monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

I just asked a question. An answer, not a hissy fit, was appropriate.

These people are the Democratic brown shirts.

We are profoundly concerned about our nation's security and standing in the world under the leadership of Donald Trump. The President has demonstrated that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term.

We are former national security officials who served during the administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and/or Donald Trump, or as Republican Members of Congress. We are profoundly concerned about the course of our nation under the leadership of Donald Trump. Through his actions and his rhetoric, Trump has demonstrated that he lacks the character and competence to lead this nation and has engaged in corrupt behavior that renders him unfit to serve as President.

For the following reasons, we have concluded that Donald Trump has failed our country and that Vice President Joe Biden should be elected the next President of the United States.

[... ... ...]

While we – like all Americans – had hoped that Donald Trump would govern wisely, he has disappointed millions of voters who put their faith in him and has demonstrated that he is dangerously unfit to serve another term.

In contrast, we believe Joe Biden has the character, experience, and temperament to lead this nation. We believe he will restore the dignity of the presidency, bring Americans together, reassert America’s role as a global leader, and inspire our nation to live up to its ideals.

While some of us hold policy positions that differ from those of Joe Biden and his party, the time to debate those policy differences will come later. For now, it is imperative that we stop Trump’s assault on our nation’s values and institutions and reinstate the moral foundations of our democracy.

To that end, we are firmly convinced that it is in the best interest of our nation that Vice President Joe Biden be elected as the next President of the United States, and we will vote for him.

... ... ...

Sorry! I didn't notice and get that this is a question.

A STATEMENT BY FORMER REPUBLICAN NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS

I bet you don't know it was deleted either.

Not here:

The Trump administration on Thursday formally notified the United Nations of its demand for all UN sanctions on Iran to be restored, citing significant Iranian violations of the 2015 nuclear deal.

None of the other council members believes the United States has the legal right to demand the reimposition, or "snapback", of sanctions because President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018. As such, the demand is expected to further isolate the US at the UN and test the Security Council's credibility.

. . .

The UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, has reported some Iranian violations of the agreement, but Tehran says those are the result of the US violating the accord by withdrawing from it and then reimposing harsh unilateral sanctions.

. . .

"As a result, the United States is left with no choice but to notify the council that Iran is in significant non-performance of its JCPOA commitments," (US Ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft) wrote, using the acronym for the deal's formal name, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

. . .

The US maintains that its withdrawal from the nuclear deal does not obviate its right as an original participant and a permanent Security Council member to demand the restoration of sanctions.

That argument, however, has already been rejected by the other members of the council, including US allies the United Kingdom and France, along with China and Russia.

. . .

Under the terms of the Security Council resolution that enshrined the nuclear deal, Thursday's notification starts a 30-day clock after which pre-2015 UN sanctions on Iran that were eased will be reimposed unless a resolution specifically extending their suspension is passed. The US, however, would use its veto power to block any resolution extending the sanctions relief.

Because of the legal debate over US standing, it is possible that the snapback demand will simply be ignored by the other members, which could call into question the Security Council's relevance and ability to enforce its own legally binding decisions.

Trump and Pompeo had made no secret of their intention to pursue snapback, particularly after the administration's embarrassing defeat last week at the Security Council on extending the arms embargo on Iran that expires in October. The US won just one other "yes" vote, with China and Russia opposed and the 11 other members abstaining.

. . .

The Europeans fear that the reimposition of sanctions may lead Iran to quit the deal entirely and plough ahead with efforts to develop atomic weapons. The Trump administration says it withdrew precisely because it eased sanctions, opening major revenue streams for Iran while gradually easing restrictions on its nuclear activities that money could pay for.

It seems that the Trump Administration is looking to push things to the point of a physical confrontation with Iran with perhaps a war crisis with which to bolster Trump's reelection bid.

InfraBlue wrote:

It seems that the Trump Administration is looking to push things to the point of a physical confrontation with Iran with perhaps a war crisis with which to bolster Trump's reelection bid.

Exactly what Trump claimed Obama was going to do. He posted it on Twitter several times.

...including starting a war.

Quote:

...including starting a war.

I'm waiting for the announcement that Melania is pregnant.

Oh, I pity the poor Secret Service agent involved in that!

The Democratic Convention Is Giving an Unusual Bump to Trump and the GOP

Following the historic nomination of the first woman of color to the presidential ticket for a major party, something extraordinary happened. The incumbent president’s approval rating went up. According to Rasmussen, President Trump’s daily approval rating, which had been bouncing around in the high 40s since early August, jumped three points from the day before to 51%.

Rasmussen recorded a similar three-point swing in the “strongly approve” and “strongly disapprove” ratings. On August 19th, 35% of likely voters strongly approved of the job Trump is doing, while 44% strongly disapproved. On Thursday, those ratings were 38% and 41%, respectively. It is interesting to note that Barack Obama’s approval rating hovered in a similar range between July and August leading up to his reelection in 2012, according to Gallup.