Not just Democrats, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said what Trump officials presented was “the worst briefing I’ve had on a military issue in my nine years” serving in the Senate.
Australia’s national firestorm tragedy has driven many of the usual right wing, Newscorp, coal lobby, anti-science climate change denialists back into their caves.
Stark factual reality has a way of subverting ideology and belief, no matter how strongly we cling to our chosen “views”. It’s hard to argue that climate change is a greenie conspiracy when its impacts are so evident: lives lost, homes destroyed, dreams shattered. Extreme weather events are now occurring on a global scale.
Where are Malcolm Roberts, Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt, Peta Credlin, et al? Where’s that guy who regularly rings ABC Radio talkback regurgitating the dodgy claims of Rupert Murdoch’s opinionators?
The battlefield of climate change debate is now littered (figuratively) with the bodies of the denialist fallen.
Who shall fight the good fight on behalf of the billionaire class to repel those hordes of scientists, with all their researched facts and evidence, before they take the castle of the plutocrats?
Don’t worry, Gina. Don’t worry, Rupert… you still have Tony Abbott and Craig Kelly, those staunch legionnaires, out there proslytising on your behalf: “Reality be damned!” they cry. “Facts don’t matter, it’s how you interpret them.”
“It’s a vision of the future”
via Australia’s Wildfire Catastrophe Isn’t the “New Normal.” It’s Much Worse Than That. – Mother Jones
It was Tony Abbott’s ludicrous, bow-legged saunter that encapsulated the man; some wag once remarked that he looked like a cowboy leaving a rodeo portaloo. His gait was an asinine affectation, the purpose of which no doubt was to reinforce his self image of a macho man, a tough guy in red dick-stickers, but instead the ape-like amble simply highlighted the novelty of his adoption of bipedalism.
via Skiddy leaves his mark – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Let’s call it pollution, unprecedented CO2 pollution which has been increasing at an unprecedented rate and the warming of the planet. Like smoking causes cancer the statistical evidence and correlations are in. Australia has seen and is experiencing the effects of that warming with 9 of 10 record-breaking years this century and a fire season like no other predicted last century and scoffed at. The most significant voice heard in recent times was PM Tony Abbott declaring the science of global warming was “crap”. It cost him his seat of Warringah. Yet the LNP have still been treating the current unprecedented fires accordingly. To Morrison, Craig Kelly, Taylor and others it still is a purely “natural event” with policies in place capable of addressing it. and still claiming we will reach our global emission obligations in a “canter”. “It’s Time isn’t it?” as we are today the worlds biggest polluter with a leadership ethically and morally in total denial. (ODT)
Australia fires: coal industry causes long-term damage as bushfires cost businesses billions
What’s more ludicrous is there is no seperation of powers in the US judicial system (ODT)
A coalition of 29 national advocacy organizations argued Tuesday that “as long as the cloud of impeachment exists, it would be a grave mistake for the Senate to allow the president to continue making lifetime appointments to the federal judiciary.”
“We cannot allow a president who demanded foreign interference in our elections and obstructed Congress to pack our courts with lifetime appointees.”
Trump’s booming share Market (ODT)
via Meet the CEOs Raking It in from Trump’s Aggression Toward Iran | The Smirking Chimp
Trump is a know-nothing President simply following plans laid down since the 80s after the 6 day war. No country in the Middle East was allowed to establish an Army let alone a number of Arabic and Muslim States and so the demise of Libya, Iraq Syria and Iran were laid out years ago by Israel and the US acting as it’s proxy their reward oil and global dominance. The greatest threat to that plan today is Renewable and clean energy. (ODT)
And there is no end in sight with Donald Trump now tweeting furiously that if the Iranian government seeks to retaliate for Soleimani the U.S. will strike 52 targets inside Iran, including cultural sites, a war crime. Congress will do nothing to stop the carnage because it is just as completely controlled by the Israel Lobby as is the White House.
The blood of the Americans, Iranians and Iraqis who will die in the next few weeks is clearly on Donald Trump’s hands as this war was never inevitable and serves no U.S. national interest. It will surely turn out to be a debacle, as well as devastating for all parties involved. And it might well, on top of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya, be the long-awaited beginning of the end of America’s imperial ambitions. Trump has had three years to learn the lesson gleaned from Iraq and Afghanistan. He obviously used that time to learn nothing.
via Killing Inside Iraq to Punish Iran, by Philip Giraldi – The Unz Review
News Corp is I believe happy to amplify these fake messages.(ODT)
Online posts exaggerating the role of arson are being used to undermine the link between bushfires and climate change
The power of Education vs the Misogynist and None (ODT)
“My first reaction was that it couldn’t be further from the truth, because I am so qualified and the reality is that it’s the complete opposite,” Tobin said.
via Australia fires: Laura Tobin responds to Craig Kelly’s ‘weather girl’ insult
Above are the “wonderful people of IRAN that Trump says he respects so much. Far greater numbers than Trump’s inauguration. (ODT)
“Over the past few days, I’ve spoken extensively with career U.S. government officials as they’ve worked around the clock to try and mitigate the damage from Trump’s ineptitude on Iran. With their permission, I’m sharing a small taste from our lengthy conversations. Enjoy.
- “One of Trump’s top Iran advisors got suckered into a honey trap, had their laptop/iPhone stolen and hacked before they woke up, and the White House refused to take precautionary measures regarding their security clearance. Ladies and gents, I give you the Trump administration.”
Trump Administration ‘Woefully Unprepared’ For What’s About To Happen In Iran | Crooks and Liars
Axios reports that US State Department initially attempted to stop the parliamentary vote from taking place (presumably by pressuring its Iraqi political allies). That press failed miserably, given the angry mood of the country after the US attack on an Iraqi military officer. After the resolution passed, State pleaded with the Iraqi parliament to rethink its decision, but somehow I don’t think that is going to happen.
Trump went ballistic on hearing the news and threatened to impose “sanctions like you’ve never seen” on Iraq if it does kick out US troops. He also demanded repayment for the costs of constructing the al-Balad Air Force Base. The US invaded Iraq illegally in 2003 and essentially stole its oil income for years to pay for its military occupation of the country.
It is highly unlikely that the world would cooperate with Trump sanctions on Iraq over this issue, and unlikely that the 4.6 million barrels a day produced by Iraq could or would be made up, so that any Trump sanctions would send petroleum prices skyrocketing. This development would be good for the health of the planet, since people would likely buy electric cars in that case.
Some Iraqi militia leaders suggested that US military training could be replaced with Russian or Chinese such help.
via Iraqi Parliament Resolves to Kick Out US Troops, and Trump Threatens Mother of All Sanctions
The Spreading of bullshit is continuous on Murdoch’s Fox “News for Profit” spin channels (ODT)
The flames from the missile that blew up the car carrying Iranian general Qassem Soleimani were barely extinguished when Ari Fleischer — somehow still a thing, despite his years of peddling the early 2000s’ many Iraq War lies as George W. Bush’s press secretary — showed up on quasi-state-television Fox News to predict “this is going to be a catalyst inside Iran where the people celebrate this killing of Soleimani.” He was the first of a string of neocon pundits like John Bolton and Karl Rove who still get invited into your living room via TV even after their 2003 predictions that Iraqis would greet us with rose petals “as liberators” were vaporized in gunpowder and blood.
Australia and the UK beg Iraq to allow the Coalition of the Killing to stay on to fight ISIS after Trump declared their fight has been put on hold despite Trump’s declaration of victory and news he’s now ready to cut and run. These are the world’s self-declared peacekeepers (ODT)
Boris Johnson pleads with Iraq not to kick out UK and US forces | Daily Mail Online
Trump Administration does what Trump has been doing all his life “Hiding from the Facts” “Refusing to be Judged” (ODT)
The Trump administration blocked Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s top diplomat, from entering the United States, Foreign Policy reported Monday.
Unnamed diplomatic sources who told Foreign Policy about this move by the Trump administration also said it violates a 1947 agreement with the U.N. that the U.S. allow foreign officials into the country for U.N. affairs.
via Trump Admin Bars Top Iranian Diplomat From Entering U.S.: Report | HuffPost Australia
Trump’s foreign policy, from his inaugural address, is “America First”: an aggressive assertion of national self-interest, of nativism and protectionism, of America’s retreat from the commitments and alliances built after World War II, of unilateralism to advance America’s (and Trump’s) priorities above all others. And with respect to the Middle East, to end the “endless wars” that have consumed American troops and treasure for 18 years and counting.
Moreover Morrison could have done a lot more to reduce the magnitude and impact of this disaster. These fires were not impossible to predict. They actually HAVE BEEN PREDICTED by climate scientists with uncanny accuracy in previous years. Even if he wanted to remain dogmatically against renewable energy, the Prime Minister could still have listened to warnings he has been receiving, by providing greater funding and resources to the fire services (as Bill Shorten would have). But he didn’t because he didn’t like the optics. Declaring a national emergency (which seemed a no-brainer at the time), increasing funding for firefighting services or appealing for international aid might have given greater ammunition to critics of his government’s climate policy at home and abroad. So he did nothing. He is such an empty PR-driven fraud that he is more concerned about the damage these fires can do to him politically than about the damage they are doing to real people’s lives.
And that is the true measure of him. Empty. Fraudulent. Useless.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Prime Minister and the party he leads.
via Bushfires and blame – » The Australian Independent Media Network
As studies have shown, this is a mirage of statistical deception, ignoring the obvious point that Australian emissions should count not merely those it produces directly, but those produced by fossil fuel exports that are subsequently used. Arms manufacturers are no less culpable ethically, or tangibly, if their weapons are used by citizens of one country or the other. Such a method is pure Morrison: keep up appearances before the incineration and hope that memories weaken in time.
How the Coalition Government has been ineffective in dealing with our fire crisis
As recently as four days ago, Morrison defended his Government’s climate change stance and refused to consider even the necessity for any review. It’s reasonable to assume that Morrison’s intention is to adapt to catastrophic fires, rather than address the causes, prevention and mitigation. In other words, we will continue to burn and all Morrison will do is call in the ADF earlier — if we’re lucky.
We have no guarantee that when this round of fires is subdued, Morrison will act any more speedily on the next round. Indeed, we can expect his reaction to future conflagrations to be exactly the same as this one. He does not act until he absolutely has to, and unless there’s something in it for him. His game is to get away with as much as he possibly can, before taking action. These are not the characteristics you want in your leader.
Key points:
Small business lobby COSBOA warned many businesses “will close and not reopen” as a result of the fires and loss of summer trade
COSBOA chief executive Peter Strong said climate change deniers in the Federal Government should “shut-up” and “go and sit at the backbench where they belong”
The lobby is urging governments to assist fire-affected regions to put on events once the fires are over to lure visitors back to those areas
Australia, a juniour partner in the Coalition of the Killing, wants senior status it seems. While Trump has declared he’s putting the fight against ISIS on hold in order to deal with IRAN Theresa Payne wants to take over that war on Daesh. Remember when Trump declared that war was won. He relocated troops in Syria to grab the oil and betrayed the Kurds in the process. Now the USA are mercenary force for Exxon It’s always been questioned why we are in Iraq? Why John Howard joined the illegal invasion of a Sovereign State that doesn’t want us there? Now we are ready to partake in yet another escallated war with Iran who signed a peace treaty before Trump came on the scene. A treaty we are now supporting the total shredding of. Payne is proof we are Puppets lapdogs to American politics for profit and its grab for Middle Eastern oil which when said and done we will buy from the US at their price.
More to the point the LNP ready to see the escalation of violence and another unwinnable war offering up Australian lives as we have done time again since WW2. What we are doing is boosting Trump’s desperate efforts in domestic American politics. (ODT)
Foreign Minister Marise Payne will on Tuesday publicly plead for the Iraqi government to let Australian and international partners remain in the country.
“We urge the Iraqi government to ensure the coalition is able to continue its vital work with Iraq’s security forces in countering the shared threat of Daesh,” she said.
“We understand the resolution passed by Iraq’s parliament is non-binding, absent formal approval by the government in Baghdad.”
Lower than a snake’s belly (ODT)
Fox News uses Soleimani strike to attack the Trump impeachment | Media Matters for America
Stumbling toward apocalypse: Trump launches re-election campaign with an assassination
At least Qassem Soleimani knew what he was doing in Iraq. The U.S. military has never had a remote f**king clue
Stumbling toward apocalypse: Trump launches re-election campaign with an assassination | Salon.com
America dragging Australia into fighting 2 wars one against Nature and the other Iran. The ADF hasn’t the capacity for both. Will the LNP require the rural unemployed to enlist? Morrison thanks God for an ally like Trump. (ODT)
The neoliberal trickle-down story is a myth. It never shows up. It fails because the wealthy put much of their wealth into unproductive asset speculation and luxuries for themselves, not into productive investment. This keeps the financial markets and housing prices high, but our economy has been hollowed out. We are left with being China’s quarry.
The right-wing neoliberal parties of Margaret Thatcher and John Howard set upon the industrial unions with a vengeance, so it is almost comical now to see the Morrison Government’s continuing obsession with the last feeble vestiges of union power. But Labor and Labour also undermined and defanged the unions, and allowed industries to wither and collapse with little help for displaced workers.
In place of real jobs, people are offered the gig economy, with no security and a likelihood their wages will be stolen as well. Yes, the nature of the economy has changed, but the employed still have a common interest against the owners of capital, as Adam Smith himself well understood in his day.
When the immediate threat of these fires has passed, many bigger questions will remain. The Conversation will continue to bring you the responsible, evidence-based journalism you need to be properly informed. Thank you for your continued support.
“I Told You So” Isn’t That Much Fun in This Heat. But we DID.
It is so tempting to point out the facts, having been part of the small “alternative” and often science- educated chorus warning for 4 decades that if homeowners and businesses don’t convert to renewables, they are partly to blame for global warming.
First Australians have every right to be really, really pissed off. It’s their country we’ve wrecked.
Anyone who drives long distances in cities or invests in coal shares, is certainly culpable.
Big coal miners and campaigners against a “carbon tax” have been especially damaging. They usually hide their hefty profits offshore.
Where are Gina, Twiggy and Clive now? Not on the end of a fricking hose or even a rejected handshake, that’s for sure.
via We told you so … – » The Australian Independent Media Network
The Prime Minister only returned early from a totally ill-timed holiday because his reputation was taking a public battering.
He only developed a policy to support the fire-fighters because he was pressured into doing so.
Initially he only offered financial support to volunteer firies in NSW – his home state – until he was made aware that it had to be a national offer.
Instead of having an experienced Public Service to advise him, he has been relying on advice from political advisers.
Their advice is directed to keeping him in power – not into doing what is right for Australia!
There are so many things on which we could expect our national government to be formulating national policy, while we have a Prime Minister who seems intent on throwing all responsibility to the State governments!
If our accidental PM had a vestige of commonsense, he would be forming a national, non-partisan government, including representatives from all states and political areas, plus experts from the CSIRO and other appropriate scientific and service organisations to deal with the climate emergency, housing those displace by the fires, related employment and food production issues – you could make your own list – it is endless and needs careful prioritising.
Trump Diplomacy Kill Iraqis and blame Iran. Betray the Kurd and Work for ISIS (ODT)
via ‘We will take revenge’: Thousands flood Baghdad streets with grief and anger
When an easily manipulated President with short term self -interest in mind rather than any long term common good what else can one expect when in the year of an election Trump needs a War. (ODT)
In orchestrating a “maximum pressure” campaign, Trump made a big mistake. When Mike Pompeo demanded what amounted to almost a complete surrender by the Iranians, Trump thought he could get a new treaty with better terms for the US. Instead, Iran acted like a rational sovereign actor and used available tools to push back. As the 2020 election nears, the time may have been deemed right by Trump to capitalize on Iran’s understandable defiance and commence war, either proxy or direct.
Such unhinged behavior of a superpower is only one instance among many that feeds the mountain of why “they hate us,” and, consequently, much of why Times Square on New Years Eve and America, in general, has become intensely securitized over the past few decades: there is blowback for illegal and immoral US foreign policy.
Yet, still, when the news reads of the US Embassy under attack by Iraqi protesters and the president blames Iran, many Americans’ minds will revert back to the US Embassy in Tehran and the 1979 hostage crisis. Unfortunately, it may not be difficult to convince the American public to support military action against Iran. On the other hand, the “end forever war” mantra has come a long way in recent years and may give Trump pause in escalating a very dangerous situation that would inflame the entire region, which had shown signs of simmering.
olddogthoughts 
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