Remember a long time ago when blabbermouth Trump invited the Russians who jacked our election into the Oval Office and blabbed about “code-word” intel? Yeah, that was last week.
Then this week, he made matters worse by confirming that the source of the intel was Israel while scolding the media about saying he said it was Israel, which they had not said. God, what a dumbass.
As a result, Israeli officials are allegedly changing the way they share classified info with the US. They say their cooperation with the US is “unprecedented,” but they would say that since we dump bales of cash on them every year. But common sense says they’ll give blabbermouth less to blab about if they don’t want more sources torched.
Now US sources — probably via Trump and his entourage again, because we know he’s a blabbermouth — caught UK officials by surprise by prematurely releasing info on the Manchester bombing. Via the Guardian:
American officials in Washington briefed US journalists early on Tuesday about the number of dead, confirming that it was a suicide bombing and – hours later – the name of the killer. The UK had not been planning to release the name on Tuesday.
The UK’s reluctance to identify the assailant was evident because it took hours after his name was circulating in the US media before Greater Manchester police confirmed it.
One of the basic tenets of intelligence sharing is that other agencies do not disclose it. The problem is that those intelligence agencies, whether American or French, pass it up to their presidents, prime ministers and departmental ministers. In the past, that secrecy was respected.
After the leaks, it could be tempting for UK police and intelligence services to stop sharing sensitive information, although Britain relies heavily on the US sharing its intelligence and benefits from intelligence, especially on counter-terrorism, from European colleagues such as France and Germany.
And now someone from the Filipino government at the Trump White House* released a transcript of a call between Trump and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, a nutcase who ordered the extrajudicial killing of thousands of Filipinos in that country’s “war on drugs” [NYT]. And guess what? Not only does Trump squee like a prepubescent girl at a Bieber concert about Duterte’s bloodthirsty antics, he reveals yet more classified information! Excerpts from the transcript:
TRUMP: l just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem. Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.
DUTERTE: Thank you, Mr President. This is the scourge of my nation now and have to do something to preserve the Filipino nation.
TRUMP: I understand that and fully understand that and I think we had a previous president who did not understand that, but I understand that and we have spoken about this before.
DUTERTE: Yes, I know that. Thank you. Yes.
Does Trump really admire Duterte’s murderous war on drugs? I doubt it. I’d bet money Trump has shoveled thousands of dollars up his own nostrils. But Duterte treated President Obama disrespectfully, so Trump thinks he’s a swell guy.
Now, on to the part where Trump spilled more secrets:
TRUMP: So how is everyone doing, how is the Philippines doing? [Jesus God! — Ed.]
DUTERTE: We are doing fine, Mr. President, but in the ASEAN summit, every member state was really nervous about the situation in the Korean peninsula, but we would like to tell you that we support you and keep on the pressure because as long as those rockets and warheads are in the hands of Kim Jong Un we will never be safe, as there’s no telling what will happen next.
TRUMP: What’s your opinion of (Kim), Rodrigo? Are we dealing with someone who is stable or not stable?
DUTERTE: He is not stable, Mr. President, as he keeps on smiling when he explodes a rocket. He even has gone against China, which is the last country he should rebuke. But it seems from his face — he is laughing always and there is a dangerous toy in his hands which could create so much agony and suffering for all mankind.
TRUMP: Well, he has got the powder but he doesn’t have the delivery system. All his rockets are crashing. That’s the good news. But eventually when he gets that delivery system… What do you think about China? Does China have power over him?
DUTERTE: Yes, at the end of the day, the last card, the ace has to be with China. It’s only China. He is playing with his bombs, his toys and from the looks of it, his mind is not working well and he might just go crazy one moment. China should make a last ditch effort to tell him to lay off. China will play a very important role there.
TRUMP: We have a lot of firepower over there. We have two submarines — the best in the world — not that we want to use them at all. I’ve never seen anything like they are but we don’t have to use this but he could be crazy so we will see what happens.
So basically, two lunatics are discussing the stability of a third lunatic, but only one of the lunatics is blabbing state secrets such as the location of submarines, and he’s our dumb fucking President Lunatic.
Can you imagine this buffoon keeping an operation like the bin Laden raid under wraps? Trump’s big fat mouth is going to get a lot of people killed. It’s only a matter of time.
*Thanks to all three dozen who emailed about this correction!
Baud
Information wants to be free…
Free from Trump. Who can blame it?
MisterForkbeard
This sentence simultaneously amuses and depresses me.
sanjeevs
Todays lead in the Financial Times
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
So it’s not just the loquacious loquat who’s blabbing – it’s half the people who work for him, too. How many dumbfucks can dance on the head of a pin?
Mary G
I predicted after the election that Republicans wouldn’t get as much done as we feared, because they are so incompetent, but I had no idea it would be this bad. I read that the Pentagon is furious because we never talk about submarines, and James Fallows was tweeting that it helps the Russians and North Koreans to know where they were when, so they can calibrate their detection instruments.
Even the lighting in the Trump photos is worse. The poor Pope looks like he’s coming down with jaundice.
debbie
I had to laugh out loud at Duterte saying, “from the looks of it, his mind is not working well and he might just go crazy one moment.” He could be talking about Kim, himself, even Trump.
HinTN
I cannot keep up.
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
Irony is not only dead, it’s sharing a coffin-boat with Satire as they float down a burning river.
sanjeevs
@Mary G: The worst thing is that its impossible to tell if this leaking of intel is due to incompetence or a concerted campaign to separate the US from its current allies
HinTN
Well yeah
Gin & Tonic
I mentioned earlier today that my son-in-law was for a time a junior officer on a US nuclear submarine. While on deployment, he did have a chance from time to time to send e-mail to my daugfhter. If he’d revealed anything about their location, he’d have been subject to court-martial.
Baud
@sanjeevs: They really should. Trump can’t control himself even if he wanted to.
Betty Cracker
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Haha! So true!
Felonius Monk
How soon before Drumpf’s Secret Service detail all bend over at the same time to tie their shoes?
Teddys Person
With every passing day, there are new and exciting answers to the question: What will Congressional Republicans overlook to get their tax cuts?
Mary G
The Republican candidate in the Montana election is accused of bodyslamming a reporter and breaking his glasses. This person a semi-witness (behind a partially closed door):
RAM
I’m so old I remember when the location of our nuclear missile subs was one of the most closely held secrets the government had. Now we’ve got a U.S. President blabbing about it over the phone to a third world dictator. Times change, I guess. Hope the Navy is enjoying their new visibility.
Mary G
@sanjeevs: Yeah, it’s hard to figure if it’s just idiocy or someone actually taking money from Putin to keep us destabilized. It’ll be interesting to see who Trump fires this weekend when he gets home.
Roger Moore
Sure, but like ours Duerte’s war on drugs is focused on killing low-level dealers and poor junkies; he hasn’t gone around killing people of substance just because they use. And you know trump genuinely admires autocrats who do as they please without paying attention to legal niceties. I’m sure trump wishes he could do the same stuff Duerte is doing, including the personally killing drug dealers.
Teddys Person
@Mary G: I don’t see why it can’t be both. Someone taking cold, hard cash to pull the idiot puppet’s strings.
Roger Moore
In trump’s defense, him saying we have some subs there doesn’t make it true. Remember that the last time he talked about ships in the area, it turned out they were down in Australia.
Teddys Person
@Roger Moore: Once again, we’re relying on Trump’s incompetence to avert some sort of disaster.
Patricia Kayden
Secretary Clinton warned us that Trump lacked the demeanor to be President. This and much worse is what we can expect from this administration.
Major Major Major Major
Apparently the Repub candidate for congress in Montana just assaulted a Guardian reporter.
? Martin
That document was leaked by the Philippines, not the US. That doesn’t excuse that Trump had no need to disclose the number and location of US submarines in the first place.
MisterForkbeard
@Gin & Tonic: What you’re forgetting that that it’s perfectly legal for Trump to disclose this kind of info because he’s the President, therefore we’re not allowed to say anything bad about it at all.
Baud
@Patricia Kayden: Exactly.
sharl
@Mary G: Reports are that Gianforte promptly got into his car and departed his own rally, with more than an hour to go. And there’s this:
That doesn’t seem to be the sort of thing you would want to see in a politician.
The election in MT is tomorrow, so we’ll see how this turns out.
TenguPhule
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:
All of them, Katie.
eclare
@Roger Moore: Good point.
Major Major Major Major
@Mary G: @sharl: ah, I see somebody beat me to the punch.
Now the question is whether this helps or hurts…
JPL
@Mary G: It appears that 2/3rd’s of the votes have been cast already. He was four points up, and that’s a big margin to makeup for Quist. By the way Gianforte is a good christian.
TenguPhule
@RAM:
January 19, 2017?
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
@TenguPhule: OK, but what if they have swords?
Iowa Old Lady
@sharl: I saw a twitter report that the reporter (Ben Jacobs) was seen sitting in an ambulance, getting checked out. He also apparently reported the incident to the police.
eclare
@MisterForkbeard: That is what I don’t understand, has it just always been the “norm” that presidents don’t do this? Or enrich themselves personally? We are going to need a fuckton of new laws after this seeing as how those “norms” are useless once one side (that controls DC) decides, fuck it.
Peale
@Roger Moore: his war on drugs has involved arresting a senator from a rival political party and might get the VP removed from office who won the post against his running mate. Trump loves that idea, too
TenguPhule
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:
We douse them in vegetable oil, stand back and enjoy the show.
Tenar Arha
@BettyCracker
The leak came from the Phillipines Department of Foreign Affairs.
ETA Oops, should have refreshed before I posted. Sorry for the repeat.
Mike in NC
Will Mattel be coming out with a Trump doll in time for Christmas, one where you pull a string and it repeats stupid shit over and over again?
sharl
@Iowa Old Lady: I’ve seen those reports as well, plus some photos starting to pop up – nothing dramatic yet, just shots of 2-3 emergency vehicles in the Bozeman parking lot where the Gianforte rally is (was?) being held.
jacy
More on the Gianforte thing in Montana……
Major Major Major Major
@TenguPhule: see, Grease is a very useful level 1 spell.
PhoenixRising
@sanjeevs:
Both, plus the nasty reality that the last 9/11 bailed out their last idiot POTUS.
The price was killing Democrats who live in interesting places, forcing the survivors to fund a security state that armed Wyoming with assault helicopters and enriching Blackwater at our expense…so Republicans see no down side to another one.
This is the best explanation and if you think I’m being too cynical…just wait.
Peale
@Tenar Arha: yeah. I don’t get how or why the Filipinos leaked this. Was it a leak or a breach? I doubt the sub story is what they wanted to get out. Probably the praise for Duerte, who is in Russia this week after scoring nothing last week in China. Maybe declaring martial law in Mindanao…wanted to shut up critics who might be uneasy with that.
JPL
Bozeman paper
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/politics/reporter-alleges-greg-gianforte-body-slammed-him-in-bozeman/article_9df533bb-9919-51aa-8d0d-5d5cb4e48923.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=bozchron
Corner Stone
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice: Ooo! Ooo! Speaking of swords. I found Highlander: The TV Series on Hulu last night and watched some of the Season 1.
Magnifico! Excellente! FanFuckingTastic!
MisterForkbeard
@eclare: It’s a norm. Basically, since the President can choose to declassify info just about at will, he’s legally allowed to say whatever the fuck he wants at any time to anyone (in terms of classified info).
Now, normally a president wouldn’t do this because it’s a horrible idea in every sense, but this is Trump and the guy has no self control. Or the intelligence to know that he’s about to do something with real and long-lasting effects.
Trump COULD be impeached for this sort of thing – it’s because impeachment doesn’t actually require an illegal crime. But that would (again) depend on Republicans doing their jobs.
PhoenixRising
GOP candidate in Montana race just assaulted and injured the reporter who published a story documenting his ties to Russian mobsters…after 3/4 of votes have been cast in tomorrow’s election.
Is it me or is it getting warm in here?
TenguPhule
@Corner Stone:
You poor bastard.
TenguPhule
@Major Major Major Major: Yes it is.
Comrade Colette Collaboratrice
@Corner Stone: I’ve never seen it. Hanging out in an imaginary past/alternative future sounds like a perfect way to spend some time right about now, though.
hueyplong
@MisterForkbeard: The phrase “something with real and long-lasting effects” describes a concept Trump cannot comprehend. Not sure he can be tried as an adult.
JPL
Audio of the assault
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhoH4v8xYlU
hovercraft
@Comrade Colette Collaboratrice:
All together now, all of them Katie.
SiubhanDuinne
I think I’m going to have I. JUST. CAN’T. EVEN. tattooed on my forehead and point to it repeatedly whenever there’s breaking news, a 5:00 o’clock dump, a new Twitter stream, or anything else designed to upset my equilibrium.
Shalimar
@jacy: Comments at that link are amazing. They’re pissed off at liberals for lying about their candidate assaulting someone. Not even waiting for any facts or confirmation. They know it’s a setup. What a bizarre mindset.
hovercraft
@TenguPhule:
Hey now, I thought we were beginning a new friendship here, but if you’re going to disparage Highlander………
There can be only one attitude towards Highlander.
Mary G
@JPL: Sounds worse than it reads. Alexis Levinson, the Buzzfeed reporter who reported on twitter I linked at comment 16 has now been asked for a formal statement from the police.
p.a.
If we get honest investigations and honest reporting (I’m tending towards trust of the IC community on this in spite of its overall apparent political leanings because although they (lumping them together I know) tend conservative the incompetence and corruption on display is breathtaking) I wonder how far back in time Putin’s recruiting of American conservatives goes?
*Parentheticals R Us*
Baud
@SiubhanDuinne: Ass is better.
hovercraft
@SiubhanDuinne:
Can someone tell the NYTimes and the Wa.Post that they need to cut this 5-6 shit out, it’s interfering with dinner, family time and generally getting to spend quality time with the family. It’s hard to pay attention to what they did all day and keep an ear on the WTF stories of the day as they break.
Major Major Major Major
@SiubhanDuinne: the only acceptable forehead tattoo is POOR IMPULSE CONTROL.
chris
@Corner Stone: LOL. I used to get home from work in the wee hours and watch Highlander. A great show, hands down better than the alternatives, Baywatch and infomercials. Slightly better, anyway.
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major: what about NO REGERTS?
SatanicPanic
@Major Major Major Major: That was my thought- watch his poll numbers go up
SiubhanDuinne
@Major Major Major Major:
LOL. (In truth, my getting a tattoo of anything, anywhere, is unlikely in the extreme, as I have a crippling needle phobia.)
SiubhanDuinne
@Steve in the ATL:
I regert that I saw that comment when my mouth was full of red wine.
Steve in the ATL
@SiubhanDuinne: you also want to keep open the option to be buried in a Jewish cemetery. That could turn out to be important for you.
TenguPhule
@hovercraft:
Yes, there is only one. The original film.
Betty Cracker
@SiubhanDuinne: You’re not alone! I have a strict policy that no needles shall pierce my hide absent urgent medical necessity. This disappoints my daughter.
SiubhanDuinne
@hovercraft:
I miss the days when you watched the 10:00 p.m. news, went to bed, got up in the morning and looked to your local newspaper to find out what had happened overnight. Those were civilized times, those were the days, my friend! MAGA!!
Major Major Major Major
@Steve in the ATL: or go to a Japanese hot springs.
bupalos
yeah the deal with the manchester leaks is the bunch of random dumb grifters that make up dumblefuck’s “administration” gets a big fat chubby when they see isalamic turrurism because they think this is the thing that could save them. They might not be wrong about that, which is terrifying. But anywho, anything that has anything at all to do with isalamic turrurism they are going to be running around like excited schoolgirls – everything will be leaked. And yeah, more people will die, what do they care?
hovercraft
J-Rubin just called Twittler and ZEGS liars for their lie about the supposed fix for the pre-existing conditions and said that they and the chumps who switched their votes because of it must be held to account. I’m just waiting for her to officially leave the party.
Faux News
@HinTN: You’re just tired of winning!
Ladyraxterinok
@Major Major Major Major: NO surprise that some commenters doubt reporter’s claim of being attacked as well as the person reporting what was seen. ALL LIBS ARE LIARS – a basic premise in the “other world.’
SiubhanDuinne
@Betty Cracker:
I don’t even have pierced ears. For some years, I was pretty sure I was the only w̸o̸m̸a̸n̸ person in North America to wear clip-on earrings. (That has actually served me well, as I inherited literally dozens and dozens of clip- and screw-back earrings from my mother and aunt, and they are all quite nifty vintage numbers. My faves, which I haul out every holiday season, are mink earrings ?.)
eclare
@SiubhanDuinne: At this point, I am fresh out of CAN’T EVENS. I may find some in the couch cushions. I read that somewhere else, can’t remember who wrote it, but it’s about my state of mind right now. Really? I can’t even…oh yeah, I said that yesterday…
SiubhanDuinne
@Steve in the ATL:
My possibly-Jewish possible great-grandfather would (possibly) agree.
But that puts me in mind of a serious question, which I hadn’t thought of until just now. Given the prohibition against tattoos if one wants to be buried in a Jewish cemetery, what about the Holocaust survivors who would have been tattooed with I.D. numbers? Once they were liberated, those who were, was there a rabbinical dispensation to overlook the tattoo thing and allow burial? Given what I know of pilpul, I expect there probably was, but would be interesting to see some arguments on both sides.
SiubhanDuinne
@eclare:
And I think Cheryl put up a post a couple of days ago with the title “I Can’t Even.”
Never thought I’d be thanking the KidzTheezeDaze, but it turns out to be a very useful phrase.
TenguPhule
Someone feeling a little nervous?
I think that just once, the Secret Service is going to need to take one for the team.
Ladyraxterinok
@Major Major Major Major: NO surprise that some commenters doubt reporter’s claim of being attacked as well as the person reporting what was seen. ALL LIBS ARE LIARS – a basic premise in the “other world.’@Ladyraxterinok: Supposed to be reply to post by Jack just before. Sorry.
Roger Moore
@SiubhanDuinne:
I know how I would argue it. The prohibition is against going out and getting a tattoo; having one put on you against your will isn’t the same thing at all.
geg6
@SiubhanDuinne:
Nope, me too. No piercings, no tattoos. And I was active in the punk movement.
Captain C
@Roger Moore: Maybe someone on our side slips him disinformation on purpose?
SiubhanDuinne
@Roger Moore:
A sheynem dank.
Steve in the ATL
@SiubhanDuinne: if these Jews were able to find a lawyer (ha!), then one could argue that it would be unfair to punish them for something done to them against their will and under such horrible circumstances. Maybe argue equitable estoppel? One would have to be a pretty freaking hardcore rabbi to reject that.
SiubhanDuinne
@Roger Moore:
I expect you could make a similar argument on behalf of, say, cancer patients who get the little tattooed hash marks for accuracy in radiation.
SiubhanDuinne
@Steve in the ATL:
I would guess most such cases would be heard either in the USA/Canada, or in Israel. Plenty of hardcore rabbis everywhere, of course, but it seems it would be pretty easy to find a persuasive advocate.
SiubhanDuinne
(Deleted, wrong reply.)
SiubhanDuinne
@geg6:
I knew I liked you.
Steve in the ATL
@geg6:
Me too–I had a couple of Clash albums back in the eighties!
SiubhanDuinne
@Captain C:
Haven’t we been wishing for that since last July or so? Whenever he became eligible for security briefings. Mind you, I still think it’s a great idea.
SWMBO
@SiubhanDuinne: Wouldn’t they have to give it to Congress too? Not that I would mind ZEGS and Turtle getting false info or anything…
?BillinGlendaleCA
Who, Sniffles? Noooo.
Bobby Thomson
@Mary G:
The people who leaked this transcript. Can’t have been that many with access.
ByRookorbyCrook
The Local Fox affiliate described the bodyslam as Gianforte grabbing the reporter by the neck with both hands and throwing him to the ground.
link
Tenar Arha
@SiubhanDuinne: Well the prohibition applies only for voluntary tattooing. And there is not any reason even voluntary tattoos would prevent you being buried in a Jewish cemetery.
However cremation with ashes buried in a grave are NOT allowed.
Tenar Arha
@Bobby Thomson: Don’t think he can fire Phillipines Foreign Affairs ?
Tenar Arha
@Tenar Arha: @SiubhanDuinne: Oops, ETA this applies to only Jewish cemeteries. You can be cremated, you just can’t get a burial in a Jewish cemetery. Non-denominational cemeteries are fine, as long as you can leave stones on a marker and a rabbi is able to pray there. I’m doing that for my father’s remains.
Ruckus
@SiubhanDuinne:
Only tats I have.
steverinoCT
@RAM:
I would expect he was referring to attack subs or SSGNs with Tomahawk missiles rather than SSBNs, with nuclear missiles. You don’t have to be off the coast of Korea with a ballistic missile.
During Desert Shield/Storm I was on SSBN deterrent patrol in the North Atlantic. My mom says she kept calling the USN hotline to see if I was safe, and kept being told, “We can’t tell you where the ship is, Ma’am.” I’m like, Mom, if my boat was involved you’d definitely notice.