Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

No one could have predicted…

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

“Jesus paying for the sins of everyone is an insult to those who paid for their own sins.”

T R E 4 5 O N

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

The revolution will be supervised.

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

The words do not have to be perfect.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

You are here: Home / Politics / America / Bibi Wags The Dog

Bibi Wags The Dog

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Lt. Gen. Gadi Eiskenot is the Chief of Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF). Back in March he gave an interview to Haaretz. I want to highlight a couple of his statements (emphasis mine).

Compared with the saber-rattling rhetoric emanating from both Jerusalem and Washington on the Iranian nuclear deal, Eisenkot is cautious, noting that no violations of the agreement by the Iranians “can be seen at present, but we assume that Iran can operate secretly. Therefore, keeping watch on developments there is the No. 1 mission for both the IDF and intelligence agencies. We are investing vast resources in obtaining the best intelligence about Iran and its operational ability,” he says. “If its intentions change, we will know. Right now the agreement, with all its faults, is working and is putting off realization of the Iranian nuclear vision by 10 to 15 years.”

One issue not addressed by the agreement is the Iranian missile project, he says, which is alarming Europe and the Gulf nations as well. “I observe more international will to handle the Iranian missile threat than to reopen the nuclear agreement,” says the chief of staff.

“Regarding Iran, the window of strategic opportunity is still open in our favor. If the Americans decide to withdraw from the agreement on May 12, we will have to rethink our strategic risk management.”

Eisenkot, as Israel’s Chief of Staff, has made it clear that the JCPOA is working. This is in line with other Israeli military and intelligence leaders over the past couple of years. Here’s Efrain Halevey, former head of Mossad, in a 2015 interview with NPR:

INSKEEP: Halevy does agree with Netanyahu that Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons of its own. But he believes that international diplomacy is the best option and that Iran negotiated on issues it said it never would.

HALEVY: I think the United States scored a great success in creating this international coalition to face down the nuclear threat which threatens the world at large. The president put together a coalition of the five-plus-one, of all the permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany. And despite a variety of other issues which the world is seized with, including grave differences between the United States and Russia in the last few years, the president has kept the coalition on the issue, the nuclear threat, together.

INSKEEP: What do you think about when you hear Israeli government officials question details of this agreement? For example, there would not be immediate inspections. There would be a demand for inspection that would have to be dealt with within 24 days or so. The argument is made that there may be opportunities for Iran still to hide elements of their program.

HALEVY: Look, this is not a perfect agreement. The agreement has weaknesses, no doubt. But when you negotiate, you win some; you lose some. And the question is not whether on one specific issue the Iranians have not come up with the ultimate in terms of what is desirous for the five-plus-one and for Israel. But they have come up with a host of other methods in which they have, if you like, caved in almost. And on the issue of inspections which you raised, inspections are going to be handled by the U.N. agency in Vienna. They’re going to extend the scope of their inspections, which will necessitate recruiting manpower in the numbers the like of which are without precedent. And how exactly these inspections are going to be carried out on military matters, on what is called the PMD, the previous military dimension – in other words, what it is Iran has done up to now – this has been a sticking point for years. And the Iranians have now worked out a model in which they would address this problem. And I think one has to reserve judgment on that and see how this pans out.

Eiskenot’s and Halevey’s views are vastly different from what the current head of Mossad thinks, which is far more in line with what Prime Minister Netanyahu presented this morning.

“As head of the Mossad, I am 100 percent certain that Iran has never abandoned its military nuclear vision for a single instant. This deal enables Iran to achieve that vision,” Cohen said. “That is why I believe the deal must be completely changed or scrapped. The failure to do so would be a grave threat to Israel’s security.”

Last evening in Israel/this morning in the US, Bibi put on a show. It was intended for an audience of one: the President. From Anshel Pfeffer in Haaretz:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his press conference in Tel Aviv on Monday evening at a distinct disadvantage. In his desire to discredit the Iran nuclear deal – from which President Donald Trump is expected to withdraw on May 12 – he had to clear a bar set by Israel’s security establishment over the last three years: That despite all he has said, the deal is not such a bad thing and actually serves to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions for the time being.

Instead of dealing with the discrepancy between his stated views on the Iran deal and what most of the chiefs of the security establishment have been saying (in private and occasionally in public), Netanyahu put on a great show. This included the kind of props and visual aids that have become the hallmarks of his rhetoric since his days as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations three decades ago.

He missed only one thing: Crucial dates that could prove Iran has actually done anything in contravention of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) since it was signed in 2015.

What he had wasn’t a smoking gun but a photograph of a smoking gun taken years ago.

That flaw was so glaring as to render an incredible intelligence coup – obtaining Iran’s nuclear archive – almost irrelevant and obsolete to Netanyahu’s current purpose.

But he still went ahead with his overblown and overhyped press conference because he knows that the man about to make the decision on the Iran deal will never in a million years be capable of explaining it.

The prime minister is now both Trump’s coach and cheerleader, trying to prepare him with handy quotes and easy-to-remember talking points – and already setting the mood music to try and cover up for the president’s inevitable fumbles.

What Bibi did was reminiscent of the counterterrorism lessons he provided over 30 years ago when living in the US. He also offered them in Israel. In these lectures he’d deliver slanted classes on the threats of terrorism for US officials in the attempt to move US policy and strategy into line with his preferred views. When he was out of government and back in Israel in the late 80s, he offered these courses for US tourists there. I have a cassette tape of one of these classes in a box somewhere. I brought it home from Israel in 1987!

What remains to be seen is just how effective Bibi’s audio-visual extravaganza was. While the President is telegraphing that he’ll pull out of the JCPOA on two weeks, there is still pushback within the administration. Specifically from Secretary of Defense Mattis.

Without explicitly giving his opinion about whether the United States should stick with the agreement, Mattis said that after reading the full text of the deal three times, he was struck by provisions that allow for international verification of Iran’s compliance. He said that since becoming defense secretary in January 2017, he also has read what he called a classified protocol in the agreement.

“I will say it is written almost with an assumption that Iran would try to cheat,” he said in testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee. “So the verification, what is in there, is actually pretty robust as far as our intrusive ability to get in” with representatives of the International Atomic Energy Agency to check on compliance.

“Whether that is sufficient I think is a valid question,” he said after Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, said the nuclear deal was not supported by the Congress. The committee’s senior Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, told Mattis the Iran deal is “working as intended” and that withdrawing would ease Iran’s path to nuclear weapons.

Mattis said Iran’s history of hiding a nuclear weapons program makes it “suspect,” and he noted his concern about other Iranian activities, including its role in supporting Syria’s president, Bashar Assad , and supplying its proxy forces in Yemen.

The Pentagon chief said the administration was still considering whether the nuclear deal can be improved enough to persuade Trump it is worth preserving. “It’s going on today as we speak,” he said of the consultations. Trump has said he will decide by May 12.

Mattis reiterated his view that the deal is “imperfect” and said “there are obviously aspects of the agreement that can be improved upon.”

The question being discussed within the administration, and between the U.S. and its European allies, he said, is “whether we can repair it enough to stay in it or if the president is going to decide to withdraw from it.” He said Trump has not yet made a decision.

Secretary Mattis’s assessment is a thin reed to clutch as we move towards May 12th, when the next statement of compliance and waiver of sanctions needs to be issued. Withdrawing from the agreement will make the US, its allies, and its partners less safe and the Middle East much less stable. What remains to be seen is whether the toxically co-dependent and enabling relationship between the US and Israel does more harm than good this time. This time, however, the path of enabling is reversed with Bibi trying to enable the President, rather than the US enabling Israel by refusing to remind it who is the patron and who is the client and telling it no.

Stay frosty!

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

340Comments

  4. 4.

    But her emails!!

    “As head of the Mossad, I am 100 percent certain that Iran has never abandoned its military nuclear vision for a single instant. This deal enables Iran to achieve that vision,”

    Interesting weaselshit phrasing there. No actual statement that Iran is failing to live up to its obligation under the treaty.

  5. 5.

    eemom

    What he had wasn’t a smoking gun but a photograph of a smoking gun taken years ago.

    Focused on the foregoing point, I said to my husband awhile ago, “Did you hear how Netanyahu made a fool of himself today?” Then I said, sincerely puzzled for the moment, “Why would he DO that?”

    Then it dawned on me.

    It was intended for an audience of one.

    And made total sense.

  9. 9.

    Steve in the SFO

    Related question: how much do I tip the chick playing guitar and singing during wine hour at the hotel?

  10. 10.

    Adam L Silverman

    @eemom: Apparently the message has been received.

  15. 15.

    lamh36

    Hey Adam…you seen this?

    @Evan_Rosenfeld
    Follow Follow @Evan_Rosenfeld
    More
    BREAKING: WaPo: Conservative House allies of President Trump have drafted articles of impeachment against Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, who oversees the ongoing special counsel probe, setting up a possible GOP showdown over the federal Russia investigation

    https://twitter.com/Evan_Rosenfeld/status/991099404571459584

  17. 17.

    Steve in the SFO

    Actually related: Bibi has a lot of fucking nerve accusing anyone else of lying

  20. 20.

    germy

    Netanyahu pushed US to invade Iraq, falsely claiming Iraq had WMDs. Now he's trying to pull the same exact trick with Iran. Don't get fooled again by this far-right warmonger.
    — Dr. Jill Stein? (@DrJillStein) April 30, 2018

  22. 22.

    Yarrow

    Whenever he gives a speech I’m always reminded of that speech he gave at the UN where he had that drawing of a bomb. Looked like it was straight out of a Roadrunner cartoon.

  24. 24.

    some guy

    ON IRANIAN ANNOUNCEMENT RELATED TO ISRAEL NUCLEAR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT: …These facts are consistent with what the United States has long known: Israel has a robust, clandestine nuclear weapons program that it has tried and failed to hide from the world and from its own people.

  25. 25.

    germy

    @Baud: She doesn’t make me want to support war. She makes me agree with her the way I agree with the stopped clock in my basement.

  26. 26.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: The same morons over and over. And every time it blows up in their face. The Speaker of the House is retiring because he can’t face being voted out of office. And he, on behalf of these same morons, has created a religious discrimination problem for the House GOP majority. So I’m sure he’s going to be happy to let these same knuckleheads shot him in the foot again. Of course, he doesn’t seem to be smart enough tho learn that every time he lets them do this crap they wind up with a circular firing squad. Bless his heart!

  27. 27.

    Brachiator

    I think the United States scored a great success in creating this international coalition to face down the nuclear threat which threatens the world at large.

    And yet what we here is that the Democrats, and Obama in particular, was the weakest president ever, and no Israelis would ever trust them. And of course that the Iran deal was the worst ever.

  28. 28.

    germy

    @lamh36:

    Conservative House allies of President Trump have drafted articles of impeachment against Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein

    But he’s a registered Republican.

    I never thought I’d see the day Republicans try to impeach one of their own.

  29. 29.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Steve in the SFO: I know someone who does a lot of business in Israel. Or used to. About five or six years ago he was over there and got invited to a cocktails and canapes/appetizers party where his hosts had somehow corralled Bibi and brought him along. According to my contact, Bibi spent the entire evening dry washing his hands and muttering to himself. His conclusion was that Bibi is even more mentally ill than is often rumored.

  31. 31.

    mick the naïf

    What is the main factor in the present geopolitical scene that incentivizes the Iranians to develop nuclear arms?

    Easy: Trump’s embrace of North Korea.

    NoKo built a few nukes, and now Trump is falling over himself to make a deal with them, any deal, even a bad deal.

    He is giving away preconditions and demands that have been insisted on by decades of American presidents–and by decades of Republican hard-liners. We used to insist that NoKo give us something before we came to the table. Not Trump. Not now that NoKo has the nukes.

    Now contrast that with what happened to Qaddafi when he complied with the West’s demands to end his nuclear program. We then bombed him, overthrew him, and let him die in a ditch.

    So how does it feel to be Iran and look at all of this? Are they going to feel okay about giving up their program, or are they going to push harder to complete it?

    Trump is making it all but irresistible for the Iranians to push forward. He’s giving them the motive.

    And if he pulls out of the treaty, then he gives them the means.

    Strangely enough, the only world power that would really be happy to see Iran become a nuclear power is Russia.

    Funny, that.

  37. 37.

    Adam L Silverman

    @rikyrah: Anyone want to bet that the anonymous donor isn’t named Mercer?
    https://apnews.com/0c87e4318bcc4eb9b8e69f9f54c7b889

    UnKoch My Campus released documents on Monday that spell out some of the details of the donation leading to renaming of the law school for Scalia, which occurred in conjunction with a $10 million donation from the Koch Foundation and $20 million from an anonymous donor.

    The newly released emails are heavily redacted and do not expose the donor, but they do show that Leonard Leo, executive vice president of the conservative Federalist Society, is described as a representative of the donor.

    Emails between Leo and the Mason Law school’s dean, Henry Butler, show Leo inquiring on behalf of law school applicants and expressing approval of faculty hires.

  38. 38.

    lowtechcyclist

    @germy:

    But he’s a registered Republican.

    I never thought I’d see the day Republicans try to impeach one of their own.

    I figured it could happen anytime a Republican did what was right in a way that made other Republicans look bad.

  39. 39.

    Quinerly

    @Baud: where were you on the “camping thread” when Poco was sniffing around for you? He had a story.

  42. 42.

    But her emails!!

    The question I have is:

    Does the deal hold together even if the US leaves, making us look like pathetic morons

    or

    does Iran quickly develop the bomb permitting Republicans to blame Democrats just like North Korea.

  43. 43.

    GregB

    I go back and forth between thinking the US and world will weather the Trump misadministration.

    I am back to being skeptical that he doesn’t bring about a global cataclysm.

    He will walk the Middle East to war and will cluster the US strategic planning with his big fucking mouth.

    Vlad, it’s Don. We are gonna bomb the shit out of Iran at 2:00 on Friday!

  45. 45.

    lowtechcyclist

    Serious question for Adam or Cheryl:

    These people who want us to pull out of the Iran deal – do they ever say how they’ll keep Iran from getting nukes, once the inspection program is gone?

    Or do they just imply that we’ll keep nukes out of Iran’s hands by your choice of (a) being so incredibly macho that they cower before us, or (b) turning any possible Iranian nuclear facility into a radioactive crater? (That would have to be quite a few craters, AIUI.)

  47. 47.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Adam L Silverman: Note the present tense in the White House tweet: “Iran HAS a nuclear weapons program.” This is a lie, and a number of people are noting that on Twitter. Ted Cruz also puts it in the present.


    It’s time to call your congresscritters and tell them NO WAR IN IRAN. It’s a good idea to retain the JCPOA too, but recognize that there’s little they can do about that. Unless they’re Republicans, who should be berated for enabling this.

  50. 50.

    Jay

    @mick the naïf:

    It’s the 5+1 Agreement. If the US pulls out, it’s the 4+1 Agreement, and the US won’t be asked to join any more Agreements until long after Treason Tribble’s gone.

    In Addition, France, Britain, (Germany), Russia and China, ( the remaining 4), will have to take steps in International Finance and Banking rules to neuter US Financial Sanctions.

  51. 51.

    Mary G

    Hey, Adam, I’ve been off grid most of the day and apologize if you brought this up already, but did you see the Axios report where Israel says that MBS says he told the Palestinians to quit whining and take whatever Israel feels like letting them have:

    In a closed-door meeting with heads of Jewish organizations in New York on March 27th, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) gave harsh criticism of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), according to an Israeli foreign ministry cable sent by a diplomat from the Israeli consulate in New York, as well three sources — Israeli and American — who were briefed about the meeting.

    The bottom line of the crown prince’s criticism: Palestinian leadership needs to finally take the proposals it gets from the U.S. or stop complaining.

    Show less
    According to my sources, the Saudi Crown Prince told the Jewish leaders:

    “In the last several decades the Palestinian leadership has missed one opportunity after the other and rejected all the peace proposals it was given. It is about time the Palestinians take the proposals and agree to come to the negotiations table or shut up and stop complaining.”
    — MBS

    Is he just kissing up to Israel to mess with Iran and the other Shia countries?

  53. 53.

    Adam L Silverman

    @germy: That was the Senate Intel Committee she’s trying to stonewall. My guess is they’ll subpoena what they want. I have no idea what Mueller has from her campaign, but she better hope it lines up perfectly with what he has from the counterintelligence investigation and our allies’ counterintelligence on her and the Russians.

    She’s too stupid to realize just how much trouble she’s in. She seems to me to be the kind of person that just sails through life completely convinced of their own goodness and completely oblivious to everyone and anyone else’s needs or beliefs.

  54. 54.

    TenguPhule

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    It’s time to call your congresscritters and tell them NO WAR IN IRAN.

    Trump can start a war and keep it going for 90 days.

    Congress is not going to refuse to fund a war already in progress.

  55. 55.

    TenguPhule

    @Mary G: Palestinians are the friend nobody likes in the Middle East. They’re not well regarded in their host countries.

  57. 57.

    debbie

    @Adam L Silverman:

    What I meant was that the Bush/Cheney administration’s willingness to lie about Saddam’s WMD in order to go to war is no different than what Netanyahu did today: Lie about Iran to justify bombing, or worse.

  58. 58.

    Adam L Silverman

    @But her emails!!: This is a bit complicated. One of the issues is that the rest of the world, and international law, defines treaties differently than the US does. This is because for something to be a treaty in the US it has to confirm to the conditions delineated in the Constitution, which means it has to be ratified by the Senate. For everyone else in the world, as well as for international law, a treaty is any agreement negotiated and entered into by the executive of a nation-state. This also goes for accords and conventions (like the various Geneva Conventions). In practice this had rarely been an issue in the US as members of the opposition party in Congress understood the nuances, as well as the President’s nearly unfettered role in setting and conducting US foreign policy. As is the case with everything else, this broke down completely on the GOP side during the Obama administration.

    My understanding is that the other members of the JCPOA were planning on not scrapping the agreement because under international law, as well as their own nation-state’s understandings, it is a binding treaty. The issue is going to be how painful the sanctions are that the President and his hardline enablers in Congress want to reimpose on Iran. Finally, we are unlikely to get a proper coalition if the President decides to attack Iran. Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, NZ, etc – all of our front line traditional allies – are not going to want any part in the mess that would be. Especially if we’re the one’s to try to kill the JCPOA. If Iran’s leaders are smart, and they are, they’ll play this as the aggrieved party, get with the other JCPOA signatories and the UN and the IAEA and double down on their compliance in order to make the US, especially the President, look like the completely unreasonable and irrational party. This would also make Iran’s patron Putin very happy too.

  59. 59.

    Mnemosyne

    @Adam L Silverman:

    She seems to me to be the kind of person that just sails through life completely convinced of their own goodness and completely oblivious to everyone and anyone else’s needs or beliefs.

    Dunning-Kruger in action.

  60. 60.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @But her emails!!: We don’t know what will happen if the US leaves the JCPOA. The Europeans want to hold the deal together. There’s no reason for either China or Russia to let up scrutiny on Iran, although there may be some wheeling and dealing between Iran and Russia involving Syria. Iran has said a variety of things about what it would do.

    What I think will happen is that the deal will gradually unravel. Iran will challenge some inspections, the IAEA will be unhappy with what they find, and the sponsoring countries will do less and less to enforce it. But Iran is still a member of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which means it is committed not to make nuclear weapons. However, there will be pressures to move in that direction. It will also depend on what happens with North Korea. John Bolton is setting things up for a fail by saying North Korea should just hand over all its nukes, the way Libya did the equipment it had acquired, which was still in crates. North Korea isn’t going to do that any time soon, so then what? We also don’t know.

    Or if something is worked out with North Korea that doesn’t insist on taking their nukes right now, well, the lesson from that is that it would be prudent for Iran to make sure it knows how to make them. Either way, they’ll slowly move toward a bomb. But, unless Bolton and Trump really heat up the threat of war, they probably won’t do it quickly.

    And, just for fun, that will encourage Saudi Arabia to move slowly toward making their own nukes.

  64. 64.

    Adam L Silverman

    @GregB: The only allies he’s likely to have if he decides to do something that stupid are the Saudis (who can’t even beat a bunch of tribesmen in Yemen), UAE, and Israel. Just today, a little over three weeks after 10th Mountain Division took over as the Combined Joint Force Land Component Command in Iraq, with Mountain 6 relieving Iron 6 (my former boss), we have now closed the Combined Joint Force Land Component Command in Iraq. Is ISIS completely reduced and therefore defeated? No. Did the Iraqi’s ask us to do this? No. Do the Iraqis want us out at this point? No. Basically the President decided we needed to end the Land Component in Iraq. So we did.

  65. 65.

    TenguPhule

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    But, unless Bolton and Trump really heat up the threat of war, they probably won’t do it quickly.

    Trump: Hold my two scoops of ice cream

  67. 67.

    Baud

    Is their a legal way, in the event of war, to send only Stein-voting Bros to the front lines?

  68. 68.

    El Caganer

    Wasn’t Iran trying to acquire missiles from Russia a few years ago, before the JCPOA? I seem to remember that they made a down payment but the Russians refused to deliver. (I may be all wet on thiis one.)

  69. 69.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lowtechcyclist:

    Or do they just imply that we’ll keep nukes out of Iran’s hands by your choice of (a) being so incredibly macho that they cower before us, or (b) turning any possible Iranian nuclear facility into a radioactive crater? (That would have to be quite a few craters, AIUI.)

    Pretty much this. It’s the underpants gnomes business plan applied to the strategic problem set of deterring Iranian nuclear breakout and proliferation.

  71. 71.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @lowtechcyclist:

    These people who want us to pull out of the Iran deal – do they ever say how they’ll keep Iran from getting nukes, once the inspection program is gone?

    Or do they just imply that we’ll keep nukes out of Iran’s hands by your choice of (a) being so incredibly macho that they cower before us, or (b) turning any possible Iranian nuclear facility into a radioactive crater? (That would have to be quite a few craters, AIUI.)

    I am applying enormous self-restraint and not mocking them on Twitter. Well, just once.

    The standard approach, when those of us who think the JCPOA is a good thing bothered to engage them, was to ask them for their proposals of alternatives. Never once did they come up with anything. David Albright was on The News Hour tonight. I didn’t see him, but you may have seen some evasions as examples.

    Their current line is that the JCPOA can be “fixed.” This seems to involve bullying the Europeans into some promises about reimposing sanctions and saying nasty words about Iran’s missile program, which never was intended to be part of the JCPOA. None of this would involve Iran, which is some pretty strange contract negotiations. Naturally, that irritates the Iranians. Much of what the opponents propose seems to be designed to force Iran to withdraw.

    I see no reason to believe that any of those people are operating in good faith.

  72. 72.

    Jay

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    I doubt Iran will move towards Nuclear Weapons, as long as they gain some Economic Benifits from the 4+1 Agreement. As has been noted, they quit their program in 2003, what happened in 2003?

    Iran is well aware that their Conventional Forces, while well able to put a hurt on their unkind neighbours symetrically, and the US aysymetrically, need a lot of improvement.

    That’s where they will focus.

  73. 73.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Jay: Tomorrow AM the President either has to issue another waiver on the steel and aluminum tariffs for our allies or impose them. The EU, specifically Britain, France, and Germany, have made it clear that they are prepared for what we call a trade war in the vernacular. No one has any idea, as of the last reporting I saw on this, what the President is planning on doing when the waiver expires at 12:01 AM EDT tonight.

  78. 78.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Mary G: I saw it. I think it shows what the Saudis have always felt. For them, and many other leaders in the Arab states of the Middle East and Iran too, the Palestinians are a useful tool for domestic political purposes. Beyond that they could care less. This isn’t meant to excuse or justify Israeli treatment of the Palestinians.

    If I was the Palestinians, given this information/news, as well as what the President’s special envoy and his son in law have been telegraphing is coming, I’d simply go start a new intifadah. They have little left to lose at this point. And it’s clear that the current governing Israeli coalition, as well as the current US administration are not interested in anything that is even close to being an equitable resolution to the dispute.

  79. 79.

    TenguPhule

    @Baud:

    Is their a legal way, in the event of war, to send only Stein-voting Bros to the front lines?

    Yes, but it involves me becoming dictator and temporarily suspending Democracy in the USA.

  80. 80.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Jay:

    What happened in 2003?

    The US invasion of Iraq, for one thing. But it’s likely that internal politics in Iran played a bigger role in shutting down the program. I don’t recall an analysis of why they shut it down in 2003, but the program had been on and off at other times. They might have decided they had enough work to start up making nuclear weapons later, if they had to. Different factions had different approaches to a nuclear weapons program, and some of the scientists and engineers were found to be politically incorrect at various times.

  82. 82.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debbie: Where do you think Rumsfeld’s Office of Special Assessment (direct report to Wolfowitz) and VP Cheney got that crap in 2002-2003 to begin with? It all started with stuff Bibi had been pushing since the mid 1990s from the think tank he created in Israel.

  83. 83.

    Jay

    @El Caganer:

    S-300 air defence system, blocked by the Sanctions Program that was removed under the 5+1 Agreement,

    Delivered, tested and operational by March 5th, 2017.

  84. 84.

    lamh36

    @mkraju
    31m31 minutes ago
    More
    Jackson told Pence’s physician to “let things go … if I am to succeed in my career,” according to the physician. Also, Jackson apparently said to the Pence doctor that “it’s not always possible to adhere to HIPAA at the White House.”
    https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/991116401007104007

    @ShimonPro
    Follow Follow @ShimonPro
    More
    The vice president’s physician wrote in a memo of feeling intimidated by an irate Ronny Jackson during a confrontation.

    Subsequent memos from Pence’s doctor suggested Kelly was aware of the episode.

    6:06 PM – 30 Apr 2018

    https://twitter.com/ShimonPro/status/991091406059048960

  85. 85.

    CDWard

    Israel:

    – is an oppressive, colonialist, expansionist and supremacist Jewish State;

    – has been stealing, occupying and colonizing Palestinian land and
    oppressing, torturing and killing Palestinians for over 60 years;

    – refuses to honor its obligations under international law;

    – refuses to accept responsibility and accountability for its past and on-going war crimes; and

    – refuses to enter into sincere negotiations for a just and mutually-beneficial peace.

    See http://www.ifamericansknew.org and http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/photos/maps/landloss.html for more information.

  86. 86.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Pushback works!

  89. 89.

    Cheryl Rofer


    My guess is that Bolton got to the account first, and now they’re walking it back.

  91. 91.

    TenguPhule

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I’d simply go start a new intifadah.

    And generate even less sympathy then the last time they pulled that shit?

    Saudis might actually give their quiet blessing to Israel by not complaining about Israeli retaliation.

    Unless the PA and Hamas finally fight it out once and for all so everyone knows for sure who’s in command, its only going to get worse for the Palestinians. No point in trying negotiate with chaos.

  96. 96.

    Adam L Silverman

    @TenguPhule: NBC’s reporting all this afternoon about the Kelly kerfuffle indicates that Kelly has talked the President out of summarily withdrawing all US military personnel from South Korea at least once. You may have noticed that Mattis made remarks last week about a US military withdrawal.

    The President does not understand what it takes to accomplish the missions that the military has been tasked with. He treats everything as zero sum. So we’ve spent a lot of money in Iraq, we’re not getting anything back, therefore we’re losing so pull out the Land Component. We’re not getting whatever the President means by fair and reciprocal trade with South Korea, so pull all 28,000 US personnel out as we’re spending money to protect the ROK and not getting anything for it.

    The President thinks he knows the price of everything, but in reality he knows the value of nothing.

  97. 97.

    Jay

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    If memory serves me right, the on/off, accelerate/deaccelerate was closely linked to relations to Iraq and Saddam’s Arms Programs, as well as internal politics.

    Iran had no need for nukes after Saddam, with the US bogged down and flailing in Iraq, and Iranian Shia Politicians coming to power in Iraq.

  98. 98.

    kindness

    Obama should never have allowed that whole need to re-issue an OK every 90/120 days provision. That was just stupid. No doubt ‘some’ groups required it to go through. Butt heads.

  100. 100.

    TenguPhule

    @Major Major Major Major: You can have it back once everyone agrees to that voting shall be mandatory and that paper ballots will be used to ensure recounts can be done accurately.

    Also, all registered Republicans will not be allowed to vote until after they have served their allocated labor camp sentencing.

  104. 104.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Jay: May you live in interesting times.

    Not to be confused with the Jewish mother’s curse: May you have (at least) one just like you!

  107. 107.

    Adam L Silverman

    @TenguPhule: Okay, hadn’t seen any reporting on that yet. At least one crisis has been pushed back.

    Eventually he’s going to pull the pin on that grenade. I’m hoping it is around July or August when it’ll do the most damage to his supporters on their farms before the November elections.

  110. 110.

    Omnes Omnibus

    So the stuff that came out today is basically the equivalent of someone saying” I used to sleep around a lot before I got married” and then having people try to use that statement to say he is cheating on his spouse, right?

  111. 111.

    TenguPhule

    @Adam L Silverman:

    And it’s clear that the current governing Israeli coalition, as well as the current US administration are not interested in anything that is even close to being an equitable resolution to the dispute.

    To be fair, they have nobody on the other side who can be trusted to actually negotiate and enforce anything.

    Takes two to tango and both seats at the table are empty.

  115. 115.

    Jay

    @TenguPhule:

    Also, all registered Republicans will not be allowed to vote until after they have served their allocated Reeducation camp sentencing.

    Fixed it for you.

  120. 120.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @TenguPhule:

    You mean that Palestinians have been dispossessed by force from their homeland and now live precarious lives among peoples who have no love or sympathy for them.

    That rings a bell.

  122. 122.

    lamh36

    @Baud: I believe the breaking news from NYT and the list of quetions Mueller had for Trump.

    Theory on twitter is this is more likely a leak orchestrated by Guiliana rather than Mueller, since Mueller doesn’t usually leak stuff like thiis?

  124. 124.

    NotMax

    Skimmed comments, so please excuse if already covered. Any comment on the heavy duty batting of the beehive undertaken yesterday? While Pompeo was there?
    Repeating from earlier today.

    Former Israeli intelligence chief: Iran will likely seek payback for the latest strikes in Syria
    [snip]
    Yadlin, a retired army general, said the intensity of the blasts at military bases near Hama and Aleppo — so big they caused what felt like a minor earthquake— indicated they were likely not carried out by Syrian rebels, who are under attack by the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and its partner forces.

    “Either the United States augmented the attack it led about two weeks ago, and if it wasn’t the United States, that leaves one possibility that I can’t confirm,” Yadlin told Israeli Army radio.
    [snip]
    Sunday’s strikes came a few hours after what appears to have been a friendly meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and newly installed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Source

    IMHO, escalation is almost too tame a term for what Netanyahu is now wreaking, one reason I preferred to posit the term flashpoint in the original comment.

  127. 127.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: I’ve read the joint statement from Kim and Moon a couple of times. While the language is nice and flowery and ambiguous, I think that section 2 and parts of section 3 are going to be what cause the US headaches. These sections read to me as the pretext for Kim to demand or require that 1) the Joint Multinational US-ROK annual military exercises stop and 2) the US drawdown its 28K personnel in the ROK as they will no longer be needed. Denuclearization to the DPRK and the Kim’s almost always means getting the US of the peninsula, not the DPRK gives up its program, or, now, the fruits of its program.

    I also think that aside from the meeting between Kim and the President, the US is now superfluous to the reality on the ground. And that Kim is manipulating the President into a diplomatic and strategic trap where Kim and the DPRK looks like the good guys here and the President, and by extension the US, look unreasonable and become the bad guys. This would also make Xi and the PRC, as well as Putin – another Kim patron – very, very happy.

  128. 128.

    Jay

    @TenguPhule:

    There’s a long history there. Most of the Palistinians that the US and Israel could negotiate with, are long dead and buried. Most at Isreali hands, but some, Palistinian infighting and Other Regional Actors.

  129. 129.

    lamh36

    @Baud: My money says, that Muelle is one step ahead of Chump and they have a contingency plan if/when the WH leaks as they do.

  130. 130.

    SFAW

    @CDWard:
    Excellent comment, but I think you missed a few.

    You forgot
    – they control all the banks in the World
    – they killed Jesus
    – they faked the Holocaust to generate sympathy

  131. 131.

    MomSense

    I guess all it takes is a man as stupid as he is narcissistic who is also desperate for a war to prove his manliness and divert attention from his legal woes to be read a giant picture book of outdated [un]intelligence by another man who is desperate to divert attention from his legal woes to start a war.

  133. 133.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: I would expect someone up the chain of command at the Navy is quietly explaining to RADM Jackson why it is time to retire. Otherwise they’re going to have to open a 15-6 investigation about this stuff. It is now too public.

  134. 134.

    TenguPhule

    @Adam L Silverman:

    into a diplomatic and strategic trap where Kim and the DPRK looks like the good guys here and Trump, and by extension the US, look unreasonable and become the bad guys.

    This was predicted.

  138. 138.

    TenguPhule

    @Adam L Silverman:

    It is now too public.

    Sweeping the Navy’s dirty laundry under the rug does not strike me as a good thing at any time, but especially not good at this time.

  142. 142.

    TenguPhule

    @Jay: I am aware. Most of the people worth negotiating with were murdered by their peers for being too soft on Israel. And the Infafuckups pretty much have killed the peace movement in Israel for the next generation or two.

  143. 143.

    Adam L Silverman

    @TenguPhule: I’m not saying it is a good thing, but they are desperate. And the people they engender sympathy in are not people that have any sway or power or ability to actually help them.

  144. 144.

    Weaselone

    @Cheryl Rofer:
    If we’re dropping out with no alternative presented but smoke and mirrors, it would seem that bombing Iran is the alternative plan

  146. 146.

    SFAW

    @Major Major Major Major:

    don’t leave out the media!

    I wanted to leave something for you. Although I’m a little disappointed you didn’t work in the Rothschilds. (But maybe they’re covered under the “banks” thing?)

  147. 147.

    TenguPhule

    @kindness:

    Obama should never have allowed that whole need to re-issue an OK every 90/120 days provision. That was just stupid.

    it was that or having to deal with Congress.

    Given that Clinton was supposed to be the one approving, it was the best he could do with what was known then.

  150. 150.

    El Caganer

    @SFAW: The most awesome conspiracy I heard of was something my brother told me he heard from a nut that he worked with: the Jews controlled both sides in WWII! To what end was never explained.

  154. 154.

    SFAW

    @TenguPhule:

    Given that Clinton was supposed to be the one approving, it was the best he could do with what was known then.

    Considering what a warmonger she is/would have been, it’s yet another example of Obama something something something.

  155. 155.

    TenguPhule

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I’m not saying it is a good thing, but they are desperate.

    Then they have to fight Hamas, which they have a better chance of actually winning against. Otherwise they’re better off committing suicide peacefully, which would at least not make the survivor’s lives worse.

  156. 156.

    Adam L Silverman

    @lamh36: I just read the article. The author, Matt Apuzzo, doesn’t state who his sort was. So Armandi’s question is not necessarily correct as it may not have been Mueller’s team who leaked this. In fact given that Mueller’s team doesn’t leak, my guess is this was leaked from the President’s side so they can start to publicly argue that all of these question are unfair and not germane.

  157. 157.

    Amir Khalid

    @TenguPhule:

    Unless the PA and Hamas finally fight it out once and for all so everyone knows for sure who’s in command, its only going to get worse for the Palestinians. No point in trying negotiate with chaos.

    What you are advocating here is civil war among Palestinians. It would not necessarily (or even probably) end with a clear winner; instead it could end in more chaos. I can’t tell if your suggestion is despicable or merely stupid.

  160. 160.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Jay: There was also speculation that what Iran wanted was to get to the fast breakout stage, but not farther. Essentially what allegedly Japan has. And that they got there, so they could afford to stop. They had all the knowledge and tech and material they needed to be at the stage where they could rapidly breakout, assemble, and deploy if necessary.

  161. 161.

    TenguPhule

    @Amir Khalid: They’ve been stuck in a suppressed Civil War since Hamas took Gaza. Its got to be settled one way or another to move forward.

  165. 165.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Ben Wittes wrote an article on sources a while back and said that prosecutors hardly ever leak. It’s usually the defense lawyers.

    ETA: And the defense lawyer is Giuliani, so I think we have our answer.

  166. 166.

    Quinerly

    @Baud: now we have your attention? Earlier your running mate had hoped to fill you in on his campaign efforts at the Charleston, W VA Motel 6 and the neighboring Bob Evans (fabulous chicken pot pie, don’t judge!) Baud/Poco????? 2020

  168. 168.

    SFAW

    @El Caganer:

    The most awesome conspiracy I heard of was something my brother told me he heard from a nut that he worked with: the Jews controlled both sides in WWII!

    Well, there is/was a story that Heydrich was Jewish or had Jewish heritage — I’ve read (somewhere) something questioning that — but outside of him, not so much.

  181. 181.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @SFAW: Hinting of Jewish heritage was a standard means of bureaucratic infighting in Nazi Germany.

  184. 184.

    lamh36

    @Adam L Silverman: smh…I think you’re right. smh…I hate to say this, but this administration, has used the media to it’s advantage since Chump’s campaign…and seems to me many in the media don’t even care or just turn a blind eye to it all…

  187. 187.

    Mnemosyne

    @TenguPhule:

    Most of the people worth negotiating with were murdered by their peers for being too soft on Israel.

    Remind me, who murdered Rabin, again?

    Hint: it wasn’t the Palestinians.

  188. 188.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @lamh36: As long as the clicks/ratings/news stand sales continue to show an upward trend, they’re happy campers.

  189. 189.

    Kifaru1

    @Adam L Silverman: The President thinks he knows the price of everything, but in reality he knows the value of nothing.
    This explains everything….best description I have seen of the sickness in the WH.

  190. 190.

    B.B.A.

    On the one hand, it’s somewhat good news that Bibi feels the need to do this, because it means he still has to answer to someone. On the other hand, everyone knows he’s going to win the next election, and the next one, and so on, so what’s the point? Likud is like the old Nasionale Party in South Africa and other fascist institutions I could name but won’t.

  191. 191.

    Quinerly

    @Baud: Not now… Big snores. You really aren’t paying attention to Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia are you? Poco is back on the campaign trail. Virginia and North Carolina tomorrow! Baud/Poco 2020!

  197. 197.

    japa21

    Regarding the whole tariff thing, the headline at AOL news (yes I still use AOL so just kill me now) is “Trump backs down on major trade threat for six allies”. I just love the words “backs down”. Makes Trump look like a wuss, which he is.

  198. 198.

    Adam L Silverman

    @TenguPhule: I don’t want to seem rude here, but I actually had an appointment to work at a high level on the DOD side of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in 2014. Things are not exactly as you describe them. And I can say no more.

  201. 201.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Steve in the SFO: My friend just texted me back with the following:

    Whatever you feel, 2 to 5 dollars is good. If the performer really impressed 10 to 20. Unless you’re in DC or NYC then a little above what I said.

  202. 202.

    Quinerly

    @Adam L Silverman: careful leaks. Honestly, what does it matter? Questions were given to Trump’s team. He isn’t going to appear. Better to get them out there for the press to maybe start asking.

  204. 204.

    Jay S

    @Omnes Omnibus: More like “I found the little black book you kept hidden in the shoe box and I know you must have kept calling some of the numbers, so you’ve been cheating and will continue to cheat.” Of course some of the numbers may have nothing to do with cheating, but I assume they must to win the argument.

  205. 205.

    Adam L Silverman

    @B.B.A.: Actually there’s recent slippage in support for him and his coalition. Part of what he’s doing here is trying to shore up that support.

  214. 214.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Quinerly: Where did you see that? Because I’ve seen both the article about the questions and the article that lists the questions and I didn’t see anything that indicated where the NY Times obtained the questions.

  217. 217.

    Ruckus

    @Adam L Silverman:

    The President thinks he knows the price of everything, but in reality he knows the value of nothing.

    This president may think a lot of things. My dog used to think of a lot of things, every one of them was “FEED ME NOW.” This president is not a lot different, his is “HOW DOES THIS MAKE ME LOOK?” This is his first and generally only thought on any subject. And his perception of the price of everything? Yeah that stinks like everything else about him. You are 100% right about him knowing the value of nothing. Especially anything more complex than what time is it or what’s to eat.

  220. 220.

    Vhh

    @lamh36: I have been told that a good lawyer never asks a question on the record unless he/she already knows the answer. Mueller is most definitely a formidable lawyer. I then surmise from the questions that he knows an awful lot. As to why the questions were leaked–if Mueller’s team leaked them, it could well be a warning shot: go ahead, make my day, fire us, but we’ve got the evidence. If it was a Trump ally, could have been an ill-considered attempt to (somehow) undermine Mueller or provoke Trump to fire him. I don’t see how that is a winner, either way. Maybe Giuliani or whoever is just that desperate or that dumb.

  221. 221.

    Quinerly

    @Adam L Silverman: maybe we are arguing about nothing? No one has leaked anything that helps Trump. If this is a leak by Trump team it’s stupid. The reporting on MSNBC indicates his team has a variation of these questions since March.

  223. 223.

    jonas

    Does anyone else have experience with being a citizen of a country whose leader everyone else in the world believes to be a goddamn fucking moron with the attention span of a fruit fly? Could Netanyahu’s presentation have been any more obvious if it had been delivered on Fox and Friends? Btw, I expect FNF covered this in detail? Asking for a friend.

  228. 228.

    Adam L Silverman

    @NotMax: Provided we’re talking about the same air strike, I saw it in passing yesterday. Didn’t pay attention to the source.

  229. 229.

    jl

    @jonas: Maybe Trump didn’t pay attention to Netanyahu’s antics, because he deemed the format of a briefing inherently boring and ‘loser’. If the message didn’t get through, Netanyahu could do an infomercial segment on Fox and Friends, with the call-in number flashing at the bottom of the screen.

  230. 230.

    Bill Arnold

    @Adam L Silverman:

    There was also speculation that what Iran wanted was to get to the fast breakout stage, but not farther.

    That was my impression in the mid-2000s and later, as well. That they didn’t want a regional nuclear arms race, just some sort of ambiguity-based insurance against regime change, U235 bomb capability with no testing required.

  232. 232.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Adam L Silverman: I think Lawrence O’Donnell pretty much accused Dowd of the leak, but I’m half-asleep.

    also, too

    Sam Stein @ samstein 2h2 hours ago
    Leaks about the Mueller team’s interactions with the Trump legal team seem to have picked up since Rudy joined the crew

  233. 233.

    Adam L Silverman

    Portrait of a pair of American sociopaths:

  239. 239.

    Bill Arnold

    How does D.J. Trump find out, soon, that he’s being played and manipulated by J. Bolton and BN (and Pompeo and many others)? He’ll be rather pissed, and rightly so, when understands this. Hopefully before irreversible actions, very much not in the US interest, are taken.

  240. 240.

    J R in WV

    @Steve in the SFO:

    Minimum $5, I usually give a $20 if we enjoyed it. On our cruise (Baja whales) they had two locals in the lounge one night, and I gave them a $50, don’t know if others tipped at all. Musicians don’t make a lot, unless it’s the Stones, or Queen Bey, Or Bonnie Raitt. A big name. People trying to break in don’t make anything.

  245. 245.

    Quinerly

    @rikyrah: exactly. I’m not sure why everyone is trying to make a conspiracy out of this. From what I have picked up tonight by paying attention, back in March before Dowd quit these 49 questions (verbally) were posed to Team Trump… These are the things that would be asked under oath. Dowd is on record not wanting Trump to sit for questioning under oath. He quit when it looked like Trump wasn’t going to take his advice. Flash forward… Trump ain’t going to be answering ng under oath. Team Mueller has “leaked” to get the questions out there. Why not?

  250. 250.

    Quinerly

    @J R in WV: Poco tipped $5 at the takeaway tonight… Bob Evans near our Motel 6 in CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.
    (chicken pot pie rocks. Only chain restaurant Poco supports)

  252. 252.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    We also control the weather. Also, changes in popular food and beverage recipes.

    “We”???? You’re Jewish? Riiiiight. Next you’ll be trying to tell me that people like Natalie Portman and Steven Spielberg are, too. As the late, great Phil Austin asked: What kind of fool do you take me for?

  256. 256.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Adam L Silverman: Along with Wendy’s, Bob Evans is one of Columbus, Ohio’s culinary gifts to the world. OTOH, if you are ever there, I recommend Lindey’s and the Flatiron.

  259. 259.

    Corner Stone

    @Amir Khalid:

    What does she do to earn a US$1,200 hourly rate?

    Pretty sure she organizes rotating tranches of blood transfusions from newborns to old white rich guys.

  265. 265.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Amir Khalid:

    maybe starring Adam Sandler

    Sandler isn’t hefty enough. It would need to be Kevin James. Matt is approaching Taftian proportions.

  268. 268.

    Adam L Silverman

    @SFAW:

    As the late, great Phil Austin asked: What kind of fool do you take me for?

    Unless you’re an angry elf, then I don’t take you for the Fool of the Forth.

  271. 271.

    SFAW

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Unless you’re an angry elf, then I don’t take you for the Fool of the Forth.

    OK, I guess I’m not aware of all Internet traditions, ’cause I don’t get that one. The correct response, by the way, is “First class!”

  276. 276.

    jl

    @Quinerly:
    ” Charleston, W VA Motel 6 and the neighboring Bob Evans (fabulous chicken pot pie, don’t judge!) ”
    Elite jet setter swank like that will turn off the Baud 2020! crowd.

  277. 277.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @debbie: Damn. I lived in GV for most of the time I was in C-bus. Eggs Lindey’s was one of the best brunch foods I have ever eaten.

  279. 279.

    Quinerly

    @Adam L Silverman: actually, pretty good food scene in St. Louis. And great music scene… Steve in wherever better tip… my sources will get back to me. ?
    Adam, BTW, great coverage on MSNBC on the 49 questions.

  282. 282.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Quinerly: Yep. They’re so good, I intend to use them during Passover seder next year rather than the traditional four questions. This way we won’t get through the service until after the holiday is over.//

  283. 283.

    Quinerly

    @jl: we did have the banana bread as an exotic side.. All take away. Traveling Trader Joe’s Spanish $4.99 Red Zebra wine with us… elitist?

  285. 285.

    mai naem mobile

    @Adam L Silverman: I was kind of shocked at how old and kind of fragile Paul Simon looked at that domestic violence(?)/disturbance incident court date a couple of years ago. I know he’s old but he really looked like he would collapse like a rag doll if somebody gave him a light punch.

  289. 289.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Platonailedit: That’s not actually what Moon said:

  291. 291.

    Adam L Silverman

    @mai naem mobile: He’s doing his final tour now. They were a year ahead of my Mom. She’ll be 76 this year. So he’s somewhere between 77 and 78. Thats not young.

  297. 297.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Quinerly:

    Traveling Trader Joe’s Spanish $4.99 Red Zebra wine with us… elitist?

    Anything more than three buck chuck is elitist. You are exactly like Mercedes Schlapp.

  298. 298.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Omnes Omnibus: I’ll see if I can get it on the new business part of the agenda during the Elder’s quarterly meeting.

    Also, can’t you just hightail it to Chicago and go to Manny’s?

    I would think given the German heritage of so many in Wisconsin, that you’d be able to get good deli even if it isn’t kosher style. Or is that just down in places like Milwaukee?

    I’ve not been in Wisconsin in decades.

  303. 303.

    Quinerly

    @Steve in the SFO: great restaurants in St Louis! No fear! We’ll hit Broadway Oyster Bar, Blues City Deli, Sidney Street, The Peacemaker or Italian on the Hill. (chicken pot pie at Bob Evans next to a Motel 6 does rock though after 500 miles, though)

  304. 304.

    ArchTeryx

    @Adam L Silverman: Apropo of nothing, when people ask me the difference between a Seelie fairie and an Unseelie fairie, I refer them to Disney’s version of Sleeping Beauty. Maleficent is a classic Unseelie Court Fairie, and the three “good fairies” were pretty obviously of the Seelie Court. (They correctly stated, for example, they had no power over an Unseelie Court Fairie or any curses she laid down, but they *could* offer a boon, which is exactly what they did).

  311. 311.

    Adam L Silverman

    @ArchTeryx: Except, based on the retconning from the live action movie, Malificent starts one way, turns another, and then reverts at the end. And the three fairies were actually members of her court. Members of the Seelie court could become angry and capricious and vengeful, just as members of the Unseelie court could be gracious and welcoming to select humans.

  316. 316.

    NotMax

    @Omnes Omnibus

    Sadly, Ella’s there closed down in January, after 42 years.

    Ever make it to the (now long gone) Harvest House outside of Madison? Budget priced all you can eat smorgasbord. Not deli, but there was some tasty stuff there.

  317. 317.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Amir Khalid: My estimate is that Moon and Kim are going to do what they’re going to do regardless of what happens with the President’s summit with Kim. And that if anyone is going to get the award it will be Moon and Kim. The President, and the US, are now completely superfluous to what is happening on the Korean Peninsula.

  318. 318.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Omnes Omnibus: You’d think, given the number of Jewish faculty and students at UW-Madison, that there would at least be a decent kosher style deli in town.

  319. 319.

    eemom

    @Adam L Silverman:

    “How terribly strange to be 70….”

    Did your Mom know them at all?

    @Amir Khalid:

    I think it was a love-hate thing. Do you know the lovely song “The Only Living Boy In New York”? IIRC Paul wrote that for Art when he was going to Mexico to film Catch 22. And called him “Tom” because they first performed as Tom & Jerry, when they were in HS.

    I’ve loved them since I was a kid. ❤️

  321. 321.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Quinerly: haven’t had it, but I’ll have to try it now. Does it go well with unseasoned boiled chicken, steamed green beans, and white potatoes?

  322. 322.

    Adam L Silverman

    @eemom: Yes, but not very well. At that time, Forest Hill High School was on triple sessions. She was on a different session as they were.

  328. 328.

    NotMax

    While off on a tangent re: Jewish delis, when at Katz’s in NYC, hold on to that ticket!

    All who pass through the doors of Katz’s are issued a ticket — it’s not a gimmick; it’s a way for the restaurant to keep track of what patrons order. Multiple signs threaten that failure to return your ticket at the end of the meal will result in a $50 fine, but is that really true?

    Actually yes, says Dell. “We put you to work. I always need new employees, new dishwashers. That’s how I started, really. Coming out of the womb, I lost my ticket. I’ve been here ever since.”

    Dell is joking (maybe?), but you will indeed have to pony up the cash if your ticket fails to materialize by the time you’re ready to leave. But while many lose the ticket, it’s rarely all that difficult to find. And Katz’s will insist that you look.

    “Look, there’s only so many places the ticket can be, right?” Dell said. “It’s in your pocket. It’s on the table. Maybe you threw it in the garbage. We’re gonna find it. I don’t want to charge you the $50. It’s more important that we find the ticket.”

    Dell clarifies that if it comes to a garbage-digging situation, a staff member will snap on some gloves and get to it. Either way, it’ll turn up.

    “It’s very rare that we truly, truly lose a ticket. Usually when you can’t find a ticket, it’s because someone doesn’t want to look for it,” he said. Source

    Katz’s how to primer in under 2 minutes.

  329. 329.

    ArchTeryx

    @Adam L Silverman: Now that I didn’t know. The Seelies could be quite temperamental (and the original showed that pretty well, too) and demanded respect from mere human courts (which they got). But I had no idea the Unseelies of myth would grant boons to humans. Far as I’ve always read they were just Bad News all around, something more akin to hellspawn than anything else.

    ( And what live action movie are you talking about? I saw nothing. ;-)

  330. 330.

    Adam L Silverman

    @ArchTeryx: The Unseelies would treat the humans they favored as pets. In some cases it was taken to extremes, such as the Indian prince taken by Oberon as referenced in a Midsummers Night’s Dream

  331. 331.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @NotMax:

    IANAL, but I’ll pretend to be one.

    I seriously doubt that would stand up in court. The responsibility for keeping track of what the seller is selling belongs to the seller. If the seller doesn’t know what he/she has sold, then the seller would have to come to some mutual arrangement with the buyer, not dictate terms to the buyer.

    To make it work you would have to arrange it differently, maybe by making all meals a default $50, but with a discount if the ticket is provided.

  332. 332.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @Amir Khalid:

    Somehow I don’t see the Norwegian Nobel Committee considering Trump for a Prize in any category.

    As much as Trump is a toad, if he gets Kim to actually give up all his nukes in a verifiable arrangement, then I say give Trump the Nobel Peace Prize. To be shared with Kim of course.

    Wouldn’t they have to share the stage to receive it?

  334. 334.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Viva BrisVegas: He won’t. Denuclearization for the Kims has always meant the removal of the US military from the peninsula. Usually as a prelude to reunification under Kim rule and the philosophy of Juche.

  335. 335.

    Jay

    @TenguPhule:

    Israel killed about 50% or more, the PLO and the various Judean Front splitters killed about 30%, and Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lybia and Saudi killed about 20%.

    Settler Colonies havn’t fared well with out a good genocide. For people with out a land, the land needs to be cleared of the current crop of people.

    Remember how Moshe Dayan said “what a garden we will make of this place”, after Israel conquored Gaza. Not quite the garden he pictured.

    Sharon got what he wanted, he killed the 2 State solution, thicker people just havn’t gotten that.

    One State it will be.

  338. 338.

    lowtechcyclist

    @SFAW:

    As the late, great Phil Austin asked: What kind of fool do you take me for?

    Nitpick: ‘chump,’ not ‘fool.’ They had absorbed enough of the whole Sam Spade/Philip Marlow genre to get the nuances like that right.

  339. 339.

    lowtechcyclist

    @Adam L Silverman

    : It’s the underpants gnomes business plan applied to the strategic problem set of deterring Iranian nuclear breakout and proliferation.

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    I see no reason to believe that any of those people are operating in good faith.

    That is what I was afraid of. Then it seems like the next question for them is, “Why do you want Iran to have nuclear weapons?”

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