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Discussion: National Day Observations

It’s not a holiday or observance here, but today is the 60th anniversary of the US Supreme Court decision in Miranda v Arizona. It was the decision that established the legal requirement for police to inform someone they are arresting of their legal rights in the situation. Such as the right to the presence of an attorney, and the right to keep silent. 

“Read him his rights” has become a pop culture substitute for “place him under arrest”.  

We watch a number of police procedural TV shows which I generally enjoy. But they all seem to frequently rely on suspects making confessions without a lawyer presence. If our teenage daughter is watching with us, I always remind her that if she ever finds herself in any kind of negative interaction with the police, the only thing she should say is “I’d like an attorney present.”  

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

You've pointed to zero evidence backing up Russian claims about bioweapons, and further explicitly stated you have no interest in searching for such evidence. You're right that we disagree --  I find accepting a claim based on nothing beyond a bias toward Russia to be an unreasonable stance.

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

During last month’s Victory Day celebration, I don’t recall her complaining that Russia was celebrating the victory of a murderous, totalitarian regime. No, she was happy to accept the framing of it as celebrating the defeat of another murderous, totalitarian regime. So when she wants to, it appears she is in fact able to do nuance. And yet, in the case of Ukraine, she insists that the framing of celebrating resistance to foreign domination be rejected. Funny how her views always line up so completely with Putin propaganda.

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

nan said:

Mike Benz is not worth this effort to smear him so he is surly on to some uncomfortable truths.

I would like my epitaph to read:

HE WAS SURLY ON TO SOME UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTHS

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

nan said:

Except it’s not “unfounded.” It’s founded.

Point to anything in those declassified slides that shows U.S. government funding of bioweapons labs in Ukraine.

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Discussion: War in the Middle East

Under the 2015 JCOPA deal with Iran, in exchange for lifting economic sanctions, Iran agreed to restrictions on Iran’s production and storage of enriched nuclear materials, to allow International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors to gain access to sites where activity related to the nuclear program was suspected to occur, and to adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which included not pursuing nuclear weapons. Critics – not the least of whom was Donald Trump - didn’t like the Sunset clause that allowed the enrichment regulations to expire by 2031, the release of Iranian funds, and the fact that the terms didn’t place prohibitions on Iran funding so-called proxy groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. According to Ben Rhodes, a security adviser for Obama, Netanyahu was livid about that lack of proxy controls.  Obama said the deal wasn't perfect but it was the best attainable at the time.

Trump pulled the USA out of the JCOPA in 2018, an action which freed Iran to fully pursue an unchecked nuclear capability.  Thus, if there has been any buildup by Iran, it's due to Trump. A few months ago, under the guise of dealing with an impending nuclear attack by Iran, we attacked Iran in an illegal war. The attack was pointless and did more to set off a global economic mess, further destabilize and radicalize the middle east, and alienate our allies around the world than anything else.  In fact, IAEA Director General Grossi said there was no evidence that Iran was manufacturing atomic weapons and in a March 1^st congressional briefing, Trump administration/Pentagon officials admitted there was no intelligence concerning an attack by Iran.

But, Trump knew better.

Now Trump is claiming (for the 38th time) the war is over and a deal is imminent.  The deal announced by Trump a few days ago is vague and has no concrete terms other than a “commitment by Iran’s government to re-open the Strait of Hormuz”. In turn, the U.S. agrees to a ceasefire and a 60-day period of negotiations over the future of Iran’s nuclear program commences.

Speaking to CBS news about the newest deal, Hegseth said that the administration was “open to the IAEA running future inspections” but disagreed with Trump as to whether the US or another group would directly be in charge of removing and eradicating Iran’s existing supply of enriched uranium. It also was confirmed by Hegseth and others that the administration is “open” to lifting economic sanctions and unfreezing Iranian funds in U.S. banking systems if Tehran’s government adheres to whatever terms emerge in the future.

For all this, it pretty much looks like we are right back at the 2015 JCOPA agreement…if that.  To Trump, it's "the best deal, the greatest deal ever, and something only I could accomplish:

Trump is a dangerous idiot.  Anyone who cannot see that and votes for another MAGA candidate is an effing moron.

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

nan said:

I did verify them and posted that.

We’ve discussed the first paragraph of the Horton excerpt. Here’s the second:

The next year, the new Rada, led by the Nazis, passed supposed “de-communization laws” that prohibited criticism of fascists in Ukrainian history. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum issued a statement saying they were “deeply concerned” about how this law would be used to rehabilitate the OUN and UPA.

So you verified that the Rada was led by Nazis — Nazis who passed, among the “de-communization laws,” one that was titled “Condemning Communist and National Socialist (Nazi) Totalitarian Regimes in Ukraine and Prohibiting the Propaganda of Their Symbols.”

You also read the Holocaust museum’s statement for yourself, seeing that in addition to expressing concern about the laws it said that “we applaud Ukraine for the initial steps it has taken” toward an honest examination of its national past.

And you didn’t stop at two paragraphs. You continued in this vein, checking Horton sentence by sentence to maintain your trust in his reliability. I salute your commitment to factual and contextual accuracy.

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Discussion: The view from nj transit
Peter Gabriel, I think. Like  2 Likes

Discussion: Bees

No shortage of bees in our yard.  Honey bees, Bumble bees, Carpenter bees, Bees whose names I'll never know... Bees R Us.

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Discussion: What does Putin want (and whatabout it)

Jewish guy who says good things about Hitler gets a pass from Nan because he shares her pro-Russian, anti-Ukrainian views. Jewish guys who's the president of Ukraine gets attacked by Nan because, for rather obvious reasons, he doesn't share her views.

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