into the White House, I fear what will happen with a Kaganoid at the State Dept. For all Trump's idiot bluster, at least he's signaled pretty clearly that he wants peace with Russia, whereas Clinton's coterie is full of angry Polish revanchists like Nuland and Brzezinski. They both share the same gang of hyper-Zionists but that's been a constant in American politics since Carter at least.

Also, Col. Lang, hope you feel like continuing this, or one of the august guest posters here will pick up the torch. There are precious few sources of information on military and international affairs that are not assimilated by the Borg.

[GulfCoastPirate]

So it's just fine with you if a man rapes his wife?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/time-to-press-donald-on-raping-his-wife

'The details surrounding the alleged rape are bizarrely novelistic even by Trumpian standards. According to Ivana, Trump was driven to freakish rage by a failed anti-baldness surgery - a so-called 'scalp reduction'. But the actions are very clear cut. According to her deposition, Trump flew into a rage, attacked her, held her down and began pulling hair out of her head to mimic his pain and then forcibly penetrated her.'

[GulfCoastPirate]

Another goodie for the Trump files:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/caleb-andrew-bailey-trump-delegate-indicted

'A Maryland delegate to the Republican National Convention for Donald Trump was indicted late Wednesday on federal child pornography and weapons charges.

Caleb Andrew Bailey, 30, was charged with production of child porn, unlawful transport of explosive materials, illegal possession of a machine gun and possession of child porn in U.S. District Court in Maryland.'

The next few months are going to be so much fun.

[elaine]

Tyler, Good Luck with your new civilian career move. What makes you
think the Egyptian Air Liner was shot down? Do manpads have a 37,000'
range?

[Fred]

So what is a good gift for a gay wedding? I'm thinking something from Fauchon. Can you bring Foie Gras back from France or is that silly restriction still in place?

[steve]

He has also praised Bolton, who may be a choice for his cabinet. I don't think he would be my idea of a point man on reaching out to Russia.

Steve

[Jack]

"The next few months are going to be so much fun."

Yes indeed. IMO it will rival the most hilarious Jerry Springer episode. I'm not so sure that Hill & Bill will make it through.

http://blog.dilbert.com/post/144606430606/evaluating-the-political-chess-board

This is going to be the season for the partisan slugfest but it will be way more entertaining with Trump going where no establishment politician will as Morning Joe noted. Can't wait. I've got the popcorn ready.

[LondonBob]

The Bolton who was manning the NeverTrump stall at the DC vote? Doubt it, doesn't fit his positions anyway. Although I notice Trump has done a deal with Adelson, but then I have never believed he would be anti Israel, just America first.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2016/05/19/trump_adviser_bernie_sanders_is_correct_that_hillary_clinton_is_not_qualified_to_be_president.html
Trump looking to pick up the antiwar Sanders/independent vote.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/upfront/2016/05/top-general-defends-donald-trump-160519081014660.html
More from Flynn.

[Max H]

US ELECTION 2016
Top US general defends Donald Trump
General Michael Flynn discusses his role as an informal adviser to the presumptive US Republican presidential nominee.
19 May 2016

In a special web extra, General Michael Flynn, former head of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) under President Barack Obama, discusses his informal role as an adviser to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/upfront/2016/05/top-general-defends-donald-trump-160519081014660.html

FLASHBACK:
Jim Webb: I could vote for Trump, but not Hillary
By David Weigel | Post Politics | March 4
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/03/04/jim-webb-id-vote-for-trump-but-not-clinton/

[Tyler]

Herrs something relevant versus your guilt by association histrionics.

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/may/19/charles-wade-black-lives-matter-leader-charged-wit/

[Tyler]

Elaine,

Not a new career. Just cross training.

A MANPAD could have knocked it out of the sky, but where would they have fired from? How does someone on the ground spot a plane with their eye? Likely internal sabotage among subverted staff is the answer.

[Tyler]

Gcp,

Maybe spend five seconds researching before posting links. You get more tiresome and desperate every week. How's Bill's rep with women?

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/ivana-trump-denies-accusing-donald-trump-rape-daily-beast-120721

[The Beaver]

@ LondonBob

but then I have never believed he would be anti Israel,

He is not anti-Israel and he knows how to play the "Jewish card" well.He uses the fact that his daughter married a Jewish boy ( whose father was sent to prison for 2 years by then NJ AG Chris Christie) whenever he feels he has too. His SIL co-wrote his speech for the AIPAC conference a couple of months ago.

One thing Trump has in common with the Clintons: the father of their SIL went to prison !

[Joe100]

Been meaning to note that Trump's just promoted campaign chairman/chief strategist is Paul Manafort - a republican operative whose "true gift lies in political resuscitations and rebrandings" according to an April 23 FT piece.

What I find most interesting is that a significant Manafort "makeover" was of Yanukovich back in 2005 that apparently led to his reinstatement of prime minister after the 2006 election. A cable from the US ambassador (released by Wikileaks) described the hiring of Manfort as an attempt to change the image of Yanukovich's party of Regions "from that of a haven for mobsters into that of a legitimate political party"by "tapping into then deep pockets of Donestsk clan godfather Rinat Akhmetov".

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9e8a2998-0843-11e6-876d-b823056b209b.html#axzz49COzZBoV

[SmoothieX12]

"doesn't fit his positions anyway"

I don't recall in the last 20 or so years when the lack of qualifications and competence was an obstacle to being appointed to the top government position.

[GulfCoastPirate]

What office is Bill running for right now?

Your article is nothing more than a rehash of statements made by Trump's lawyer whereas the original accusations were made in a sworn deposition. Do you know the difference between the two?

[GulfCoastPirate]

You read the Sun Young Moon KoreanTimes? Interesting.

So how is this guy associated with Hillary?

[LG]

The father of their Jewish SIL went to prison

[GulfCoastPirate]

Jack wrote: 'This is going to be the season for the partisan slugfest but it will be way more entertaining with Trump going where no establishment politician will as Morning Joe noted. Can't wait. I've got the popcorn ready.'

Indeed it will. I don't think (at this time) that Hillary can beat him but there is no doubt Trump is going to be a bigger disaster than Reagan.

[William R. Cumming]

IMO Senator Sanders will NOT be moving at the DEMS convention to nominate HRC by acclaim. He will have tremendous power in the U.S. Senate whichever person or party wins the election.

[Tyler]

GCP,

They were direct quotes from Ivana. Keep chimping out over there.

[Tyler]

GCP,

I'm pointing out your laughably myopic hysteria over words Ivana renounced vs. A very real thing that happened.

How does BLM matter to Hillary? They're her vanguard. Keep up.

[Fred]

A trio of Friday news highlights:

The Sultan at work increasing his power:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-politics-immunity-idUSKCN0YB0VC

more fun in the land of our “best ally”:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-politics-idUSKCN0YB0FU

And a proposal our Foggy Bottom boys will reject out of hand:

R+6 proposal on joint attacks on ISIS:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-russia-usa-syria-idUSKCN0YB1HB

[The Beaver]

Fred,

20 mins ago:

Breaking news: US rejects Russian proposal for joint air strikes in Syria: AFP