**** me, I picked Ben Carson for this months Survivor, I just can't get a break.

Wasn't Hicks the WH Communications Director? That's a pretty significant post -- Toby Ziegler held it in the West Wing irrc.


If you're doing a story on the departures from the administration, then all administration appointees who leave should be on the list. Note that she didn't include all the people who left, say, the State Department, because the bulk of them weren't political appointees.

The list is correct in showing an accurate list of departures.

Toobin owned noted legal-eagle/corpse Alan Dershowitz re Mueller probe

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/03/cnn...EOcLOk.twitter

Keed is pocodonor’s alt account now

Heard an interesting take last night from a former UN analyst that the actual war that Bolton and co might have been brought in to create as a means to distract and bolster Trump's approval ratings won't be with Iran or NoKo, but rather with Lebanon.

Lebanon is Hezbollah central, a pain in the ass for Israel, and Bolton was apparently one of the primary proponents of the proxy war campaign that went on there in 2006 and remains an ultra hawk on Hezbollah to this day. Plus Netanyahu is facing some serious sh*t at home now these days too, so he could use his own 'wag the dog' moment to help get him through it. What's more Iran and NoKo are too much of a heavy lift militarily and would be too much commitment, whereas tiny little Lebanon will be much easier row to hoe.

So the plan will be to provide support for an Israeli action there to destroy Hezbollah, which will get the base all riled up in support of the President who's super tough on terror. Israel provides the boots on the ground, the US gives them the air and naval support and logistics, with maybe some commandos or 'advisers' or whatever getting to see some action as well (and probably some non-zero amount of them getting killed or wounded) and the whole thing is wrapped up or just wrapping up just in time for the elections.

Plus as an added bonus the whole thing would suit Saudi Arabia right down to the ground, since they're sunni and the Lebanese are shia and they'd like nothing more than to destroy the entire political network of shia Muslims across the middle east, and they have Trump and co in their pocket to help make it happen. Not to mention their recent warming of relations with Israel.

Made a lot of sense. Of course so do lots of other scenarios, which is scary in and of itself.

You might be ok if Trump thinks it's still black history month.

Trump news conference at 1pm. Hopefully he takes some questions and if so more than 1 from just Fox or some right wing rag.

Certainly the case that Lebanon is the favorite front to be opened up if Iran hawks get their way - the US actually invading Iran is cloud-cuckoo land, but I suppose they could bomb it if they wanted to.

It's far more complex than just 'the Lebanese are Shia' though - Lebanon is close to 50/50 muslim/non-muslim, and fairly evenly sunni / shia. The largest political movements are broadly split between a pro-syrian, shia, leftish (march 8th alliance) and anti-syrian, pro-SA, sunni, rightish (march 15th alliance).

SA's problem with it is essentially that a bout of political instability a few years back lead to a government that included people from both movements that was surprisingly effective. A long way from perfect, certainly, but it didn't collapse and seemed to have decent support. It seems to me that both SA and Israel have an interest in Lebanon being a weak country, either dependent on their help (SA) or incapable of supporting groups hostile to them (Israel).

The narrative that the ME is an inevitable Sunni / Shia fight to the death, and Iran is the evil team, is what Israel & SA want us to believe to advance their agenda of interference in neighbouring countries. Of course the general enmity between the groups exists, but it's always far more local and complicated.

Didn't Bibi tell Trump that Iran was laughing at the US during his last visit? I think Trump cited Iran as one of the reasons he fired Tillerson.

Freedom caucus complaining that this spending bill isn't fiscally responsible after passing that tax cut bill

Sounds like he's going to sign the bill after that fake threat. Perfect. I got popcorn ready to read the comments section of right wing sites today.

Its great not just for entertainment and watching these sub humans suffer but it also basically guarantees a win in 18 and 20.

Chiefsplanet is actually pissed at Trump for like the first time ever.

Let the melting of Nazi snow flakes commence

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...-omnibus-bill/

Mike Pence looking at Trump like Russel Westbrook staring at KD's MVP trophy

I don't see how that Lebanon theory happens.
Can't imagine Bibi going for a ground invasion of Lebanon anytime soon. It makes no sense politcally for him. Unsure what support for Israel means, but there's also very little reason that I can see for US to invade Lebanon. It's about half Christian. Air bombing churches won't do for great TV.
You also can't 'destroy' Hezbollah without a serious ground invasion.

"Nobody has read this bill but I just signed it"

lol this guy

Hooray, largest military spending ever! Gonna need them dollars to prepare for all our upcoming wars!

Trump calling for the end of the filibuster and the return of the line item veto. If we do that, he says things will start working like magic.

Odds he knows SCOTUS ruled the line item veto unconstitutional?

Mattis looks like he took a rifle scope to both eyes.

trump learning about representative democracy live on tv. senators expect something in return for voting for a thing? that’s news to trump

dumb ass live on TV now

The "get rid of the filibuster" is one of my favorite Trumpisms.

Did the dotard just say we'll have nuclear submarines and pray to God we don't have to use them?