[AMV] Amerikaanse politiek #584: 17 verschillende onderzoeken

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 01:00:03 Following a judge's order, prosecutors have now released a redacted 302, a document which contains FBI agents' notes, of the FBI's initial interview with Michael Flynn, the one in which he eventually admitted he lied in.Here's the link: https://t.co/lOcrEcYKQE reageer retweet

twitter:

MaddowBlog twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 03:31:12 It might be said that Mike Flynn's view on Turkey turned on a dime, but actually it turned on A LOT of dimes. https://t.co/NT1u4h97kJ reageer retweet

twitter:

hardball twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 01:21:46 In 2016, Trump thanked African Americans for not voting. We now know that suppressing the African American vote was a part of Russia's disinformation campaign. https://t.co/vytMfNUlia reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 01:55:00 Russian disinformation teams targeted Mueller, according to the disinformation reports prepared for the Senate.Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that Mueller was corrupt.https://t.co/N0uOpO8jA3 reageer retweet

twitter:

tribelaw twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 04:02:21 BREAKING NEWS: Russian social media lies targeting Mueller was miraculously parallel to and intertwined with Trump's efforts to undermine Mueller's Russia probe. Looks like the Trump/Putin conspiracy covered obstruction of justice along with the campaign https://t.co/ak2XZJacze reageer retweet

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As questions swirl about his credibility, former Trump campaign adviser Roger Stone settled a defamation suit seeking $100 million in damages on Monday for publishing false and misleading statements on InfoWars.com, a far-right website known for promoting conspiracy theories.

The agreement requires Mr. Stone to run ads in national newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, apologizing for making defamatory statements about a Chinese businessman who is a vocal critic of Beijing. It also requires Mr. Stone to publish a retraction of the false statements on social media. Doing so exempts him from paying any of the damages.

In a text message, Mr. Stone described his conduct as “irresponsible” and added that “I am solely responsible for fulfilling the terms of the settlement.”

Unrelated to the Russia probe, Mr. Stone’s settlement is the latest indication that Mr. Stone’s use of various media platforms to spread unfounded claims isn’t without consequences. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office is investigating Mr. Stone’s role in orchestrating stories about key events being examined in the Russia probe, the Journal has reported.

Adam Schiff (D., Calif.), who is expected to take control of the House Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday of Mr. Stone’s testimony last year: “I believe there’s ample reason to be concerned about his truthfulness.” Mr. Stone has accused Mr. Schiff of “smear tactics” and said he stands by his testimony.

SPOILER

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U.S. companies have spent $1 trillion this year on buying back their own stock—a record figure reached three weeks before year's end. That's according to TrimTabs, an investment research firm.

One trillion dollars, a round number of epic proportions, is roughly equal to the amount U.S. consumers are expected to spend this holiday shopping season. It's also larger than the gross domestic product of 166 countries.

Just in the past week, pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and AbbVie announced a combined $15 billion in stock buybacks. Pioneer Natural Resources, an oil extraction company, announced a $2 billion buyback, and animal medicine maker Zoetis announced another $2 billion.

"Stock buybacks have been going on throughout this bull market, and companies are using it partly as a way to prop up their prices," said Edward Yardeni, chief investment strategist at Yardeni Research. "Especially in this environment, they would like to do what they can to keep their prices from going down."

Buybacks boost a company's stock price by reducing the total number of shares it has in the market. With the three major U.S. stock indexes down on the year as of Monday, it's not clear buybacks have been much help. And the jury is out on how benficial to shareholders stock buybacks are long-term, with one 2016 analysis finding that companies that don't repurchase their own stock tend to perform better in the long term than those that do.

One implication of high buybacks is that companies don't have other high-return projects in which to put money, Cowan Asset Management wrote recently. "This means that, collectively, companies aren't investing in things like buildings and machinery – things that increase the overall economy's productivity."

For that reason, buybacks have drawn criticism not only from progressive economists but from such unlikely sources as Sen. Marco Rubio. The Florida Republican recently said on Twitter that companies who buy their stock are "deciding that returning capital to shareholders is better for business than investing in their products or workers. Tax code encourages this. No surprise we have work life that is unstable & low paying."

twitter:

marcorubio twitterde op donderdag 13-12-2018 om 16:23:55 When corporation uses profits for stock buy back it’s deciding that returning capital to shareholders is better for business than investing in their products or workers. Tax code encourages this. No surprise we have work life that is unstable & low paying. https://t.co/yHV1qS0yLu reageer retweet

The GOP-championed tax cuts that Rubio voted for last year have encouraged buybacks by making even more cash available to companies at at time when they are sitting on historically large cash reserves, without guidance from lawmakers on how to spend that money -- say, requirements to hire workers or boost pay in return for their tax windfalls, which the tax law did not include.

Shareholders often like buybacks, since they increase the value of the stock they already hold. But companies have historically had questionable judgment when it comes to timing their purchases, buying more of their shares precisely when they're highly priced.

Prior to this year, buybacks hit a high in the third quarter of 2007. One year later, the S&P 500 had lost one-third of its value.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 06:35 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Leugens? Op Infowars?

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 06:59 schreef Ulx het volgende:

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Het is meer iets voor de NY Times of WaPo, nietwaar?

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 02:35 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:
Ow en Comey is ook weer uitgehoord

James Comey reacts to Trump calling Michael Cohen a "rat"

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 08:26 schreef klappernootopreis het volgende:

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Dat Trump Cohen een rat noemt, is typerend. Comey weet maar al te goed dat bij deze "rat" zijn hol vol stond met contrabande.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 09:08 schreef archito het volgende:

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Ik vind het vooral typerend omdat een rat iemand is die de waarheid vertelt en zijn criminele baas verraadt. Trump zal het niet zo bedoeld hebben, maar grappig is het wel. En triest.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 09:53 schreef AnneX het volgende:
Stephen heeft altijd wel een ernstige komische samenvatting

The President Is Facing 17 Investigations

Guliani krijgt er ook even langs.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 14:55 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:
Nog wat landelijke peilingen voor de democraten, Bevestigen eigenlijk wat we al weten: Biden doet het goed, Sanders en Warren vallen tegen omdat ze kiezers van elkaar afsnoepen en Beto doet het verrassend goed.

[ afbeelding ]

2020 National Democratic Primary CNN:
Biden 30%
Sanders 14%
O'Rourke 9%
Booker 5%
Harris 4%
Kerry 4%
Warren 3%
Bloomberg 3%
Klobuchar 3%
Holder 1%
Gillibrand 1%
Bullock 1%
Brown 1%
Inslee 1%
McAuliffe 1%

@CNN 12/6-9

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Op maandag 17 december 2018 23:43 schreef Ulx het volgende:
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALL 17 (KNOWN) TRUMP AND RUSSIA INVESTIGATIONS

Voor het overzicht.

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Op maandag 17 december 2018 23:43 schreef Ulx het volgende:
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALL 17 (KNOWN) TRUMP AND RUSSIA INVESTIGATIONS

Voor het overzicht.

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"Our petition detailed a shocking pattern of illegality involving the Trump Foundation -- including unlawful coordination with the Trump presidential campaign, repeated and willful self-dealing, and much more. This amounted to the Trump Foundation functioning as little more than a checkbook to serve Mr. Trump's business and political interests," Underwood said in a statement Tuesday.

Bron: CNN

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:36:57 @GaryGrumbach Judge: "Mr. Flynn's briefing concerned the court, because it raised issues that could affect or call into question his guilty plea ... Do you wish to challenge the circumstances under which you were interviewed by the FBI?"Flynn: "No, your honor;" doesn't want to withdraw plea. reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:34:49 Michael Flynn has said he does not want to challenge the circumstances under which he provided false statements to the FBI.Attorney Rob Kelner added that Flynn's rights were not violated during the FBI's interview with Flynn. https://t.co/gZseyq2Uy0 reageer retweet

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:48:34 Judge to Flynn: “This is a very serious offense -- a high ranking senior official of the government making false statements to the FBI while” at the White House. reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:55:07 Government prosecutor: "It remains a possibility" that Flynn is going to continue to cooperate with the gov't."The defendant provided substantial assistance to the EDVA in obtaining that charging document." The prosecutor said Flynn could have been charged in this case. --@MSNBC reageer retweet

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:59:52 In sentencing hearing, judge tells Flynn that he will take into consideration his “years of service and sacrifice, and your cooperation,” but he can’t minimize the very serious crime: “Arguably, you sold your country out. The court is going to consider all that.” reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 18:05:04 Judge Sullivan: "I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense." https://t.co/pCxlqMQYw1 reageer retweet

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:01 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:59:52 In sentencing hearing, judge tells Flynn that he will take into consideration his “years of service and sacrifice, and your cooperation,” but he can’t minimize the very serious crime: “Arguably, you sold your country out. The court is going to consider all that.” reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 18:05:04 Judge Sullivan: "I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain for this criminal offense." https://t.co/pCxlqMQYw1 reageer retweet

Het lijkt erop dat de rechter de aanbeveling van 0-6 maanden gevangenisstraf in twijfel trekt?

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:14 schreef AnneX het volgende:
Daar komt Flynn toch niet makkelijk vanaf, toch?
En wordt hij gelijk al gesentenced? / veroordeeld?
Kan Flynn / advocaten in beroep?

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:16 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:

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Ik geloof dat de rechter vindt dat Flynn een landverrader is en dan is 6 maanden wel erg weinig.

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 18:15:54 Judge orders recess in Flynn sentencing until 12:30 p.m. ET. reageer retweet

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:17 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

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Dit is sentencing-day. In beroep gaan lijkt me niet handig in zijn geval. Hij heeft het al erger gemaakt door de omstandigheden van zijn interview aan te voeren.

Edit: Hoor net: Flynn waves the right to appeal

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 18:10:05 Judge Sullivan asked, hypothetically, could Michael Flynn have been charged with treason.Prosecutor Van Grack: "Because it's such a serious question, I am hesitant from answering." —@MSNBC reageer retweet

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 17:52 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 17:48:34 Judge to Flynn: “This is a very serious offense -- a high ranking senior official of the government making false statements to the FBI while” at the White House. reageer retweet

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President Trump on Tuesday retreated from his demand that Congress give him $5 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, backing down amid acrimonious GOP infighting that left him with few options four days ahead of a partial government shutdown.

The news, delivered by White House press secretary Sarah Sanders in an interview on Fox News, represented a major shift from Trump’s declaration last week that he would be “proud” to shut down the government to get the money he wanted for his border wall.

Democrats, who will reclaim the majority in the House just weeks from now, have consistently refused to give Trump anywhere near the $5 billion he wants.

But Sanders told Fox News Channel: “We have other ways that we can get to that $5 billion.”

“At the end of the day we don’t want to shut down the government, we want to shut down the border,” Sanders said.

Sanders said the White House was exploring other funding sources and believed it could be legally done.

“There are certainly a number of different funding sources that we’ve identified that we can use, that we can couple with money that would be given through congressional appropriations that would help us get to that $5 billion that the president needs in order to protect our border,” she said.

The apparent White house capitulation does not guarantee that a shutdown will be averted. Democrats were just beginning to assess the implications of Sanders’ comments to see if the White House is now willing to sign onto a budget deal they they could embrace.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Sen. Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) are meeting Tuesday at midday. Asked whether there was a deal to be had as she entered the meeting, Pelosi responded “we’ll see.”

SPOILER

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:39 schreef crystal_meth het volgende:

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Maar gaat dit niet over z'n bewering dat hij de sancties niet had besproken met de ambassadeur? Waarvan de FBI toen (eind februari 2017) zei dat hij niet opzettelijk gelogen had? (omdat hij niet over de economische sancties had gesproken, enkel over de uitgewezen diplomaten)

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In that interview, according to court documents, he claimed that he did not recall ever asking then-Russia ambassador Kislyak during a phone call in December 2016 to not have Russia retaliate against the United States for sanctions imposed on the country after accusations that Russia had interfered in the recent presidential election.

Flynn also told the agents, "No," when asked if he made any comment to Kislyak about Russia voting in a certain manner at the United Nations on a resolution sponsored by Egypt condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Both of those statements to the agents were false.

Bron

twitter:

MSNBC twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 18:54:21 DEVELOPING: Flynn defense team: “We are prepared to take your honor up on the suggestion of delaying sentencing."Live coverage now on @MSNBC. https://t.co/gaTgzEk3C9 reageer retweet

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:36 schreef Ulx het volgende:
Martha McSally krijgt de zetel van McCain heeft de gouverneur van Arizona besloten.

(Zes weken nadat de kiezers haar ongeschikt vonden en ze de verkiezingen verloor.)

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 12:41:27 Good luck today in court to General Michael Flynn. Will be interesting to see what he has to say, despite tremendous pressure being put on him, about Russian Collusion in our great and, obviously, highly successful political campaign. There was no Collusion! reageer retweet

twitter:

SethAbramson twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 19:10:34 Trump screwed himself with today's tweet. Everyone sensed Flynn was anticipating a pardon and planned to withdraw a bit—in consequence—from his active cooperation with Mueller, so what does the judge do? Threatens—brilliantly—prison, thus forcing a delay and more Flynn cooperation. reageer retweet

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 18:50 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

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Jawel:

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Edit: bovendien heeft Flynn zich (in het geheim) laten betalen door de Turken om in hun naam te lobbyen. Dat heeft hij bekend maar is daar niet voor aangeklaagd blijkbaar.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 19:40 schreef crystal_meth het volgende:

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Ah, dat van die stemming in de VN wist ik niet. Tja, vrij dom, ligt toch voor de hand dat ze Kislyak's gesprekken afluisteren.

Vervolging wegens het niet registreren als foreign agent is zeldzaam ("In September 2016, DOJ issued a report that tallied all the prosecutions under FARA since 1966—a total of seven.")

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 19:48 schreef Toby56 het volgende:
Goeie rechter. Hij verwerpt gewoon Muellers advies, doet niet aan gemakkelijke vriendjespolitiek en lijkt te zeggen: juist iemand als Flynn, met zo'n indrukwekkende en lange staat van dienst als dienaar van het land, is het zwaar aan te rekenen dat hij moedwillig liegt tegen de FBI en de vice-president. Plus alle shit met Oekraīne, Turkije, weet ik veel, ik ben het kwijt allemaal.
"Arguably you sold your country out."
En er dan mee wegkomen door een beetje met een onderzoek mee te werken. Hallelujah! No way!

Het voelt voor mij (gelukkig) als een vol punt voor de Trias Politica. (Waar Trump zo'n schijthekel aan heeft.)

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 19:24 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:

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Een veilige en niet verassende keuze, maar niet echt netjes aangezien ze net de verkiezingen heeft verloren.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 19:56 schreef AnneX het volgende:

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Eensch!

Zou Mueller verwacht hebben, dat de rechter zijn aanbevelingen zou verwerpen en zelf wel kan beslissen...

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 19:48 schreef Toby56 het volgende:
Goeie rechter. Hij verwerpt gewoon Muellers advies, doet niet aan gemakkelijke vriendjespolitiek en lijkt te zeggen: juist iemand als Flynn, met zo'n indrukwekkende en lange staat van dienst als dienaar van het land, is het zwaar aan te rekenen dat hij moedwillig liegt tegen de FBI en de vice-president. Plus alle shit met Oekraīne, Turkije, weet ik veel, ik ben het kwijt allemaal.
"Arguably you sold your country out."
En er dan mee wegkomen door een beetje met een onderzoek mee te werken. Hallelujah! No way!

Het voelt voor mij (gelukkig) als een vol punt voor de Trias Politica. (Waar Trump zo'n schijthekel aan heeft.)

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 20:18 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:

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Maar waarom zulle mensen nog meewerken met Mueller als de rechters toch eigen conclusies en het advies niet overnemen? Je kan dan net zo goed je mond houden.

twitter:

washingtonpost twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 20:53:00 Government shutdown still possible after Democrats reject new GOP offer on immigration, border security funding https://t.co/3aByPFMDH9 reageer retweet

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Trump backers just had their anti-Mueller hopes and dreams dashed

On Saturday, Fox News host Jeanine Pirro engaged in a bit of wishful fantasizing.

Earlier that week, Michael Flynn’s attorneys seemed to imply that he was tricked into lying to the FBI. In response, the judge in Flynn’s case asked for more information about Flynn’s interview. Pirro wagered that the judge, Emmet G. Sullivan, might blow up special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s entire case.

She hailed Sullivan as “a jurist unafraid of the swamp, a judge who has a track record of calling out prosecutorial misconduct, a man who does not tolerate injustice or abuse of power.” She suggested Flynn’s guilty plea might be thrown out: “The amazing part of it is, if he does it, then the house of cards of Robert Mueller falls.”

That’s decidedly not what happened Tuesday. In fact, quite the opposite.

At Flynn’s sentencing, Sullivan made a point of making sure that Flynn stated (and restated) that he lied to the FBI, that he knew it was wrong to do so and that he accepted responsibility. Sullivan asked Flynn whether he knew that lying to the FBI was illegal, and Flynn said, “I was aware.” The judge gave Flynn several chances to withdraw his guilty plea, and Flynn opted to proceed.

Then Sullivan went big. “Arguably, you sold your country out,” he told Flynn, adding: “I’m not hiding my disgust, my disdain, for this criminal offense.” He even invoked treason, asking the government whether they considered such a charge. (The government said it had not.) Sullivan suggested Flynn was working as a foreign agent while serving in the White House — a claim which he later backed off.

Sullivan was clearly seeking to uproot the seeds of doubt planted by Flynn’s attorneys in the sentencing memo, which alleged that the government treated Flynn differently than other witnesses by urging him not to bring an attorney to questioning and failing to tell him that lying was illegal.

Bron: WaPo

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Judge Emmet Sullivan is throwing another wrench into former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s plans.

Just hours after delaying Flynn’s sentencing, Sullivan is now saying Flynn must stay within 50 miles of the District of Columbia come Jan. 4.

Flynn had been allowed to travel freely under the conditions laid out by another judge. But Sullivan says he only learned of that today. He is now requiring Flynn to get his permission before he travels outside that zone, as he typically does in such cases.

The order could cause some complications for Flynn, who has been living in Middletown, Rhode Island, near his family.

Sullivan says he is approving Flynn’s already planned international travel but will also require him to surrender his passport in January.

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Mueller Probe Cost $25 Million So Far, Report Says. It’s Pulled in $48 Million From Tax Cheats

Robert Mueller's investigation has cost just over $25 million in the first 16 months of its investigation, according to CNBC.

The Special Counsel's Office released new an expenditure report Friday which revealed that the six months between the beginning of April through September cost about $4.5 million. More than half of the total cost is attributed to personnel compensation and benefits.

Since beginning the probe in May 2017, investigating whether Russia was linked to the Trump presidential campaign, Mueller has filed more than 100 criminal charges.

Though the investigation comes with a hefty price tag, it may have actually paid for its own investigation, with its probe leading to monetary estimated gains of up to $48 million for the government through the tax evasion the investigation has revealed.

Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, was sentenced for conspiracy and obstruction of justice in September. As part of his plea deal, Manafort agreed to forfeit assets that amount to between $42 million and $46 million, including about $22 million in property, CNBC reports. The case revealed how Manafort avoided paying more than $15 million in taxes by laundering $60 million from pro-Russian Ukrainians, CNN reports.

Manafort reportedly violated the conditions of his plea deal, and last month prosecutors said that he could face more charges.

Earlier this week, Trump's personal attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to financial crimes including paying hush money to a porn star and Playboy model. As part of his deal, Cohen agreed to pay $1.4 million in unpaid taxes and hand over $500,000 in assets as well as pay $100,000 in fines.

Throughout the investigation, Trump has called efforts by Mueller's team a 'witch hunt' and has blasted the special counsel for its growing cost.

With Mueller's investigation not yet completed, it's difficult to say how much it will ultimately cost American taxpayers. An investigation into President Bill Clinton, which took place between 1994 and 1998, reportedly cost about $40 million.

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A newly obtained document shows President Donald Trump signed a letter of intent to move forward with negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Russia, despite his attorney Rudy Giuliani claiming on Sunday the document was never signed.

CNN's Chris Cuomo obtained a copy of the signed letter of intent that set the stage for negotiations for Trump condominiums, a hotel and commercial property in the heart of Moscow.
The letter is dated October 28, 2015, and bears the President's signature.

When asked on Sunday about the letter, Giuliani incorrectly told CNN's Dana Bash that it had not been signed.

"It was a real estate project. There was a letter of intent to go forward, but no one signed it," Giuliani told Bash.

The non-binding document is also signed by Andrey Rozov, owner of I.C. Expert Investment Co., the Russian firm that would have been responsible for developing the property.

Trump did not tell the public during the 2016 presidential campaign that his company explored the business deal with Russia and instead repeatedly claimed he had "nothing to do with Russia." But the project, which was ultimately scrapped, would've given Trump's company a $4 million upfront fee, no upfront costs, a percentage of the sales and control over marketing and design. The deal also included an opportunity to name the hotel spa after Trump's daughter Ivanka.

The special counsel's team investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election alleges the deal could have been lucrative for the Trump Organization.

While the potential Trump Tower Moscow deal was on the table, then-candidate Trump was speaking positively about working with Russian President Vladimir Putin and minimizing Russia's aggressive military moves around the world.

Giuliani suggested on Sunday that Trump had spoken with Michael Cohen, Trump's corporate attorney at the time, later than January 2016 about the proposed Moscow project, and said in an interview with ABC that the conversations may have gone as far as toward the end of the general election period.

"According to the answer that he gave, it would have covered all the way up to November of -- covered all the way up to November 2016," Giuliani said, seemingly referencing Trump's written responses to special counsel Robert Mueller.

On Tuesday, Giuliani told CNN that the question to Trump from Mueller was more generally asking if Trump talked to Cohen about the project. The question was not about specific dates or conversations, Giuliani said.

CNN previously obtained a draft of the letter that Trump eventually signed. In 2017, Cohen told congressional committees investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election that Trump had signed the letter. Donald Trump Jr. also testified to Congress that his father signed the letter of intent.

Last week, Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for crimes that included arranging payments during the 2016 presidential election to silence women who claimed affairs with Trump. Trump has denied the affairs.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 20:18 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:

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Maar waarom zulle mensen nog meewerken met Mueller als de rechters toch eigen conclusies en het advies niet overnemen? Je kan dan net zo goed je mond houden.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 05:31 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:
Trump signed letter of intent for Trump Tower Moscow project despite Giuliani insisting he didn't

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 07:22 schreef Montov het volgende:

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No deals no nothing!
Heel langzaam gaat de hele beerput open van de criminele familie.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 07:40 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Nu zijn we het (bijna) allemaal wel eens dat ze niet al te snugger zijn op veel gebieden, maar als je allemaal criminele zaken te verbergen hebt is het laatste wat je wilt toch wel dat al je zaakjes doorgelicht gaan worden zoals bij president nu eenmaal gebeurt?! Onbeschrijfelijk dom. Net als zo'n Manafort die allemaal dingen deed die het daglicht niet konden verdragen om dan maar even pro bono de campagne te gaan helpen in een belangrijke rol... Moet wel overmoed geweest zijn, dan, toch?!

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 07:48 schreef Ludachrist het volgende:

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Zo crimineel is het bouwen van een toren in Rusland natuurlijk niet.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 09:37 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:
Bump stocks worden illegaal en bestaande moeten vernietigd worden.

En een hervorming van het gevangenisbeleid.

Goede zaken. (mag ook wel eens gezegd worden lijkt me) Verrassend vooral met een republikeinse regering aan de macht.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 09:37 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:
Bump stocks worden illegaal en bestaande moeten vernietigd worden.

En een hervorming van het gevangenisbeleid.

Goede zaken. (mag ook wel eens gezegd worden lijkt me) Verrassend vooral met een republikeinse regering aan de macht.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 07:40 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Nu zijn we het (bijna) allemaal wel eens dat ze niet al te snugger zijn op veel gebieden, maar als je allemaal criminele zaken te verbergen hebt is het laatste wat je wilt toch wel dat al je zaakjes doorgelicht gaan worden zoals bij president nu eenmaal gebeurt?! Onbeschrijfelijk dom. Net als zo'n Manafort die allemaal dingen deed die het daglicht niet konden verdragen om dan maar even pro bono de campagne te gaan helpen in een belangrijke rol... Moet wel overmoed geweest zijn, dan, toch?!

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 20:19 schreef PaarsBeestje het volgende:

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Omdat je zonder medewerking zwaardere aanklachten aan je broek hebt en de rechter dan helemaal niet meer geneigd is om coulant te zijn bij het bepalen van de strafmaat. Op hoogverraad staat daar nog steeds de doodstraf.

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 11:59 schreef Knipoogje het volgende:

[..]

Overmoed vooral lijkt me. Vergeet niet dat Trump tot nu toe overal mee wegkwam. Zelfs geldzorgen verdwijnen continue als sneeuw voor de zon. Als je denkt overal mee weg te komen, neem je steeds meer risico's.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 19:24 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:

[..]

Een veilige en niet verassende keuze, maar niet echt netjes aangezien ze net de verkiezingen heeft verloren.

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 07:48 schreef Ludachrist het volgende:

[..]

Zo crimineel is het bouwen van een toren in Rusland natuurlijk niet.

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 13:57 schreef Montov het volgende:

[..]

Het gaat dan ook om het liegen en het verhullen. En waarom zou je bij een normaal bouwproject zo gaan liegen?

quote:

The hacked cables reveal further Chinese and EU frustration with President Trump.

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 17:07 schreef Oostwoud het volgende:
NBC News maakt duidelijk dat de Trump Foundation al een jaar geleden aan een sluitingsproces begon. Geheel in lijn met een verkiezingsbelofte van Trump. Vreemd dat men daar zo over valt.

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 17:07 schreef Oostwoud het volgende:
NBC News maakt duidelijk dat de Trump Foundation al een jaar geleden aan een sluitingsproces begon. Geheel in lijn met een verkiezingsbelofte van Trump. Vreemd dat men daar zo over valt.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 17:30 schreef Barbusse het volgende:

[..]

Nee hoor, die sluiting is niet waar men over valt.

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Op dinsdag 18 december 2018 21:02 schreef Montov het volgende:
She hailed Sullivan as “a jurist unafraid of the swamp, a judge who has a track record of calling out prosecutorial misconduct, a man who does not tolerate injustice or abuse of power.”

...

Then Sullivan went big. “Arguably, you sold your country out,” he told Flynn, adding: “I’m not hiding my disgust, my disdain, for this criminal offense.” He even invoked treason, asking the government whether they considered such a charge. (The government said it had not.) Sullivan suggested Flynn was working as a foreign agent while serving in the White House — a claim which he later backed off.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 09:54 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:

[..]

Gaat allebei naar mijn smaak nog niet ver genoeg maar het zijn allebei mooie eerste stappen.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 16:35 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:
Trump wil alle militairen terughalen uit Syrie. Het besluit zal al genomen zijn, of vandaag worden genomen (verschillende bronnen melden verschillende dingen)

https://www.nu.nl/syrie/5(...)pen-syrie-halen.html

Hier ben ik het wel mee eens. de VS heeft er niets te zoeken, al was het maar omdat ze daar gewoon eigenlijk illegaal zitten (Syrie heeft ze nooit uitgenodigd). En na jaren in Irak en afghanistan zitten heb ik niet het idee dat een land er nou echt beter van wordt.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 18:15 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:

[..]

Alleen je laat nu wel de Koerden in de steek, die defacto de grondtroepen van de VS waren in het gevecht tegen IS. Zonder de Koerden had de VS zelf grondtroepen nodig gehad om IS te verslaan.

twitter:

DavidMDrucker twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 13:27:53 NEW: The South Carolina Republican Party likely to cancel its presidential primary in 2020 to protect @realDonaldTrump from any GOP challengers that might emerge. (There is precedent for this strategy.) https://t.co/KKdho0YUoG @dcexaminer reageer retweet

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 18:13 schreef martijnde3de het volgende:

[..]

Wat moet er dan nog meer veranderen in het rechtssysteem in Amerika?

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 18:36 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

twitter:

DavidMDrucker twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 13:27:53 NEW: The South Carolina Republican Party likely to cancel its presidential primary in 2020 to protect @realDonaldTrump from any GOP challengers that might emerge. (There is precedent for this strategy.) https://t.co/KKdho0YUoG @dcexaminer reageer retweet

Wtf.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 18:41 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:

[..]

Alsof zo'n challenge überhaupt enige kans maakt.

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 20:38 schreef Nintex het volgende:
ISIS verslagen alle troops weg uit Syrie.

Gaat Trump ook weg uit Afghanistan en Irak?

twitter:

NatashaBertrand twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 19:17:13 The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has notified Congress of its intention to terminate the sanctions imposed on Oleg Deripaska's companies...https://t.co/CiNMjoNJJB reageer retweet

twitter:

NatashaBertrand twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 23:15:08 Statement from Senators Schumer, Brown and Menendez on lifting of sanctions on Deripaska’s companies: “The next Congress will need to review this decision as soon as possible to determine whether congressional action is required.” https://t.co/Ub0galnWNF reageer retweet

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Op woensdag 19 december 2018 21:41 schreef Nintex het volgende:
Voor 2001 maakten wij ons hier totaal niet druk om die uitvreters daar in de zandbak. Afgezien van de olie dan. De Mujahadeen waren de helden die sovjets verslagen hadden en Alladin was een leuke film.

quote:

Trump Testimony From Decades Ago Indicates Knowledge of Campaign-Finance Laws (WSJ)
Legal experts say that could be critical if investigators pursue a case over hush-money payments to women in the 2016 campaign

Sworn statements by President Trump dating back several decades indicate he has a deep understanding of campaign-finance laws, legal experts say, which could be critical if investigators ever pursue a case against him over his alleged direction of hush-money payments in the 2016 campaign.

Mr. Trump’s statements were made as part of a 2000 regulatory investigation into his casino company and in 1988 testimony for a government-integrity commission. They contrast with the portrayal by some of the president’s allies that he is a political novice with little understanding of campaign-finance laws and therefore couldn’t be charged with violating them.

In 2000, the Federal Election Commission investigated allegations that Trump Hotels & Casinos violated the law related to a fundraising event for a Senate candidate. Mr. Trump’s sworn affidavit “indicates that Trump had a very thorough understanding of federal campaign finance law, especially regarding what he could and could not legally do when raising money for a federal candidate,” said Brett Kappel, an election-law lawyer at Akerman LLP.

In the four-page affidavit that Mr. Trump signed, he stressed he had a particular familiarity with laws governing corporate contributions to candidates. Mr. Trump said he was acting in his “individual,” not corporate, capacity when he hosted the event, that he had paid for the reception costs “from my personal funds,” that he “took no action, of any nature, kind or description, to compel or pressure” any employee to donate to the campaign ahead of the event and that he wasn’t reimbursed for any of the costs.

SPOILER

Om spoilers te kunnen lezen moet je zijn ingelogd. Je moet je daarvoor eerst gratis Registreren. Ook kun je spoilers niet lezen als je een ban hebt.

quote:

Op woensdag 19 december 2018 20:19 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:
Rente weer een kwart procent omhoog, zoals verwacht.

twitter:

ClaraJeffery twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 20:53:28 Survey asked black women to say who's among their top three candidates:Harris: 71.1% Beto: 38.3% Biden: 25%Booker: 24.2%Warren: 22.3%Abrams: 15.2%Bernie: 12.1%Bernie's never going to be the nominee unless he turns these numbers aroundhttps://t.co/7LLdFoGIIt reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 00:04 schreef Nintex het volgende:

twitter:

ClaraJeffery twitterde op dinsdag 18-12-2018 om 20:53:28 Survey asked black women to say who's among their top three candidates:Harris: 71.1% Beto: 38.3% Biden: 25%Booker: 24.2%Warren: 22.3%Abrams: 15.2%Bernie: 12.1%Bernie's never going to be the nominee unless he turns these numbers aroundhttps://t.co/7LLdFoGIIt reageer retweet

Trump 2020 gaat zo wel heel gemakkelijk worden als ze nu al met de identity politics beginnen.

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 00:06 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

[..]

"Ze"...

Waarom zie je niet in dat je zelf zo enorm geplayed wordt door identity politics? Het is oprecht frustrerend om te zien. De republikeinse partij en hun outlets zorgen hier juist in extremis voor... dat zie je echt niet terug bij een NY Times, WaPo of WSJ hoor.

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 00:10 schreef OMG het volgende:

[..]

is dan ook één van de weinige gepaste reacties wanneer er weer een halve zool met "identity politics" aan komt zetten.

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 00:15 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

[..]

Lijkt me niet zinvol. Daar leert niemand van. Tenzij je denkt dat iemand die dat denkt per definitie hopeloos is, maar dat is niet mijn mening iig. Iedereen kan leren en iedereen kan van mening veranderen.

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 00:30 schreef OMG het volgende:

[..]

Heb tot nu toe in dit topic niet echt de indruk van gehad dat dit opgaat voor de identity politics roepers.

Als je niet door hebt dat inspelen op de angsten van boze blanke christelijke hetero man net zulke identity politics zijn, dan houd het al snel op.

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 00:10:35 After historic victories against ISIS, it's time to bring our great young people home! https://t.co/xoNjFzQFTp reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 23:56:15 Mueller has asked the House Intelligence Committee for an official transcript of Roger Stone's testimony, people familiar with the request tell WaPo, a sign that prosecutors could be moving to charge him with a crime.https://t.co/4TUWdpGtzF reageer retweet

twitter:

GarrettHaake twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 22:29:57 .@SenBobCorker tells reporters his planned meeting with President Trump was cancelled WHILE he was sitting at the White House waiting for Trump. This is a committee chairman of the President's own party, on a day with significant international news. reageer retweet

twitter:

EdKrassen twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 02:43:57 Can Nancy Pelosi just knock on Trump's damned door and tell him not to pull troops from Syria? She completely turned him into a coward on his wall shutdown. Why not let her do it again? reageer retweet

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 00:15:03 BuzzFeed wins: A Florida federal judge has ended Russian tech executive Aleksej Gubarev's defamation suit against BuzzFeed, ruling BuzzFeed's publication of the Steele dossier is protected by the fair reporting privilege. reageer retweet

twitter:

BuzzFeedBen twitterde op woensdag 19-12-2018 om 23:42:11 My statement: https://t.co/apt7j3BToX reageer retweet

quote:

BREAKING: With bipartisan support, the Senate approved legislation that would extend funding for several major government departments until Feb. 8, a measure that would avert a partial government shutdown at the end of the week but does not include any new funds President Trump sought for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The House will vote next on the stopgap measure, and lawmakers say they expect Trump to sign it. But the White House has not confirmed the president’s stance on the deal, which would punt the next round of wall funding negotiations until after Democrats take control of the House.

WaPo

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 06:05:20 The President of the United States is tweeting quotes from Fox News at 12:04 in the morning. reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 00:37 schreef Nintex het volgende:

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 00:10:35 After historic victories against ISIS, it's time to bring our great young people home! https://t.co/xoNjFzQFTp reageer retweet

Bring 'em back!

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 04:31 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

[..]

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 11:44 schreef Whiskers2009 het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/buitenl(...)ls-vs-niet-doet.html

Verrassing (not!)

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 11:50 schreef archito het volgende:

[..]

Het lijstje met bereikte dingen wordt steeds korter.
Maar serieus, wat heeft Trump nu werkelijk bereikt? Iemand?

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 11:50 schreef archito het volgende:

[..]

Het lijstje met bereikte dingen wordt steeds korter.
Maar serieus, wat heeft Trump nu werkelijk bereikt? Iemand?

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 11:50 schreef archito het volgende:

[..]

Het lijstje met bereikte dingen wordt steeds korter.
Maar serieus, wat heeft Trump nu werkelijk bereikt? Iemand?

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 11:44 schreef Whiskers2009 het volgende:
https://www.nu.nl/buitenl(...)ls-vs-niet-doet.html

Verrassing (not!)

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 13:16:38 ....Russia, Iran, Syria & many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving, despite what the Fake News says, because now they will have to fight ISIS and others, who they hate, without us. I am building by far the most powerful military in the world. ISIS hits us they are doomed! reageer retweet

quote:

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday welcomed President Trump’s announcement of a withdrawal of American troops from Syria, calling it “the right decision.”

Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that he was ordering the withdrawal because the United States military had achieved its goal of defeating the Islamic State militant group in Syria. But the move caught many by surprise, including some of his military and diplomatic advisers. It has also drawn criticism, even among Republicans, for abandoning Kurdish allies in the fight against the Islamic State and for aiding the geopolitical ambitions of Iran and Russia in the Middle East.

Speaking at his annual news conference, which typically runs for several hours, Mr. Putin said he broadly agreed that the Islamic State had been defeated in Syria. “Donald’s right, and I agree with him,” Mr. Putin said.

The Russian leader expressed skepticism, however that American forces would actually withdraw, as the United States had announced a pullout from Afghanistan by 2014 but still has forces in that country today.

“We don’t see any signs yet of the withdrawal of U.S. troops,” he said. “How long has the United States been in Afghanistan? Seventeen years? And almost every year they say they’re pulling out their troops.”

Regarding Syria, he said, Mr. Trump made the right decision because the American troops are in the country illegally, never having been invited by the Syrian government, as Russian forces were.

The United States had backed opponents of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, though the approximately 2,000 American troops in the country have mostly avoided direct combat with the Russian-backed Syrian Army and its proxies. In February, American soldiers repelled an attack on their position by forces that included Russian citizens working for a Russian security contracting company.

Russia and the United States have observed a “de-conflicting” agreement to avoid direct engagement between their armed forces.

twitter:

kylegriffin1 twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 15:30:08 Adm. James Stavridis on Trump's Syria withdrawal: "This is a massive geopolitical win for Putin ... It'll be written globally as a walk-away and a betrayal. This is really, geopolitically, the worst move I've seen from this administration. That's a high bar to get over." @MSNBC reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 15:45 schreef Re het volgende:
kerstkadootje van trump voor putin

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 13:28:34 The Democrats, who know Steel Slats (Wall) are necessary for Border Security, are putting politics over Country. What they are just beginning to realize is that I will not sign any of their legislation, including infrastructure, unless it has perfect Border Security. U.S.A. WINS! reageer retweet

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 15:50 schreef xpompompomx het volgende:

[..]

Trump zegt juist op twitter dat Poetin er niet blij mee is.

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 12:42:57 Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home & rebuild. #MAGA reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 16:11 schreef Ludachrist het volgende:

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 12:42:57 Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home & rebuild. #MAGA reageer retweet

There . Kom op man Donald, even je best doen.

twitter:

tictoc twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 19:24:19 JUST IN: Ryan says Trump will not sign bill preventing a government shutdown over “his legitimate concerns for border security.”“We want to keep the government open, but we also want to see an agreement that protects the border” https://t.co/xg99bytvKD reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 19:54 schreef Nintex het volgende:

twitter:

tictoc twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 19:24:19 JUST IN: Ryan says Trump will not sign bill preventing a government shutdown over “his legitimate concerns for border security.”“We want to keep the government open, but we also want to see an agreement that protects the border” https://t.co/xg99bytvKD reageer retweet

Build the wall!

twitter:

frankthorp twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 19:50:33 CORKER: “Mitch is on the phone with Paul now, so....” *corker starts laughing*Q: Why are you laughing?Corker: “Well, why not?”///Corker: “Ya’ll have fun! I may not see ya’ll again for a while...”Q: You’re not going to come back from TN for votes?Corker: “I doubt it.” reageer retweet

twitter:

frankthorp twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 19:54:26 Q: What’s going to happen?CORKER: “Who knows? Does the person sitting beside him at the WH know?”*Ted Cruz walks by and says to a reporter: “I think we need to follow through and fund the wall.”**Corker starts laughing again.”CORKER: “You can’t make this stuff up!” reageer retweet

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 19:59 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:

[..]

Mexico ging er toch voor betalen?

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 19:54 schreef Nintex het volgende:

twitter:

tictoc twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 19:24:19 JUST IN: Ryan says Trump will not sign bill preventing a government shutdown over “his legitimate concerns for border security.”“We want to keep the government open, but we also want to see an agreement that protects the border” https://t.co/xg99bytvKD reageer retweet

Build the wall!

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 20:12 schreef Arcee het volgende:
Dow Jones: 22.700,97 −622,69 (2,67%)

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 16:11 schreef Ludachrist het volgende:

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 12:42:57 Getting out of Syria was no surprise. I’ve been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home & rebuild. #MAGA reageer retweet

There . Kom op man Donald, even je best doen.

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 20:22:19 So hard to believe that Lindsey Graham would be against saving soldier lives & billions of $$$. Why are we fighting for our enemy, Syria, by staying & killing ISIS for them, Russia, Iran & other locals? Time to focus on our Country & bring our youth back home where they belong! reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 20:44 schreef Nintex het volgende:
T R U M P

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 20:22:19 So hard to believe that Lindsey Graham would be against saving soldier lives & billions of $$$. Why are we fighting for our enemy, Syria, by staying & killing ISIS for them, Russia, Iran & other locals? Time to focus on our Country & bring our youth back home where they belong! reageer retweet

Bring the bois home, build the wall

Trump brengt al die domme oorlogen ten einde.

twitter:

kasie twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 17:00:46 On the House floor, leaders scrambling to see if they can pass $5 billion in wall funding as Republicans say they want President Trump to tweet before they say “yes.” “That’s what the fuck serving in Congress has come to,” one GOP member of Congress tells me. reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 20:55 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:
Susan Collins:

[ afbeelding ]

quote:

GUTLESS PRESIDENT IN WALL-LESS COUNTRY

December 19, 2018

If you were elected president after decades of politicians doing nothing about the millions of illegals pouring into our country every year, committing crimes, dealing drugs, driving drunk, molesting children and killing Americans like Kate Steinle, and your central campaign promise -- repeated every day -- was to build a wall, wouldn't you have spent the entirety of your transition period working on getting it done?

Wouldn't you have been building prototypes, developing relationships with key congressional allies and talking to military leaders about using the Seabees or the Army Corps of Engineers to build the wall?

Wouldn't you skip the inauguration and take the oath of office in San Diego so you could get started on supervising wall construction immediately after putting your hand on the Bible and being sworn in as the leader of the free world?

You would if you meant it.

Well, Donald Trump didn't do that.

OK, sure he could have taken the oath in D.C., gone to a few balls, then started the wall on day two of his presidency. But he didn't do that either.

Maybe I'm a literalist. A zealot. When people kept telling me to be patient -- the wall is coming! -- I nursed a private hope that I was wrong, and they were right.

It is now crystal clear that one of two things is true: Either Trump never intended to build the wall and was scamming voters all along, or he has no idea how to get it done and zero interest in finding out.

He sacrifices every opportunity to make the wall happen.

For two years, Trump pretended to believe the president of the United States needs express authorization from Congress to defend the nation's borders and blamed the Republican majority for not "funding" the wall.

In a few weeks, he'll start blaming the Democratic House.

Last week -- several whole days ago -- Trump said over and over again that he would shut down the government if he didn't get funding for the wall -- the precise thing he claims he needs. "We need border security. The wall is a part of border security," he said. "If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government."

Trump wore the shutdown over the wall as a badge of honor: "You want to know something? OK, you want to put that on me. I'll take it. You know what I'll say? Yes, if we don't get what we want ... I will shut down the government. Absolutely."

One week later, The Drudge Report:

WALL FUNDING OFF TABLE

In other words, Trump is doing exactly what I feared he would do in the worst conceivable way. He's not building the wall, while making ridiculous promises right up until the second before he folds.

The Washington Post loves to find the one crazy, trailer park lady who supports Trump because she's had religious ecstasies about him, but most people who voted for him did so with a boatload of qualms.

The basic factory setting on the perception of Trump is: gigantic douchebag. This is a man who manufactured fake Time magazine covers featuring himself with the headline, "Donald Trump: The 'Apprentice' is a television smash!" so that he could put framed copies of it on the walls of his clubs.

His business is convincing people with lowbrow taste to give him their money.

He's a vulgar publicity hound who used to call reporters in a fake voice and pretend to be his own PR agent, "John Miller" or "John Barron," so he could brag that actresses wanted to date him.

On one "Apprentice" episode, the reward for the winning team was: to see Trump's apartment. Not to eat there or spend the night. They got to see it. "As a little treat," he said, "you're gonna see the nicest apartment in New York City." He added: "I show this apartment to very few people. Presidents, kings ..."

It's not as if a majority of his voters weren't clear-eyed about what kind of man he is. If anything, Trump's vulgar narcissism made his vow to build a wall more believable. Respectable politicians had made similar promises over the years -- and they always betrayed the voters. Maybe it took a sociopath to ignore elite opinion and keep his word.

On the basis of his self-interest alone, he must know that if he doesn't build the wall, he has zero chance of being re-elected and a 100 percent chance of being utterly humiliated.

But when Trump is alone with Ivanka, they seem to agree that the wall has nothing to do with it. The people just love him for who he is! In a country of 320 million people, I'm sure there are some, but I have yet to meet a person who said, Yeah, I don't really care about immigration or trade, I just love his personality!

What else were we going to do? He was the only one talking sense. Unfortunately, that's all he does: talk. He's not interested in doing anything that would require the tiniest bit of effort.

In the end, we'll probably find out "wall" was Trump's "safe word" with Stormy Daniels. It's just something he blurts out whenever he's in trouble.

He's in trouble now. As absurd as the Russia nonsense is, the details about Trump's sleazy associates, the porn star, the Playboy playmate and his seedy business practices leave his supporters feeling queasy, even if he hasn't committed any crimes.

Instead of joining a fight that will make his most ardent supporters cringe no matter how it comes out, why not choose a battleground where he's guaranteed a win? If Trump used the military to build the wall -- actually build it, not keep telling us he's going to build it -- the Democrats will go mad.

They'll hold impeachment hearings, file a million lawsuits, produce weeping children reading from phony scripts written by immigrant rights groups -- and Trump will win. The public will support Trump overwhelmingly, and the left will be forced to keep reminding voters why they hate Democrats.

Instead, what he's doing now absolutely guarantees that the next president will be a Democrat and, given today's Democratic Party, that president will be Kamala Harris.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 20:44 schreef Tijger_m het volgende:

[..]

Jij bent echt compleet gestoord. Trump heeft die troepen Syrie INgestuurd, niemand anders. Fucking randdebiel dat je er bent

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 20:44 schreef Tijger_m het volgende:

[..]

Jij bent echt compleet gestoord. Trump heeft die troepen Syrie INgestuurd, niemand anders. Fucking randdebiel dat je er bent

twitter:

realDonaldTrump twitterde op donderdag 20-12-2018 om 21:14:35 Farm Bill signing in 15 minutes! #Emmys #TBT https://t.co/KtSS17xvIn reageer retweet

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 21:47 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:
Leuk, een shutdown zodat de ambtenaren geen kerstcadeaus meer kunnen kopen omdat jij geen geld krijgt voor een hoop nutteloze stalen platen langs de grens die Mexico zou gaan betalen. Politiek op z'n domst.

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 23:28 schreef Klaphark het volgende:
Mattis out

quote:

Op donderdag 20 december 2018 23:31 schreef popolon het volgende:
Als zelfs Mad Dog het opgeeft zegt wat over de ontzettende teringzooi in 't WH. Alle generaals hebben hem nu de middelvinger gegeven.

quote:

Trump considering major drawdown in US troops in Afghanistan: reports

The Trump administration is considering a major drawdown in the number of U.S. military personnel stationed in Afghanistan, according to multiple reports Thursday.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the administration is considering a "significant drawdown" of U.S. troops in the country, saying it could start as soon as within several weeks.

Reuters, citing two officials, similarly reported that the administration was considering a "significant reduction" in military personnel in the country.

The reports come one day after President Trump stoked anger and confusion among a number of lawmakers with his surprise decision to pull U.S. troops out of Syria.

Several lawmakers said that they were not given any advance notice about the president's announcement involving the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Trump has defended the decision in a series of tweets and comments over the past 24 hours, saying he wanted to bring troops home.

The White House and Pentagon did not immediately return requests for comment on Thursday.

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“My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues.”

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Op donderdag 20 december 2018 23:43 schreef PaarsBeestje het volgende:

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Linkje naar tweet met zijn ontslagbrief https://twitter.com/Eliza(...)881565216010246?s=19

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:02 schreef crystal_meth het volgende:
Eén lichtpunt: Bolton heeft blijkbaar ook geen invloed op Trump meer.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:08 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:

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Die brief is echt brutal als je door de regels heen leest. Mattis zet Trump in feite weg als een imbeciel die niets van de geopolitieke context snapt.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:15 schreef PippenScottie het volgende:

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Dat lijkt me tamelijk accuraat...

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:27 schreef Nintex het volgende:
Mattis was vanmiddag bij Trump om nog een keer te vragen om de troepen in Syrie te houden.
Toen heeft Trump blijkbaar het nieuws gebracht dat de VS ook uit Afghanistan vertrekt.

"They aired their differences" en toen diende Mattis zijn ontslag in.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:31 schreef trein2000 het volgende:

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Bron?

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steveholland1 twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 00:05:50 Pres Trump and Mattis aired their differences during face-to-face meeting in Oval this afternoon, per senior WH official reageer retweet

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DanDePetris twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 00:29:20 "Officials said Mr. Mattis went to the White House on Thursday afternoon in a last attempt to convince Mr. Trump to keep American troops in Syria. He was rebuffed, and told the president that he was resigning as a result." https://t.co/ig493QtBvS reageer retweet

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:08 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:

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Die brief is echt brutal als je door de regels heen leest. Mattis zet Trump in feite weg als een imbeciel die niets van de geopolitieke context snapt.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:46 schreef AnneX het volgende:
Wow.

Waar gaat dat heen?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:47 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Naar zijn ingediende ontslag...

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:49 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:
Schumer zegt net dat Trump wsl Mattis de opdracht heeft gegeven om de WALL te bouwen?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:51 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Nou denk ik niet dat Schumer maar wat roept, maar ehm, roept Schumer hier maar wat?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:53 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

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Geen idee. Had hij gehoord zei hij.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:54 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Lol, ja, sorry, wat moeten we hier mee?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:58 schreef Kijkertje het volgende:

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Ik denk niet dat Schumer dat zo maar zegt als het niet uit betrouwbare bron komt?

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CNNSitRoom twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 00:48:40 "The Trump temper tantrum will shut down the government, but it will not get him his wall," says Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about President Trump's decision to not sign a budget extension to keep government funded until February unless border wall money was added https://t.co/MjT7esujJN reageer retweet

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:04 schreef Nintex het volgende:

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CNNSitRoom twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 00:48:40 "The Trump temper tantrum will shut down the government, but it will not get him his wall," says Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer about President Trump's decision to not sign a budget extension to keep government funded until February unless border wall money was added https://t.co/MjT7esujJN reageer retweet

Schumer's strategie is dat de nieuwe bill met wall funding niet door de senaat komt.
Nu is dat alles behalve zeker. Het is een potje blufpoker.

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"Because you have a right to have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with yours on these and other subjects, I believe it is right for me to step down from my position."

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:09 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:
Mattis' opvolger moet hoe dan ook worden goedgekeurd door de Senaat. En in de Senaat is nauwelijks politieke steun voor Trump's isolationistische koers. Ben benieuwd wie hij gaat benoemen want dat proces kan nog een hele lastige gaan worden.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:11 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Dat is wel echt een heel goed punt ja. De andere mensen zijn niet zo publiekelijk opgestapt, maar deze gaat 100% zeker volledig uit eigen beweging met een publieke deadline.

Je moet ook maar die positie willen op dit moment .. ik zou denken dat er niet veel kandidaten zijn die geschikt zijn ... Buiten dat wordt het een mogelijk lastige propositie, hoewel er vast wel wat plichtgetrouwen in defensie zitten.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:17 schreef Tweek het volgende:

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Erik Prince natuurlijk.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:19 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Oh ok, waarom was hij dat niet meteen dan?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:19 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Oh ok, waarom was hij dat niet meteen dan?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:22 schreef Szura het volgende:

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Omdat het een oorlogsmisdadiger is

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:25 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Nou ja, dat was de vorige republikeinse president ook. Maar dezelfde bezwaren om hem door congress te krijgen zouden nu ook gelden dan toch? (hoewel er wel net ietsje meer republikeins stemvee gaat zijn in de senaat)

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:27 schreef Tweek het volgende:

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Dat was die pas in ze tweede termijn he.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:30 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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Hangt er om wat je verstaat onder oorlogsmisdadiger. De 2e Irak oorlog begon in 2003 bv. Zijn 2e termijn in 2005.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:35 schreef Tweek het volgende:

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Bedoelde dat hij niet begon als oorlogsmisdadiger.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:40 schreef Nintex het volgende:
Eerste naam voor nieuwe Secdef vliegt rond

Matt Gertz

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:50 schreef Nintex het volgende:
Typo, ik bedoel Matt Geatz
Hij zit in het House Defense Committee
Daarnaast een pro-Trumper die op dit moment hard vecht om de muur gebouwd te krijgen.

Andere naam die rond gaat is Tom Cotton.

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AP twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 02:01:15 BREAKING: House approves $5.7 billion for President Trump's border wall, sending bill back to Senate and raising risk of partial shutdown reageer retweet

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:09 schreef westwoodblvd het volgende:
Mattis' opvolger moet hoe dan ook worden goedgekeurd door de Senaat. En in de Senaat is nauwelijks politieke steun voor Trump's isolationistische koers. Ben benieuwd wie hij gaat benoemen want dat proces kan nog een hele lastige gaan worden.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:50 schreef Nintex het volgende:
Typo, ik bedoel Matt Geatz
Hij zit in het House Defense Committee
Daarnaast een pro-Trumper die op dit moment hard vecht om de muur gebouwd te krijgen.

Andere naam die rond gaat is Tom Cotton.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 02:07 schreef Szura het volgende:
Gaat nooit de 60 stemmen halen in de Senaat, geldverkwisting voor z’n kansloze en zinloze muur.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 00:46 schreef AnneX het volgende:
Wow.

Waar gaat dat heen?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 02:04 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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AP twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 02:01:15 BREAKING: House approves $5.7 billion for President Trump's border wall, sending bill back to Senate and raising risk of partial shutdown reageer retweet

Lafaards. Dit betekent dus de facto een shutdown. Senaat gaat niet akkoord met deze geldverspilling.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 10:05 schreef SeLang het volgende:

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Maar maar maar... Mexico ging de muur toch betalen?

'Enrique? Hello?' Trump's awkward phone call with Mexican president

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 10:05 schreef SeLang het volgende:

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Maar maar maar... Mexico ging de muur toch betalen?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 10:01 schreef klappernootopreis het volgende:
[ afbeelding ]

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marcorubio twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 00:26:06 Just read Gen. Mattis resignation letter. It makes it abundantly clear that we are headed towards a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation,damage our alliances & empower our adversaries. 1/2 https://t.co/ztc0Yihccn reageer retweet

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 10:16 schreef Mike het volgende:
De Republikeinen komen er nu ook (publiekelijk) achter dat Trump in het Witte Huis wel eens voor grote problemen kan gaan zorgen:

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marcorubio twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 00:26:06 Just read Gen. Mattis resignation letter. It makes it abundantly clear that we are headed towards a series of grave policy errors which will endanger our nation,damage our alliances & empower our adversaries. 1/2 https://t.co/ztc0Yihccn reageer retweet

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 10:12 schreef SeLang het volgende:
Mattis is wel een verlies trouwens. Die is echt enorm populair in defensiekringen.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 10:10 schreef SeLang het volgende:

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Schitterend plaatje met die vliegende bull/dow.

Het leuke is: de huidige marktcorrectie heeft weinig te maken met Trump, evengoed als dat de explosieve stijging in het eerste Trump jaar weinig te maken had met Trump.

Maar Trump heeft met veel bombarie credit genomen voor die stijging in het eerste jaar dus nu mag je hem ook de schuld geven van de daling. Zo werkt dat (ook al is het onzin)

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 02:04 schreef ExtraWaskracht het volgende:

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AP twitterde op vrijdag 21-12-2018 om 02:01:15 BREAKING: House approves $5.7 billion for President Trump's border wall, sending bill back to Senate and raising risk of partial shutdown reageer retweet

Lafaards. Dit betekent dus de facto een shutdown. Senaat gaat niet akkoord met deze geldverspilling.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 11:32 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:

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Wanneer wordt dit besloten? En is het zo goed als zeker dat er niet ingestemd zal worden?

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 01:17 schreef thesiren.nl het volgende:
Wij kijken met een totaal verkeerde blik hiernaar, we hebben geen generaals nodig of advocaten, een kleuterjuf is wat er nodig is nu. Kent iemand die nanny van tv dat is precies wat nodig is.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 11:33 schreef Mike het volgende:

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De Senaat heeft 60 stemmen nodig, die hebben ze niet. Of ze moeten de regel afschaffen dat er 60 stemmen nodig zijn, maar ik weet niet of ze dat voor dit geval zullen doen.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 11:35 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:

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Omdat alle democraten tegen zijn neem ik aan? Die gaan dan waarschijnlijk wel de schuld krijgen...

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 11:41 schreef Mike het volgende:

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Er zijn maar 51 Republikeinse senatoren dus zelfs als die allemaal aanwezig zouden zijn en voor zouden stemmen, dan heb je nog behoorlijk wat Democraten nodig.

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 11:43 schreef Eyjafjallajoekull het volgende:

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Dat snap ik, maar ik bedoel meer, is er een kans dat democraten voor gaan stemmen. Want trump gaat natuurlijk alles uit de kast halen om hen de schuld te geven van de shutdown. Volgens mij is dit al eens eerder gebeurd (?) en zijn de democraten uiteindelijk ook overstag gegaan...

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Op vrijdag 21 december 2018 11:46 schreef Mike het volgende:

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De Democraten hebben altijd aangegeven tegen de muur te zijn dus het lijkt me sterk dat ze akkoord gaan met 5 miljard die nu in de begroting is opgenomen.

Trump heeft op tv aangegeven dat hij bereid is de volledige schuld op zich te nemen. Hoe dat verder gespind zal worden, zal wel liggen aan welke nieuwszender je kijkt.