You wonder what the evangelists, the American Christian Taliban, and the uber- machismo Proud Boys think of this photograph, taken during JD Vance’s scholarship years at Yale Law School (circa 2012). No wonder the Democratic VPOTUS candidate calls the GOP “weird.”
Speculation has been growing in certain quarters that 2024 GOP presidential hopeful Donald Trump might replace JD Vance with a more effective candidate in an effort to resuscitate his flatlining election campaign. House Republicans opined that JD Vance was the “worst choice” for VPOTUS and decorated retired four-star US Army General Barry R. McCaffrey denounced the junior Senator from Ohio on ‘X’:
“JD Vance is a shameful person unsuitable for public office. His comments are those of a stooge for Russian aggression”.
Replacing JD Vance is mere speculation and not yet at the RUMINT level. The 45th POTUS might use the pretext of the JD Vance dossier dump as an excuse to replace his hillbilly VPOTUS on the ticket. Casting aspersions, the ex-President accused the Iranians of leaking this massive treasure trove, the same bogeymen whom he insinuated attempted to assassinate him on 13 July in Butler, PA. In reality, a disaffected young white male from the Keystone State attempted to murder the 45th POTUS with the GOP and NRA weapon of choice, an AR-15-style assault rifle.
Before the RNC convention, Donald Trump reportedly considered the successful billionaire Governor of North Dakota, Mr. Douglas James Burgum, as his running mate . #45 was apparently talked out of this by his sons Uday and Qusay (perfect sobriquets for Don Jr. and Eric that Americans graced the two siblings with years ago). They convinced the paterfamilias to choose cross-dressing JD Vance, a parent who admitted to yelling at his seven-year-old son to “shut the hell up about Pokemon!” The presentable Governor Burgum would have been a much more formidable and stable opponent for Team Kamala than eyeliner-wearing JD Vance.
With approximately 90 days before the imminent electoral Battle of Philippi, the twice-divorced, twice-impeached, criminally convicted ex-POTUS must make a decision soon. Campaign finance laws and individual state requirements for changing a candidate’s name on the ballot after the formal nomination process may prove difficult. And the Trump Campaign might have to undergo another internal vetting process for the right VEEP candidate. Business Insider examined this specific situation and their analysis is linked below.
Napoleon taught: “Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”
This axiom applies not just to warfare, but politics, bridge, judo, chess, or any competitive endeavor. Perhaps Team Kamala team should just stay mum and let the glorious GOP Titanic, with all who sails upon her, speed into the massive iceberg dead ahead of them this November.
Sources:
Did Trump Make the Wrong Call Picking JD Vance? – Business Insider
The inside story of how Trump chose JD Vance as his running mate (nbcnews.com)
House Republicans Slam Trump’s ‘Worst Choice’ for VP Pick JD Vance – GV Wire
Could Trump Replace JD Vance? Experts Explain How It Would Work – Business Insider
FBI Seeking Information Regarding Missing Afghan-American Business Contractor
The map highlights areas of HQN Area of Operations. An estimated 10,000 experienced guerillas constitute this dangerous organization. Map: US Director of National Intelligence.
The FBI is seeking help in locating Mahmood Shah Habibi, an Afghan-American business contractor who disappeared two years ago in Afghanistan. He worked for Asia Consultancy Group, a Kabul-based telecommunications company. Habibi was taken from his vehicle near his home in Kabul City along with his driver on 10 Aug 2022. The FBI assesses that Habibi was taken by Taliban military or security forces. Other employees of Asia Consultancy Group were similarly taken, but have since been freed. A Taliban spokesman said the Kabul government has only imprisoned two AMCITs and neither of them are Mahmood Shah Habibi.
A potential suspect in his disappearance might be the Haqqani Network (HQN). The HQN is a formidable Pashtun network based in eastern Afghanistan and northwest Pakistan. The HQN participated with the Taliban in an insurgency after the US invasion of late 2001/early 2002. In 2012, the US Government designated the Haqqani Network (HQN) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). HQN has a history of abducting Westerners, conducting spectacular attacks, and maintains a close relationship with Pakistani intelligence (the ISI).
The nebulous abductors, whoever they may be, might be seeking a prisoner swap for any Afghans still held at Guantanamo Bay or other US facilities.
Sources:
FBI seeks information in disappearance of Afghan American business contractor – UPI.com
Report: U.S. Contractor Kidnapped in Afghanistan by Haqqani Network (thedailybeast.com)
White House Blames Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich as Obstacle to Ceasefire Deal and ‘Jeopardizing’ Hostage Lives
A top White House official blamed Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and other far-right Israeli politicians for obstructing a deal that would bring about a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and the release of hostage
President Joe Biden and other US and global officials have criticized Netanyahu’s far-right allies in the past, including after 7 Oct 2023, but National Security Council spokesman John Kirby accused Smotrich of endangering hostages’ lives:
“Mr. Smotrich claimed that the hostage deals are a surrender to Hamas or that hostages should not be exchanged for prisoners. Mr. Smotrich essentially suggests that the war ought to go on indefinitely without pause and with the lives of the hostages of no real concern at all. His arguments are dead wrong. They’re misleading the Israeli public.”
As the White House is working diligently on making a deal to save the lives of the hostages, the US military is helping to protect Israel from an Iranian reprisal attack after the 31 July assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Mr. Kirby added:
“[The President] has directed that we do everything possible to defend Israel, and that’s what we’re doing.”
In related news, Team Kamala has named Ilan Goldenberg, an Israeli-born former peace negotiator, as its liaison to the Jewish community. Goldenberg, who has served as VPOTUS Harris’ adviser on Middle East issues, has criticized both Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian leadership. He formed close ties with the organized Jewish community during the failed 2013-2014 Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, when he was a lead on the Obama administration’s negotiating team.
There is no word as to whom the Harris Campaign will name as their outreach liaison to the Arab-American community.
Sources:
The American Warzone Continues: Two Dead, 37 Wounded in Chicago Over Weekend
At least two people were killed and 37 were wounded in weekend shootings across Chicago. The ages of the victims ranged from 13 to 54. To date, Chicago has recorded 353 homicides and the vast majority of the victims are young, black, and male. More Americans were wounded in Chicago this weekend than in the 16 July drone attack on al-Asad AB in Iraq which caused seven non-fatal injuries to US servicemembers and contractors.
Data analysis from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) informs that historically, 50% of firearms recovered in Chicago originated outside Illinois. Strict firearms laws in Chicago or Illinois doesn’t equate to prudent gun control measures in neighboring communities: State lines simply don’t stop firearms.
Sources:
2 dead, 37 wounded in Chicago weekend shootings, police say – CBS Chicago (cbsnews.com)
Firearms Trace Data: Illinois – 2020 | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (atf.gov)
Tracking Chicago homicides in 2024: Number of victims, location (chicagotribune.com)
The Danger of Lithium-Ion Batteries
From the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) website:
“While [lithium-ion] batteries provide an effective and efficient source of power, the likelihood of them overheating, catching on fire, and even leading to explosions increases when they are damaged or improperly used, charged, or stored.”
Watch what happens when this poor dog chews on one.
Both dogs and a cat survived the ensuing house fire unharmed.
Sources:
Video shows dog chewing on a lithium-ion battery and sparking house fire in Oklahoma | AP News
Lithium-Ion Battery Safety (nfpa.org)
Russian Military Continues Probing Around Alaska
On 24 July, NORAD detected, tracked, and intercepted two Russian TU-95 and two Chinese H-6 military aircraft operating in the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). NORAD fighter jets from the US and Canada conducted the intercept. This was the first time that NORAD intercepted Chinese aircraft in the ADIZ. This joint Russian-Chinese mission indicates an increased level of military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. See photo of interception at the bottom of this post.
Recently, the US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Alex Haley (WMEC-39) detected and shadowed a Russian Federation Vishnya-class naval vessel south of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. The encounter comes as US defense officials and analysts are warning of increasing incursions of Russian and Chinese military forces into that region – in the air and on the sea – and the growing interest of both in the Arctic and in the High North.
Sources:
Bulgarian National Extradited for Illegally Exporting US Microelectronics to Russia
Bulgarian national Milan Dimitrov (50) was extradited from Greece for allegedly violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA). With Ilias Sabirov (52) of Russia and Dimitar Dimitrov (74) of Bulgaria, they schemed to procure sensitive radiation-hardened integrated circuits from the US and illegally export those components to Russia through Bulgaria. Ilias Sabirov and Dimitar Dimitrov remain at large.
Milan Dimitrov is charged with two counts of IEEPA violations, one count of money laundering, and one count of making false statements to the Department of Commerce in violation of ECRA. Each count in the indictment carries up to 20 years in federal prison.
Last year, Bulgarian police arrested twelve suspects for allegedly exporting military goods to Russia in violation of EU sanctions. The smuggling ring attempted to deliver $4.24 million worth of optical sights, ballistic meters, and aviation radios to Russian special forces operating in Ukraine. Those arrested included Russian and Belarussian nationals.
Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004, participated in ISAF (Afghanistan), and joined the EU in 2007, so their law-enforcement and intelligence services are strongly collaborating with their new allies in the West.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sources:
Bulgaria arrests 12 people for alleged planning to export over $4M military goods to Russia
US and Canadian fighters intercepting one of the two Russian TU-95 bombers on 24 July 2024. NORAD reports there was no danger to either the US or Canada.
Coriolanus 