Trump. Biden, Israel, and Hamas

A Costly Cease-Fire Deal

. . ."With that said, the deal exacts a significant price on Israel. Israelis will be required to withdraw from parts of Gaza that were wrested from terrorists after months of deadly urban warfare. Israel will also be required to release dozens of Palestinian prisoners for each hostage set free. Specifically, for every female Israeli soldier hostage returned, Israelis will have to hand over 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 serving life sentences. In another cruel twist, the 33 hostages (who are a mix of living and dead captives) will not be released all at once, but only gradually over the course of the 42-day initial phase.

"Furthermore, at the end of the first phase, Hamas will retain more than 60 hostages. Securing their release will require significant additional concessions from Israelis in phases two and three. Concessions will likely involve the release of thousands of prisoners, an end to Israel’s war on Hamas, and a full withdrawal from Gaza." . . .

Is the Israel-Hamas ceasefire a good thing or a bad one?  

"Israel’s Knesset has approved the ceasefire with Hamas, so it’s a done deal...for now. Whether it will remain done is another question entirely. What is certain is that many who love Israel believe it was a disastrous deal. They are angry at both President-Elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I, however, am more sanguine. I think it was a necessary deal for Israel and that it won’t be a disaster in the future." . . .

. . ."And that’s the why and how of Phase 1. Israel gets some of its innocent civilian hostages, Gaza gets back lots of people who actively engaged in warfare and murder, both sides get a break from combat, and Gaza residents return home.

"If that phase lasts, phase 2 sees living male hostages go back to Israel (assuming there are any), and Israel withdraws troops from Gaza. And in phase 3, the two sides release bodies, Israel works on helping rebuild Gaza, and the borders that Israel has sealed (especially with Egypt, through which arms come) are reopened.

"People, obviously, are worried about the Israeli withdrawal and the borders being reopened. It seems to set the stage for starting the cycle all over, especially because Hamas’s new leader, safely ensconced in Qatar, proudly boasted that this is what he plans to do: . . ."

Alan M. Dershowitz, who claimed OJ Simpson was framed, would say a bad deal: It Wasn't a Deal – It Was a Crime   

"The decision by the Israeli government to make significant concessions to the Hamas kidnappers should never be called a "deal." It was an extortion. Would you call it a deal if somebody kidnapped your child and you "agreed" to pay ransom to get her back? Of course not. The kidnapping was a crime. And the extortionate demand was an additional crime.

"So the proper description of what occurred is that Israel, pressured by the United States, capitulated to the unlawful and extortionate demands of Hamas as the only way of saving the lives of kidnapped babies, mothers and other innocent, mostly civilian, hostages.

"This was not the result of a negotiation between equals. If an armed robber puts a gun to your head and says, "your money or your life," your decision to give him your money would not be described as a deal. Nor should the extorted arrangement agreed to by Israel be considered a deal. So let's stop using that term." . . .

Children found ‘butchered’ in Israeli kibbutz, IDF says, as horror of Hamas’ attacks near border begins to emerge | CNN 2023:   . . ."Babies and toddlers were found “decapitated” in Kfar Aza, Tal Heinrich, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Wednesday. CNN could not independently verify that report, and Hamas said media reports about attacking children were false. 

"This comes after the IDF told CNN Tuesday that the killings at Kfar Aza amounted to a “massacre.”

Do you remember how poorly Melania was treated last time as First Lady?

Susan Quinn 

But Melania appears to be turning the page with a new and refreshing attitude. She realizes that the times have changed, as has President Trump. And she is showing a new confidence and excitement about entering the White House this time around:

"When Melania Trump enters the White House on January 20, she anticipates a very different experience than the time she spent there in President Trump’s first term.

"Do you remember how poorly she was treated? Here’s what Donna Rice Hughes, CEO and president of internet safety organization Enough Is Enough, noted in 2017:

Never has there been so much lingering hostility so long after a presidential election.

Much of this hostility has been aimed at the first family, with a particularly cruel emphasis on Melania Trump.

And yet, despite the barrage of insults attacking her, including the New York Times reporter who referred to her as a hooker and the ex-boxer who called her a golddigger, the first lady continues to demonstrate grace, kindness and patience.

"(Hughes also emphasized Melania’s personal experience with the level of vitriol that can be experienced through social media.)

"Although many first ladies have been indulged by international designers, Melania was shunned by them: . . .

Hirono ripped for 'deranged' opening confirmation hearing question to Burgum: 'This lady has issues'

Andrew Mark Miller; Fox News   "Hirono has asked the same question to other nominees in the past"   

"How the F does Hirono have seats on Judiciary AND Armed Services AND Energy?????" columnist Tiana Lowe Doescher posted on X. "What member of Dem leadership does she have kompromat on??"

Fox News

"Democrat Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii faced mockery on social media on Thursday over her opening questions to Interior Secretary nominee Doug Burgum during his confirmation hearing. 

" 'As part of my responsibilities to ensure the fitness of nominees before any of the committees on which I sit, I ask the following two initial questions," Hirono said to Burgum on Thursday. "First is, since you became a legal adult, have you ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors or committed any verbal or physical harassment or assault of a sexual nature?"

" 'No, senator, I have not," Burgum responded. 

" 'Have you ever faced discipline or entered into a settlement related to this kind of conduct?" Hirono then asked.

" 'I have not," Burgum said. 

"Hirono, who has asked similar opening questions to several other nominees in the past, including Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth and Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi, was widely panned by conservatives on social media over the line of questioning. 

" 'This lady has issues." conservative commentator Chad Prather posted on X. " . . .

Comment to the above: " 'Senator, I find these to be inappropriate questions that are totally unrelated to the substance of this hearing. I therefore respectfully decline to answer." What's she going to do about it - not vote for him? She already decided not to vote for him the day he was nominated by Trump." JHUJOEB663

Joe Biden IS dark money.

"The man whose family raked in millions from selling his influence to shady oligarchs and Chinese Communist Party entities, who just gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to ­George Soros, railed against “dark money.' ” Miranda Devine

Hey, Joe, you can’t take a bad song and make it better  . . ."That's about it. You know it's a bad speech when the guy who pardoned Hunter Biden is concerned about assuring that others pay their fair share of taxes. It takes a lot of courage to look into the camera and say that. It's amazing.

"As farewell speeches go, no one will compare this one to President Washington or even President Eisenhower talking about the military industrial complex. No such luck for Joe. This speech will be like that extra track in the LP that everybody skipped."

Miranda Devine: Self-deluded Biden is spending his last days as president showcasing all the same lies and cementing his tarnished ‘legacy’   Joe Biden is leaving office the way he came in — under a cloud of self-delusion and amid a rancid stench of lies. 

"He promised to be a standard-bearer of decency, a respecter of norms and the rule of law. 

"He presented himself as a unifier who would help the country heal after the pandemic, a man of integrity and impeccable character, ­unlike his wretched predecessor. 

"Yet behind closed doors, in the devious recesses of his soul, Joe plotted and planned just two things: self-aggrandizement and vengeance. 

"Joe paid lip service to a grab bag of virtuous goals but, really, he was all about himself.

"As he has been all his life." . . . More...

Blue City genius: Defunding the firefighters in Los Angeles

Monica Showalter 

. . ."Out of sight, out of mind, seems to have been the mentality.  Now we see the same of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, quite literally, except that the victims have no intention of staying out of sight, out of mind, they're right there demanding answers." 

"For all the talk about defunding the police in blue county Los Angeles, major fires revealed that what at least one blue government really ended up defunding was the fire department.

"In Los Angeles, the logic appears to be maybe the fire won't happen, so let's spend cash on special interests. Or, with Mexican firefighters coming in to help douse the flames, 'who needs firefighters when you can get Mexicans to do the job for less?'

"Sure, it's cynical to imagine that this is the business model, but it was quite a fast one they pulled, which as we can see now, was exceptionally tragic for Los Angeles with 9.6 million people and a $45 billion county budget, taking on two major fires in the Palisades and Altadena regions almost completely unprepared.

"By now, most have heard that the city's leaders saw fit to cut the fire department budget by $17 million even as other departments expanded, drawing much bigger budget slices than the fire department as the homeless and illegal immigrant population grew.

"What's less well-known is that they have been doing this for a while. According to this report, citing CNN, the Los Angeles firefighting budget is roughly the same size as it was in 1960 even though the city has roughly doubled in population and surrounding county has grown multifold.

"Worse still the county is rated among the most fire-vulnerable in the nation, according to this CBS report. The kind of preparation seen in Los Angeles, though, would be the equivalent of Boston refusing to prepare for snow or Florida failing to prepare for hurricanes." . . .

Hegseth Grilled by Feminist Fantasists

 Ann Coulter 

How Hamas Weaponized Sexual Violence on Oct. 7 - The New York Times

"Wouldn’t you know it? Defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth’s grilling by the Senate Armed Services Committee about his opposition to women in combat would have to come the very week that Los Angeles’ all-female leadership team was performing so masterfully at subduing wildfires. The way things are going, the fires should be out by Memorial Day.

"Between the gals who just let about a third of L.A. go up in smoke and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, the 5-foot-tall “combat veteran,” Hegseth had his work cut out for him. (Adding to his difficulty, women didn’t want Pete to solve this problem for them, they just wanted him to listen.)

"As Ernst could have explained to Hegseth, it’s one thing to acknowledge the blinding fact that females don’t stand a chance against males in tennis, soccer, running, throwing, swimming, discus throwing, pole vaulting, etc. But that has NOTHING to do with women’s abilities when it comes to trivial things like policing, fire-fighting and waging war. (To prove it, Ernst wears Army fatigue high heels!)

"More than 100 women athletes — including Martina Navratilova, one of the greatest tennis players of all time — submitted a brief to the Supreme Court last year that cited study after study after study establishing beyond cavil that human males have significantly more muscle mass, strength, spacial awareness and protection from stress fractures compared to women. (Among other things.)

"E.g.:

— “On average women have 50% to 60% of men’s upper arm muscle … 65% to 75% of men’s thigh muscle … 50% to 60% of men’s upper limb strength and 60% to 80% of men’s leg strength,” the brief noted.

— “The athletic advantages conferred by men’s larger and stronger bones includes ‘greater leverage for muscular limb power exerted in jumping, throwing, or other explosive power activities’ and greater male protection from stress fractures.”. . .

Israeli report says sexual assaults carried out ‘systematically’ during Hamas attack | CNN . . ."The report said that “several survivors of the massacre (Nova) provided eyewitness testimony of gang rape, where women were abused and handled between multiple terrorists who beat, injured, and ultimately killed them.”  

"Furthermore, some rapes were carried out in front of an “audience” of the victims’ partners, family, or friends, intended to “increase pain and humiliation of all present,” the report said."

"War As It Really Is:" Historic World War One Combat Footage from the Front

 YouTube

Descriptions and history from the comments to this post:

"Astounding footage. Thank you for posting! My great grandfather served in the 27th Canadian battalion. He fought in some terrible battles from 1916-1918 (St Eloi, the Somme, Passchendaele) to name a few. He was injured many times by shrapnel. Suffered life threatening infections. The worst was a gun shot wound in 1918 to his left arm that completely shattered his elbow. He required a silver plate to reconstruct it. I never had the chance to meet him (was born 15 years after he passed). His war experience is similar to that of so many others. Awe inspiring but also terrifying. Bless all those who paid so heavy a price. Dead and survivors alike. War is never the answer."

"My great uncle was lost in "wipers" [Ypres] and his body was never recovered.

My granddad was in some semi official capacity in 2013 and visited the commonwealth grave commission (?) headquarters, he was speaking to one of the people there and mentioned our loss, the guy said "What was your home town?" And asked him to wait a moment.

Came back with our family members leather dog tag.

They had been called by a farmer who had found some bones and they found an aid station dugout that had been hit by a shell which buried the whole aid station.

They found twenty wounded and four medic that had been there for all that time.

They were in the process of trying to contact kin and granddad had already been identified as the next of kin.

We had known Fred had been wounded and sent back from the front but he had never reached the rear." Verdun is a Human Slaughterhouse ; This is what a world war 1 battlefield in Verdun France looks like today.

CarterOnConflict has more at this site.

Joe Biden’s Bizarro World of Foreign Policy “Achievements”

 Victor Davis Hanson

"Biden’s farewell boasts ring hollow as his foreign policy missteps—from emboldening Iran and Hamas to the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal—undermine his claims of global achievement."

"Departing President Joe Biden offered a farewell brag this week to his State Department about how his tenure had improved America’s stature abroad. In his now accustomed weird mix of whispering and fiery shouting, Biden apparently felt he had to lie or mislead about almost every one of his “achievements.”

"Yet to the extent that anything improved abroad on his watch—the weakening of Iran or the near destruction of Hamas and Hezbollah—it was due despite, not because of, Biden.

"Biden, bowing to election year political pressure, did all he could to restrain and block Israeli retaliations to the October 7 massacres. Only after he was repeatedly proven wrong does he now shamelessly take credit for what Israel ironically achieved by ignoring his own threats directed at Israel.

"Biden is correct only that Iran is “weaker than it’s been in decades.” But Tehran was aided, not hurt, by Biden’s nonstop efforts to lift sanctions, to allow Iran to make billions in oil revenues, to pay the theocracy billions of dollars in hostage ransom, and to beg the mullahs to reenter the ill-starred Iran deal. Everything Biden did makes it much harder for Israel to survive.

"So, Iran is now weakened only because Israel ignored Biden’s nonstop ankle-biting and finger-shaking not to retaliate to Iranian aggression. Instead, the Netanyahu government systematically destroyed Iranian air defenses after killing most of Iran’s foreign terrorist operatives.

"Biden referenced the end of the Assad regime in Syria, but it imploded not due to any effort by Biden. It was overwhelmed instead only after the Israeli decimation of Hezbollah and humiliation of Iran—coupled with the election victory of Donald Trump—that encouraged Assad’s enemies to attack a now isolated and weakened regime.

"Biden is also taking credit for rumors that Hamas might release its hostages, who have been held in a subterranean labyrinth since October 7.

"But why, with less than a week left in his tenure, did Biden believe Hamas might begin releasing the hostages when even his own Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has criticized the administration for spending 16 months pressuring Israel, which only emboldened Hamas’s stonewalling?" . . .

Lying About History: Efforts to Whitewash Biden’s Foreign Policy Failures  

On January 20, America’s yearning for the return of a man of the people will be realized and the great effort to repair the prodigious damage of the Biden presidency may begin in earnest.

For the first time, Melania reveals an ugly truth about the Obamas…

Revolver News 

"And to make matters even better, thankfully for the Trumps, the very bitter and hulking Michelle Obama will be skipping the inauguration." 

 "The most gorgeous, classy, and graceful First Lady to ever hold the title is making her grand return. Melania Trump is heading back to the White House with the flair, beauty, and poise we’ve come to expect from her. But before stepping back into the “people’s house,” where she rightfully belongs, Melania sat down with Fox News and shared some eye-opening tidbits about the Obamas. Turns out, they’re just as nasty and vindictive as we all suspected. Melania experienced it firsthand during the so-called “transfer of power” back in 2017.

"So, what exactly is this peaceful and organized transfer of power? Most people don’t realize it’s actually tied to an act from the 1960s.

 Wikipedia:The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 provides the current mechanisms to facilitate an orderly and peaceful transition of power. Under existing federal law and custom, the major-party presidential candidates receive classified national security briefings once their nomination is formalized by their party.

 "According to Melania, the Obamas were anything but helpful. In fact, they went out of their way to withhold information from the Trumps, deliberately making this so-called “peaceful and organized” transition as difficult and challenging as possible.

"Sounds about right. After all, many would argue that there’s not a more divisive and negative couple on the planet than these two Marxist tyrants.

 

Barron Trump’s Incredible Transformation

  OSSA  "Barron Trump, the youngest son of the President-elect, is making waves! From his appearances alongside his father Donald Trump to his headline-grabbing height (Barron Trump taller than Donald!), there’s no shortage of curiosity surrounding Donald’s Trump son — Barron Trump.

"Whether it’s Barron Trump Florida rally debut or his quiet influence within the presidential campaign this video covers it all. Stay tuned for the latest on Barron Trump, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and more Trump family news!"

'He Knows His Generation': Melania Stunned by Barron's 'Incredible' Advice That Helped Trump Beat Kamala  . . .“ 'He was very vocal, and he gave advice to his father. And it was incredible how he brought in success, because he knew exactly who his father needed to contact and to talk to,” she said.

"In particular, Barron reportedly told his father to go on various podcasts — such as, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” influencer Adin Ross’ stream on Kick, “This Past Weekend with Theo Von,” and the “PBD Podcast” with businessman Patrick Bet-David.

"Altogether his appearances racked up over 80 million views." . . .

"Some of America’s vilest creatures pile on to a patently decent man." Bruce Bawer

"FOX News captured the historic march, showing the overwhelming enthusiasm and support for Trump’s nominee. For conservatives, this isn’t just about confirming a defense secretary—it’s about reigniting pride and purpose in America’s military." Kathy Sullivan 

What do we want? Democrats! When do we want 'em? NOW

Female Former Colleague of Pete Hegseth Slams Democrats for Peddling Lies, Hypocrisy at Confirmation Hearing  . . ."Holly K. Talley, who worked for Pete Hegseth as the Louisiana director at Concerned Veterans for America from 2013 to 2015, said she has publicly refuted an anonymously-sourced lie that Hegseth took staffers to a strip club while in her state, but Democrats have ignored her and keep repeating the lie.

"In an interview with Breitbart News on Wednesday, Talley said Hegseth was not even in the state at the time of the alleged incident, and she has said this multiple times on the record, but reporters and Democrats have ignored her.

“ 'Pete was not even in the state. He was nowhere near Louisiana. It wasn’t like we were in Shreveport and he was in Baton Rouge or something like that, or we were in New Orleans and he was in Leesville. He was not in the state and he was nowhere near the state,” she said." . . .

Grilling Hegseth: Democrats Expose Their Spiteful Hypocrisy  

"How bizarre it was to watch Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense, being abused at his confirmation hearing by the Democratic members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Until Trump picked him for his cabinet, I didn’t really know anything about Hegseth and had never watched his show on Fox News. But since his nomination, I’ve looked into him. I’ve heard his former colleagues speaking about him, without exception, in glowing terms. And when he sat there for hours in the committee room on Tuesday, he was not just highly articulate and well-informed on military matters; he exuded sincerity and decency. It was clear that whatever his past peccadillos, this is a man who genuinely loves America, who is dedicated to the idea of a strong military, and who cares about the men and women who wear the uniform of the American armed forces. For heaven’s sake, he comes off like something out of another era — a good, old-fashioned, corny, foursquare patriot of the kind that might have been played in an old movie by Jimmy Stewart or Gary Cooper.

"A recurrent complaint by the Democrats on the committee was that Hegseth didn’t have the kind of experience that previous candidates for the job had. Before becoming a host at Fox News, Hegseth studied politics at Princeton University and public policy at Harvard University, served with the Army at Guantánamo Bay, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and in the D.C. National Guard, led two veterans’ service organizations, and worked as a market analyst at Bear Stearns. His views on the important issues are rock-solid. He recognizes that DEI has done serious damage to the armed forces. He understands that Islam isn’t a religion of peace and that its more aggressive adherents are out to conquer the West. (It’s all true, but you’re not supposed to say so.). . .

We already knew, needless to say, that Warren, Blumenthal, and others were pretty slimy characters. But to see these people — these creatures who are apparently incapable of shame — stacked up live against the foursquare, rock-ribbed Pete Hegseth, who in response to their venom kept his cool throughout, was something special. . . .

This is literally worse than active combat… pic.twitter.com/dgqCI0Wg0I

— David Santa Carla 🦇 (@TheOnlyDSC) January 14, 2025

 "This will be a huge improvement," said Senate aide Chandler McKinnon. "We believe replacing these Democrat women with hyenas whose brains are being eaten by the rabies virus will greatly lessen the amount of shrieking and fighting going on. The hardest part will honestly be rounding up the women. That Gillibrand lady is a biter."

 

Gavin Newsom catches heat for bizarre shimmy and smile during live TV interview about LA fires

 Issues & Insights    Slick-haired Gavin Newsom gets ripped for awkward swagger move during interview amid LA fire devastation | Daily Mail Online

Stop it 😂😭💀 pic.twitter.com/84cbrMSzDb

— Politi_Rican 🇵🇷 𝕏 🇺🇸 (@TheRicanMemes) January 14, 2025

"Has there ever been a more reprehensible human being in charge of the once-great state of California?

"As fires were consuming homes and destroying neighborhoods – largely due to the criminal incompetence of Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the legions of hopeless inept leaders in the one-party state – Newsom seemed to be having the time of his life.

"We can’t read his thoughts. But from his expressions, it’s as if this is all great news to Newsom because it gives him more time in the spotlight. He can’t seem to help himself but smile as the news media descend on Los Angeles, follow him around with cameras, let him bloviate, and make him the center of attention. The only time Newsom genuinely expressed anger and frustration was when responding to President-elect Trump’s criticism of his failed leadership during this crisis.

"Newsom’s not the only one who seems delighted with his moment in the sun. The Castro-loving Bass, too, can’t seem to stop smiling at the massive devastation her party unleashed on her citizens.

"This all should be a wake-up call for California voters to wipe the smiles off the faces of these “progressive” leaders who wasted massive amounts of taxpayer money set aside for fire prevention, left the state unprepared for a disaster they knew was coming, and then pointed fingers of blame everywhere but at themselves.

"Since a picture is worth a thousand words, below are 23,000 words showing just what smug cretins these people are. All these are screenshots of events as Californians saw their homes, schools, businesses, churches, and livelihoods go up in flames."