Pentagon contradicts White House about US troop presence in Yemen

US defense officials claim they have no boots on the ground in Yemen, despite a recent acknowledgement that US forces are indeed present in the war-torn Gulf state, a 27 January report from The Intercept shows.

Pentagon contradicts White House about US troop presence in Yemen

Related:

Biden’s announcement on ending US support for the war in Yemen, explained

But that doesn’t mean the US will stop fighting in Yemen. Per the administration, it will continue to strike al-Qaeda and ISIS militants in the country to ensure they can’t use it as a base to hatch plots against America. The US has been targeting terrorists in Yemen, most of them against al-Qaeda, since 2002 and has killed around 1,000 people in strikes. Stopping that campaign, experts say, might give the terrorists more space to operate.

So ending support for the fight against the Houthis, and continuing the fight against America-threatening terrorists — that’s pretty straightforward. What isn’t as clear is what the second element, supporting Saudi Arabia’s defense, means in practice.

The biggest complication here is what defines an “offensive” versus a “defensive” move. Say the Houthis attack Saudi Arabia, which experts I spoke to expect they will continue to do. The rebels launched missiles at an airport and airbase in Saudi Arabia in 2019, and at Saudi oil stations last year. Under international law, Riyadh has the right to retaliate in a commensurate way.

Biden administration tells Congress it intends to sell Turkey F-16s after Erdogan approved Sweden’s NATO membership

Biden administration tells Congress it intends to sell Turkey F-16s after Erdogan approved Sweden’s NATO membership

During a trip to Turkey in February 2023, Blinken met with Erdogan, who stressed the need for the US to give Turkey the F-16s before he would approve Sweden’s membership into the alliance. Blinken, in turn, told the Turkish president multiple times that members of Congress would not approve the sale of jets until Turkey allowed Sweden to join NATO.

Why’s The New York Times Fearmongering About Indonesia’s Presidential Frontrunner?

Why’s The New York Times Fearmongering About Indonesia’s Presidential Frontrunner? By Andrew Korybko

It’s an information warfare provocation intended to manipulate voters’ perceptions of the frontrunner to the point that a run-off election is scheduled this summer, which could then give the US’ preferred candidate the chance that he needs to come to power and align Indonesia with America against China in the New Cold War.

Why’s The New York Times Fearmongering About Indonesia’s Presidential Frontrunner?

Anies Baswedan was a Fulbright Scholar. The Fulbright Program is funded by the USG.

As a Fulbright Scholar, he went to receive his M.P.M. in international security and economic policy from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy (where he was a William P. Cole III Fellow), and Ph.D. in political science from Northern Illinois University, where he was a Gerald S. Maryanov Fellow.

Wikipedia

A Potentially Huge Supreme Court Case Has a Hidden Conservative Backer

The case, to be argued by lawyers linked to the petrochemicals billionaire Charles Koch, could sharply curtail the government’s regulatory authority.

The Cause of Action Institute has disclosed little of its funding*: A year before it was created, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling had enabled billions of dollars in spending by groups that don’t disclose their donors.

A Potentially Huge Supreme Court Case Has a Hidden Conservative Backer

Guess the author doesn’t know how to ‘Google’! 🙄

Related:

*Cause of Action @ SourceWatch (includes tax filings)

Funding

Cause of Action Institute is not required to disclose its funders but major foundation supporters can be found through their IRS filings. Here are some known contributors:

Atlas Network (PDF updated 11-30-23:

U.S. tech companies prepare for potential drone attacks as international strikes spark concern

U.S. tech companies and government agencies are racing to develop defenses against potential terrorist drone attacks, a threat that has security experts increasingly concerned as they’ve watched the rise of drone warfare in Israel, Ukraine and Yemen.

U.S. tech companies prepare for potential drone attacks as international strikes spark concern

Sponsored by Raytheon or something like that. /s

Hundreds of Biden administration employees plan to WALK OUT of their jobs next week in protest of his support for Israel in Hamas war after

Hundreds of Biden administration employees and federal staffers from more than two dozen agencies are set to walk off the job next week in protest of the White House’s handling of the Middle East crisis.

Hundreds of Biden administration employees plan to WALK OUT of their jobs next week in protest of his support for Israel in Hamas war after

Wisconsin congressman after visiting southern border: ‘We need to restart border wall construction’

Original source.

Whitewater’s police chief sent President Biden a letter asking for resources to help with 800 to 1,000 immigrants now living in the city since 2022 – specifically from Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Wisconsin congressman after visiting southern border: ‘We need to restart border wall construction’

Notice that he mentioned two countries that are sanctioned and that the USG has been trying to destabilize for years?! I uploaded the video on human trafficking, to Rockford, last week.

Biden wasn’t aware for days that Defense Secretary Austin was hospitalized

President Joe Biden was not aware for days that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan ultimately informed Biden late Thursday afternoon, soon after Sullivan himself learned Austin had been hospitalized, the source said. Austin was admitted to the hospital on New Year’s Day due to complications from an elective surgery.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks periodically assumed the duties of the defense secretary while she was on vacation in Puerto Rico during the time Austin was hospitalized, two US officials said. Hicks had arrived in Puerto Rico prior to Austin’s hospitalization.

The congressional oversight committees were not notified of Austin’s hospitalization until Friday night, according to three congressional aides familiar with the matter.

Biden wasn’t aware for days that Defense Secretary Austin was hospitalized

How’s that promise to be transparent going, Biden?! /s