#national security council

[justinspoliticalcorner]

AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER at AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — Incoming senior Trump administration officials have begun questioning career civil servants who work on the White House National Security Council about who they voted for in the 2024 election, their political contributions and whether they have made social media posts that could be considered incriminating by President-elect Donald Trump’s team, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. At least some of these nonpolitical employees have begun packing up their belongings since being asked about their loyalty to Trump — after they had earlier been given indications that they would be asked to stay on at the NSC in the new administration, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive personnel matters. Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, in recent days publicly signaled his intention to get rid of all nonpolitical appointees and career intelligence officials serving on the NSC by Inauguration Day to ensure the council is staffed with those who support Trump’s agenda. A wholesale removal of foreign policy and national security experts from the NSC on Day 1 of the new administration could deprive Trump’s team of considerable expertise and institutional knowledge at a time when the U.S. is grappling with difficult policy challenges in Ukraine, the Mideast and beyond. Such questioning could also make new policy experts brought in to the NSC less likely to speak up about policy differences and concerns. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Monday that he has not been told by Waltz or Trump transition team officials that the incoming team has conducted or planned on conducting such vetting. But Sullivan in recent days has made a robust case for the incoming Trump administration to hold over career government employees assigned to the NSC at least through the early going of the new administration. He called the career appointees “patriots” who have served “without fear or favor for both Democratic and Republican administrations. ”

[...] The NSC staff members being questioned about their loyalty are largely subject matter experts who have been loaned to the White House by federal agencies — the State Department, FBI and CIA, for example — for temporary duty that typically lasts one to two years. If removed from the NSC, they would be returned to their home agencies. Vetting of the civil servants began in the last week, the official said. Some of them have been questioned about their politics by Trump appointees who will serve as directors on the NSC and who had weeks earlier asked them to stick around. There are dozens of civil servants at the directorate level at the NSC who had anticipated remaining at the White House in the new administration. A second U.S. official told the AP that he was informed weeks ago by incoming Trump administration officials that they planned on raising questions with career appointees that work at the White House, including those at the NSC, about their political leanings. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly, however, had not yet been formally vetted.

[...] Trump, during his first term, was scarred when two career military officers detailed to the NSC became whistleblowers, raising their concerns about Trump’s 2019 call to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which the president sought an investigation of Biden and his son Hunter. That episode led to Trump’s first impeachment. Alexander Vindman was listening to the call in his role as an NSC official when he became alarmed at what he heard. He approached his twin brother, Eugene, who at the time was serving as an ethics lawyer at the NSC. Both Vindmans reported their concerns to superiors. Alexander Vindman said in a statement Friday that the Trump team’s approach to staffing the NSC “will have a chilling effect on senior policy staff across the government.” He added, “Talented professionals, wary of being dismissed for principled stances or offering objective advice, will either self-censor or forgo service altogether.” The two men were heralded by Democrats as patriots for speaking out and derided by Trump as insubordinate. Eugene Vindman in November was elected as a Democrat to represent Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.

The Trump campaign team is conducting an authoritarian purge of civil servants working at the National Security Council by letting only loyal Trumpists serve on the Council as part of the MAGA cult’s war on expertise.

See Also:

Raw Story: Security experts grilled on how they voted as major White House cull begins: insiders

The New Republic: Trump Appointee Has Unhinged Plan for Purging Government Workers

Daily Kos: Trump risks national security with loyalty test for civil servants

[vyorei]

So they're saying absolutely nothing, big fucking surprise.

[godisarepublican]

SHOCKING REVELATION: Putin doesn't like it when Joe Biden pays the Ukraine to launch missiles onto Russian soil

I hate to get all Realpolitik on you but, it's not about "right" and "Wrong." The United States is NOT the World Police and Joe Biden is NOT the Pope of the World. Our foreign policy is never supposed to be enforcing some idea of "Morality." It's supposed to be about advancing the interests of the United States.

Biden's insane policies have placed Russian nuclear navel vessels in Cuba and significantly strengthened north Korea even as it has already destabilized the energy markets.

Wow. Way to go, Joe.

We all know Biden is barely able to remember what day it is, so this idiocy is all pouring out of the National Security Council. They're the ones who need Biden, because having a senile coot as President means they have a free hand to play God and wreck the planet.

Trump won't play their globalist games.

[stop-war-ukraine]

🇷🇺 Moscow may launch a second test of the new Oreshnik missile against Ukraine as early as this weekend, according to a US National Security Council official via the Financial Times.

[trump-executive-orders]

Organization of the National Security Council and Subcommittees

Issued January 20, 2025.

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct the following:

As President, my highest priority and responsibility is to ensure the safety and security of the United States and its people. The national and homeland security threats facing the United States are complex and rapidly evolving. These issues often do not fit neatly into the categories that single departments and agencies are designed to optimally address, a fact recognized and exploited by our strategic competitors and adversaries in their adoption of whole-of-government and even whole-of-society approaches.

The United States Government's decision-making structures and processes to address national security challenges must therefore be equally adaptive and comprehensive. They must be able to competently design and execute cooperative and integrated interagency solutions to address these problems, and protect and advance the national interests of the United States. Therefore, to advise and assist me in this endeavor, I hereby direct that my system for national security policy development, decision-making, implementation, and monitoring shall be organized as set forth in this Memorandum. This Memorandum prevails over any prior orders, directives, memoranda, or other Presidential guidance related to the organization of the National Security Council (NSC or Council).

A. The National Security Council and Supporting Staff

Functions, Responsibilities, and Chairs.

(a) Functions and Responsibilities. The National Security Act of 1947, as amended (the Act), established the NSC to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to national security. The Homeland Security Council (HSC) has the distinct purpose of advising the President on matters pertaining to homeland security. The NSC shall convene as the HSC on topic areas agreed to in advance by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (National Security Advisor) and the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (Homeland Security Advisor). Along with its subordinate committees and staff, the NSC shall be the President's principal means for coordinating Executive departments and agencies in the development and implementation of national and homeland security policies, strategies, activities, and functions, their integration across departments and agencies within their purview, and for long-term strategic planning.

(b) Chairs. The President will chair the NSC. When the President is absent from a meeting of the Council, he may appoint a Cabinet-level official to chair.

2. NSC Staffing Responsibilities of the National Security Advisor.

(a) Role of the National Security Advisor. The National Security Advisor shall be responsible, as appropriate and at the President's direction, for determining the agenda for the NSC, ensuring that the necessary papers are prepared, and recording and communicating the Council actions and Presidential decisions in a timely manner.

(b) Role of the Homeland Security Advisor. When convened as the HSC, the duties referenced in subsection (2)(a) shall be the responsibility of the Homeland Security Advisor.

3. Designating NSC Members, Attendees, and Invitees.

(a) Membership. The NSC membership consists of the statutory members set forth in section 101(c)(1) of the Act (50 U.S.C. 3021(c)(1)):

The President;

The Vice President;

The Secretary of State;

The Secretary of the Treasury;

The Secretary of Defense;

The Secretary of Energy;

The Director of the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy;

and additional members hereby designated by the President pursuant to section 101(c)(1) of the Act:

The Attorney General;

The Secretary of the Interior;

Chief of Staff to the President (White House Chief of Staff); and

The National Security Advisor.

When the NSC convenes as the HSC, members shall also include:

The Secretary of Homeland Security; and

The Homeland Security Advisor.

(b) NSC Meeting Attendees. The National Security Advisor retains the discretion to determine the attendee list for all meetings of the NSC, including by requesting the attendance of any senior official of the Executive Branch. The Homeland Security Advisor retains this same discretion when the NSC convenes as the HSC. This discretion shall be exercised based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing requirements, and other considerations.

As regular practice, the National Security Advisor and Homeland Security Advisor shall include as additional non-voting attendees:

The Director of National Intelligence (non-voting advisor);

The Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy National Security Advisor (non-voting advisor and principal notetaker), or, when convening as the HSC, the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor (non-voting advisor and principal notetaker);

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (non-voting advisor); and

The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (non-voting advisor);

(c) NSC Regular Invitees. Unless specifically restricted, these officials are invited to attend any NSC and HSC meeting as non-voting advisors:

The Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President;

The Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy;

The Assistant to the President for Policy; and

The Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs and Legal Counsel to the National Security Advisor.

4. Right to Propose Agenda Items.

Any NSC member attending a meeting in a voting capacity may propose, in advance and in accordance with a timeline set by the National Security Advisor or his designee, agenda items for their consideration. [A footnote is included here in the original text. This footnote leads to a broken link.] The National Security Advisor will determine whether to include these items on the agenda. The Homeland Security Advisor shall have this same discretion when the Council is convened as the HSC.

5. The National Security Council Staff.

(a) Staff Fusion. There is a single NSC staff within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) that serves both the NSC on national security matters and the HSC when the Council is considering homeland security matters. The staff is headed by a single Executive Secretary, in accordance with section 101(e)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3021(e)(1)) and section 905 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 495).

(b) Purpose. The purposes of the National Security Advisor and subordinate staff are to

(i) advise and assist the President in the course of conducting activities that relate to or affect the carrying out of the President's constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties pertaining to national or homeland security, pursuant to the Presidential Records Act of 1978, as amended; [A footnote is included here in the original text. This footnote leads to a broken link.]

(ii) advise and assist the other members of the NSC (and the NSC when convening as the HSC), and others in the White House;

(iii) help the President plan and set priorities, in accordance with section II of the Message of the President in the Reorganization Plan No. 1 or 1977;

(iv) advise and make recommendations to the President with respect to, and establish, integrated domestic, foreign, and military policies and procedures for the departments, agencies, and functions of the Government relating to national and homeland security, pursuant to sections 2 and 101(b)(1) of the Act (50 U.S.C. 3002, 3021(b)(1));

(v) coordinate, facilitate, monitor, oversee, and review Administration policies and their implementation with respect to national security, and make resulting recommendations to the President;

(vi) help the President resolve major conflicts among departments and agencies with regard to national security, in accordance with section II of the Message of the President in the Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977.

(c) Fair, Balanced, and Thorough Processes. In accordance with sections I and II of the Message of the President in the Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977, the NSC staff shall ensure that the processes it organizes, coordinates, and manages fairly and thoroughly gather the facts, intelligence, and other relevant information necessary to NSC decisions; fully analyze the issues, consider a full range of views and options; assess the prospects, risks, costs, and implications of each option; and distill these options for the President, other NSC principals, and senior officials participating in the subsidiary committees of the NSC or HSC, in a fair, balanced, and organized way. The National Security Advisor and subordinate NSC staff shall represent the views and differences of NSC principals and other senior officials to the President with accuracy and fidelity.

(d) Policy Development. In accordance with sections I and II of the Message of the President in the Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977, [A footnote is included here in the original text. The footnote leads to a broken link.] the NSC staff shall facilitate the development and refinement of interagency policy options, and develop additional options besides those proposed by departments and agencies as necessary, both to complement, supplement, and enhance their work, and to offer the President and other NSC principals and other senior officials a sufficiently broad menu of operationally feasible options for consideration, deliberation, and decision.

B. The Principals Committee

Principals Committee Establishment.

(a) (i) Functions and Responsibilities. The Principals Committee (PC) shall continue to serve as the Cabinet-level senior interagency forum for considering policy issues that affect the national security interests of the United States. The PC shall develop options and recommendations for the President on national security and homeland security matters requiring the President's attention, and with the Committee's full consensus shall set priorities, issue policy guidance, and facilitate coordination and integration on national security policy and implementation issues as appropriate that do not require Presidential attention. [There is a footnote here in the original text. This footnote leads to a broken link.] Issues involving matters that are statutorily authorized for decision by a principal, or delegated to a principal by the President, can be coordinated and decided by the principals without requiring Presidential attention.

(ii) Voting and NSC Referral. Consensus is reached when all voting (i.e., non-advisory) attendees present either vote affirmatively for the same decisional option or formally abstain, and all such votes shall be recorded and minuted. Issues for which the Committee fails to reach consensus shall be referred to the NSC for decision, with a formal nonconcurrence required by at least one non-advisory attendee presented for such a referral. Whether an issue requires Presidential attention, and the Committee attendees' positions on the issue itself, shall be separately polled. If a voting attendee does not concur with the determination that Presidential consideration is not required, the issue shall be referred, along with the results of the PC's deliberation on the issue itself and its recommendations, to deliberation by the NSC.

(b) Role of the National Security Advisor. The PC shall be convened and chaired by the National Security Advisor. The Chair shall determine the agenda, location, and meeting materials, in consultation with the appropriate attendees.

(c) Substitute Chairs. At his sole discretion, the National Security Advisor may delegate authority to convene and chair or co-chair the PC to an appropriate attendee of the NSC or EOP policy council senior official. The Homeland Security Advisor, who is Chair when the PC considers matters that would be raised to the NSC convening as the HSC, may similarly delegate such duties.

(d) Right to Propose Agenda Items. Any PC member attending in a voting capacity may propose, in advance and in accordance with a timeline set by the Chair, agenda items for consideration by the PC. The Chair will determine which, if any, shall be included.

2. Executive Secretary Responsibilities and Process.

(a) Responsibilities. The Executive Secretary shall ensure that the necessary papers are prepared, serve as executive secretary of the PC, and shall record and communicate accurately, and in a timely manner, the Committee's conclusions and decisions, what was not decided, and any responsibilities for implementation by departments and agencies or taskings to the Deputies Committee or subsidiary policy coordination committees that have been agreed or assigned, if appropriate. [There is a footnote here in the original text. This footnote leads to a broken link.] The Executive Secretary shall generally be assisted in these tasks by the senior directors and other NSC staff by the senior directors and other NSC staff.

(b) Dispute Resolution Process. If a PC voting attendee disputes that the conclusions or decisions of the PC were correctly minuted, this must be communicated in writing to the Executive Secretary and the National Security Advisor (and any substitute Chair if appropriate) within three business days, although those officials may allow additional time if exigent or extenuating circumstances require it. If resolution of the dispute cannot be achieved, and any necessary amended report of the PC proceedings was issued within a week of the dispute being communicated, the disputing attendee may appeal the matter to the White House Chief of Staff or, should that official so designate, to the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, whose decision shall be final.

3. Principals Committee Attendees and Invitees.

(a) Principals Committee Attendees.

(i) The National Security Advisor retains the discretion to determine the attendee list for all PC meetings on national security. The Homeland Security Advisor retains this same discretion when chairing the PC. This discretion shall be exercised based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations. As regular practice, the National Security Advisor and Homeland Security Advisor shall include as additional non-voting attendees:

The Director of National Intelligence;

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;

The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency;

The Principal Deputy National Security Advisor;

the National Security Advisor to the Vice President; and

The Executive Secretary (principal notetaker).

(ii) PC Regular Invitees. Unless specifically restricted, these officials are invited to attend any PC meeting as non-voting advisors:

The Assistant to the President and Counselor to the President;

The Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy;

The Assistant to the President for Policy; and

The Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs and Legal Counsel to the National Security Advisor.

(iii) Staffing Invitees. At the discretion of the Chair, staff members of the NSC or other appropriate EOP policy councils may be invited to attend specific PC meetings to assist the Executive Secretary in the performance of their executive secretary duties.

C. The Deputies Committee

Deputies Committee Establishment.

(a) Functions and Responsibilities. The Deputies Committee (DC) shall continue to serve as the senior sub-Cabinet interagency forum for consideration of and, where appropriate, decision making on, policy issues that affect the national security interests of the United States. The DC shall review and monitor the work of the interagency national security process, including the interagency groups established pursuant to section D below. The DC shall work to ensure that issues brought before the NSC, the NSC when convening as the HSC, and the PC have been properly analyzed and prepared for decision. The DC shall also focus significant attention on monitoring the implementation of these policies and decisions and shall conduct periodic reviews of the Administration's major national security and foreign policy initiatives.

(b) Role of the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor. The DC shall be convened and chaired by the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor. The Chair shall determine the location, agenda, and meeting materials in consultation with the DC attendees.

(c) Substitute Chairs. At his sole discretion, the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor may delegate authority to convene and chair or co-chair the DC to an appropriate regular attendee of the DC or other appropriate EOP official. The Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security (Deputy Homeland Security Advisor) shall chair meetings when considering issues that would be raised when the NSC is convened as the HSC. The Deputy Homeland Security Advisor has similar delegatory authority.

(d) Right to Propose Agenda Items. Any DC member attending in a voting capacity may propose, in advance and in accordance with a timeline set by the Chair, agenda items for consideration by the DC. The Chair will determine which, if any, shall be included.

2. Executive Secretary Responsibilities and Process.

(a) General. The Executive Secretary shall ensure that the necessary papers are prepared, and shall record and communicate accurately, and in a timely manner, the Committee's conclusions and decisions, what was not decided, and any responsibilities for implementation by departments and agencies or taskings to subsidiary policy coordination committees that have been agreed or assigned, if appropriate. The Executive Secretary shall generally be assisted in this task by the senior directors and other NSC staff.

(b) Dispute Resolution Process. If a DC voting attendee disputes that the conclusions or decisions of the DC were correctly minuted, this must be communicated in writing to the Executive Secretary and the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor or the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor, as relevant, within three business days, although those officials may allow additional time if exigent or extenuating circumstances require it. If resolution of the dispute cannot be achieved, and any necessary amended report of the PC proceedings issued within a week of the dispute being communicated, the disputing attendee may appeal the matter to the White House Chief of Staff, or should that official so designate, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy, whose decision shall be final.

3. Designating Deputies Committee Regular Attendees and Invitees.

(a) Deputies Committee Attendees. The Principal Deputy National Security Advisor retains the discretion to determine the attendee list for all DC meetings.

The Deputy Homeland Security Advisor retains this same discretion when chairing DC meetings. This discretion shall be exercised based on the policy relevance of attendees to the issues being considered, the need for secrecy on sensitive matters, staffing needs, and other considerations.

As regular practice, the Principal Deputy National Security Advisor shall include as DC attendees:

The Deputy Secretary of State;

The Deputy Secretary of the Treasury;

The Deputy Secretary of Defense;

The Deputy Attorney General;

The Deputy Secretary of Energy;

The Deputy Director of National Intelligence (non-voting advisor);

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (non-voting advisor);

The Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (non-voting advisor);

The Executive Secretary of the NSC (non-voting advisor and principal notetaker); and

The National Security Advisor to the Vice President.

When homeland security issues are on the DC agenda, the DC's regular attendees will also include:

The Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security; and

The Deputy Homeland Security Advisor (chair).

(b) DC Regular Invitees. These officials are invited to attend any DC meeting:

The Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and

The Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Policy Strategist.

D. Policy Coordination Committees

Management of the development and implementation of national security policies by multiple Executive departments and agencies typically shall be accomplished by Policy Coordination Committees (PCCs), with participation primarily occurring at the Assistant Secretary level. As the main day-to-day fora for interagency coordination and integration of national security policies, PCCs shall develop and provide policy options and analyses for consideration by higher echelon committees of the national security system. PCCs shall ensure timely responses to, and implementation and monitoring of, decisions, directives, objectives, instructions, inquiries, tasking, and policy guidance of and by the President, National Security Advisor, and the higher-echelon committees of the national security system.

PCCs shall be established at the direction of the National Security Advisor or Homeland Security Advisor, in consultation with the White House Chief of Staff or her designee. Members of the NSC staff will chair the PCCs.

PCCs shall review, coordinate, integrate, and monitor the implementation of Presidential decisions in their respective national security and homeland security policy areas. The Chair of each PCC, in consultation with the Executive Secretary, shall invite representatives of departments and agencies to attend meetings of the PCC where appropriate. The Chair of each PCC, with the agreement of the Executive Secretary, may establish subordinate working groups to assist that PCC in the performance of its duties.

Interagency Policy Committees (IPCs) chartered under the aegis of the process established by National Security Memorandum-2 (NSM-2) may continue to be operated as PCCs by the NSC staff until renewed or discontinued by the National Security Advisor.

E. General.

(a) The President and the Vice President may attend any meeting of any entity established by or under this directive.

(b) This document is part of a series of National Security Policy Memoranda, which have replaced both National Security Memoranda and National Security Study Memoranda as the instrument for communicating relevant Presidential decisions. This directive shall supersede all other existing Presidential directives and guidance on the organization or support of the NSC and the HSC where they conflict, including National Security Memorandum-2 of February 4, 2021 (Memorandum on Renewing the National Security Council System), which is hereby revoked. This document shall be interpreted in concert with any Presidential directives governing other policy councils and offices in the EOP mentioned herein, and with any Presidential directives signed hereafter that implement this document or those Presidential directives.

[william-r-melich]

Tik Tok on the Chopping Block - 04/25/2024

Yesterday, Joe Biden signed the Tik Tok Divest-or-Ban bill into law. I covered this bill extensively in my post, "Tik Tok Bill/HR 7521" back on March 16th of this year. This bill forces ByteDance to sell Tik Tok within one year. It's clear to me that this Chinese owned company is controlled by the CCP and is using it to gather information on US citizens and influence children toward committing self-harm and suicide.

Tik Tok's CEO, Shou Zi Chew released the following video statement yesterday. "Make no mistake, this is a ban, a ban on you and your voice. We are confident, and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts. The facts and the Constitution are on our side, and we expect to prevail again." He was referring to how they circumvented Trump's executive order to ban the app in the U.S. back in 2020. Tik Tok's position is that through China's Counterespionage Law, its customer data is stored in Virginia and backed up in Singapore. They claim that they have never or ever will share U.S. data with the CCP. Yet the owner of ByteDance previously issued a letter of apology to the CCP about failing to follow the CCP's directives. It's obvious to me that they are more of an arm of the CCP than a private company and we should not trust them. At the same time, I'm also conflicted about trusting our own government. Regardless it's now signed into law, like it or not.

Tik Tok and ByteDance together spent over $7 million since the beginning of this year on TV and digital ads in an effort to stop legislation from passing the bill. A Tik Tok spokesperson said this, "This expenditure reflects work we do to educate policy makers about how legislation could affect our community of 170 million American users." Tik Tok officials lobbied Congress and Biden's executive office last quarter. Biden's executive office contains the National Security Council, the Office Management and Budget, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and other divisions.

As I mentioned in my previous post on this bill last March, Donald Trump and Elon Musk both came out against it. Trump is concerned that it could expand government powers on other platforms, and Musk is concerned about censorship. The bill is intended to remove any foreign influence and investment in social media platforms and websites here in the U.S. The government would have to prove that a foreign entity is directly involved and then initially force divestment, and then later if necessary deplatform the app and shut down their operating websites.

I'm all for private companies operating platforms that allow freedom of expression, but not if they're being operated by a foreign adversary like China's CCP. Yet I'm always very skeptical of our government and their tendencies to over-reach in order to go after their political opposition. Especially with this current bunch in charge. All we can do is to stay informed and hopefully for the sake of our freedom and security vote in Republican majorities in both the house and senate, and get Donald Trump back into office, in my opinion.

[noctomania]

“National Archives - Palestine - National Security Council. Central Intelligence Agency. (09/18/1947 - 12/04/1981). - This film is a Columbia Broadcasting Service (CBS) documentary with Mike Wallace on the Palestinian leadership and their use of paramilitary organizations, such as Black September and the Palestine Liberation Organization, to promote terrorism in Israel. - DVD Copied by IASL Scanner Thomas Gideon. - ARC 643907 / LI 263.346 “ 

Publication date: 1976

watch time: 20min

[caymannewsservice]

Security Council gives blessing for speed cameras

An example of LIDAR technology speed cameras (CNS): The National Security Council has given its blessing to the idea of speed cameras in the hope of reducing local crashes and fatalities on the roads. According to a summary of the closed-door meeting, held on Tuesday, 25 February, and chaired by the governor, National Roads Authority Director Edward Howard gave a presentation to NSC members on…

[whitefromthebeginning]

Iran Contra with Ronald Reagan falsely portrayed as a decision maker and Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush hidden behind the scenes with Colonel North and Frank Wohl

[mossadegh]

• National Security Council Documents | IRAN

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Jay Kuo for The Big Picture:

Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset. Either that, or she’s compromised. At best, she’s a useful shill for the Kremlin. She’s even been called “Russia’s girlfriend” by its own propagandists. And she is a big vector for disinformation, particularly around Ukraine and other countries Putin has his sights on. Those countries include Syria, where Russia has long backed the murderous regime of Bashar al-Assad against rebel forces in a war that has killed half a million people and displaced 12 million more both inside and outside the country. Gabbard infamously visited Assad on her own in 2015, after which she became a chief apologist for his regime, to the horror of her fellow Democrats at the time.

Now Assad has fled, apparently to Moscow, and we may still learn what caused Gabbard to come to Assad’s defense at a time when he was gassing his own citizens. But time is running out. In a true “we’re in the upside down” moment, Donald Trump has nominated Gabbard to the position of Director of National Intelligence, an office that oversees no fewer than 18 different U.S. intelligence agencies. In that position, Gabbard would oversee the National Intelligence Program, which funds intelligence activities in several federal departments, and the Central Intelligence Agency. She would also advise Trump, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council on matters of national security. In order to do so, she would necessarily have access to all of our nation’s top secrets—a terrifying proposition if Gabbard is actually in the tank for Russia. There is ample reason to suspect that Gabbard has at a minimum been brainwashed into becoming a reliable Putin mouthpiece. And her bizarre and as yet unexplained affinity for Assad is now fully in the spotlight too, given that regime’s total collapse. All of her favorite leaders are now gathered in Moscow, which raises a crucial question: What the hell are we doing considering her for the top intelligence post?

Look what you made Vlad do!

It isn’t clear when exactly Gabbard made the jump from U.S. isolationist to Putin apologist. But few can forget her public position, tweeted out to the world when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The “war and suffering” could have been avoided, Gabbard claimed, if the Biden administration and its allies had acknowledged “Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO,” which she said would “mean US/NATO forces right on Russia’s border”:

[...]

Parroting dangerous bioweapons claims

Gabbard followed this up with a call for a cease-fire, recording a video in which she claimed there were 25 or more U.S.-funded “biolabs in Ukraine which if breached would release and spread deadly pathogens.” U.S. officials had vehemently denied these allegations when they were made days earlier by Russian officials, but Gabbard again sided with Russia.

Fact-checkers debunked the claims of “biolabs” in Ukraine as initially spread by anonymous social media accounts. But after they emerged, the claims went viral. Per reporting by the Washington Post, the false claims eventually reached Tucker Carlson’s show on the Fox Network and were amplified by the Russian government. (Carlson is another apologist for Putin, and portions of his show were aired earlier this year on Russian state television.) The question over the alleged biolabs was no small matter, and Gabbard’s amplification of the disinformation was alarming to many. 

[...]

Taking the side of a mass murderer

Gabbard’s preference for our enemies isn’t limited to Russia. She has frequently defended Bashar al-Assad in Syria. And it takes a unique kind of person to do so. In her first visit to Syria, which took place in June 2015, Gabbard went on her own as a Congresswoman representing the state of Hawaii. She met with burn victims who had suffered head-to-toe injuries from air strikes. But rather than condemn Assad, according to her translator, Gabbard sought to persuade the victims that their injuries had not come from government air strikes but from the resistance. This was patently absurd because the rebels had no air power. Only the government did. So why was she so keen to argue this, even to burn victims? In September of 2015, Putin entered the conflict on the side of Assad. He sent mercenaries but also increased the regime’s ability to perform air strikes, which Assad used to bomb hospitals and other civilian structures. This turned the tide in favor of Assad for a prolonged period.

[...]

Is Gabbard a Russian asset?

Many have openly speculated about exactly why Gabbard has been so keen to parrot Russian propaganda and defend a brutal dictator like Assad. And indeed, prominent leaders from both sides of the aisle have accused Gabbard of being everything from a Russian asset to an apologist for our sworn enemies. Hillary Clinton appeared on a podcast in 2019 stating she believed Trump and the GOP were “grooming” another spoiler third-party candidate who would be helpful to Russia. “She’s the favorite of the Russians,” Clinton mused. “They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far and that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up because she’s also a Russian asset.” Asked later whether Clinton was referring to Gabbard, her spokesperson said, “If the nesting doll fits.” (Gabbard exploded in anger over the claim and even sued Clinton for $50 million claiming defamation, but later dropped the suit.) On the other side, former UN Ambassador and Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley recently laid into Gabbard on her podcast. After walking through Gabbard’s worrisome record of siding with our enemies, and speaking specifically about the position of Director of National Intelligence, Haley warned, “This is not the place for a Russian, Iranian, Syrian and Chinese sympathizer. DNI has to analyze real threats. Are we comfortable with someone like that at the top of our national intelligence agencies?”

Putin and Assad sockpuppet Tulsi Gabbard running our national intelligence would be harmful to national security and our allies.

[sayruq]

The US, on 29 February, vetoed a UN Security Council (UNSC) statement that would have condemned Israel for the mass murder of over 100 Palestinian civilians who were awaiting the delivery of humanitarian aid in Gaza City. “We don’t have all the facts on the ground – that’s the problem,” US deputy ambassador to the UN Robert Wood told reporters on Thursday. He then claimed there are “contradictory reports” about the Israeli army's latest massacre and highlighted that Washington was focused on finding “some language that everyone can agree on.” Thursday's veto is the fifth time Washington has blocked a UNSC statement or ceasefire resolution that would hold Israel accountable for the atrocities it has committed in Gaza.

[godisarepublican]

The only way to fix our government: Restore the constitution

The President has a Cabinet. These are his advisors.

The President can (and often does) have what is referred to as a "Kitchen Cabinet." These would be trusted friends, experts, business leaders, other politicians... anyone whose advice the President may want to consider.

We don't need a National Security Council

The National Security Council is an unelected, unconstitutional arm of the United States government, and it needs to go. Now.

A redundant man is an unnecessary man, and the President is fully empowered to appoint his trusted advisors to Cabinet positions, and to consult others as part of his Kitchen Cabinet. He doesn't need any more.

What's wrong with the National Security Council?

They exist to preserve the interests of the D.C. establishment... to bring "Continuity" to our foreign policy no matter how incredibly awful it is. The President? He's only temporary. But the D.C. establishment is FOREVER!

So get rid of it. The National Security Council is the problem.

The NSC is why our foreign policy is so goddamn batshit crazy.

The NSC is why risking nuclear war with Russia, and opening our borders to a flood of illegals is VASTLY more important than our people, our economy, our security.

The only potential use for the NSC would be the involvement in removing a President who is unfit for the job. But one look at Joe Biden tells you that, to the NSC, that's a feature! It's a benefit! He's out of their way! They're free to do all the evil they want, without interference from Biden!

So get rid of the National Security Council.

It is literally an unelected, unconstitutional government!

[industrybuzz]

Israel Agrees to Brief Evac Periods

Israel has agreed to daily four-hour humanitarian pauses in its offensive against Hamas in northern Gaza, according to the White House. President Joe Biden had urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for both daily pauses and a broader three-day cessation to make space for negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas. While a formal cease-fire seems unlikely at the moment, the…

[head-post]

US accuses former ambassador of spying for Cuba

The US has indicted a former diplomat who served on the National Security Council in the 1990s on charges that he secretly served as an agent of the Cuban government for more than 40 years, The Guardian reports.

Victor Manuel Rocha was arrested on Friday as a result of a lengthy FBI counterintelligence investigation. As US ambassador to Bolivia from 2000 to 2002, Rocha also served on the National Security Council from 1994 to 1995. He faces charges of multiple federal offences. The attorney general, Merrick Garland, said:

This action exposes one of the highest-reaching and longest-lasting infiltrations of the United States government by a foreign agent. We allege that for over 40 years, Victor Manuel Rocha served as an agent of the Cuban government and sought out and obtained positions within the United States government that would provide him with access to non-public information and the ability to affect US foreign policy.

Federal law requires people who carry out political assignments for a foreign government or organisation on US soil to register with the Justice Department, which in recent years has stepped up criminal prosecutions for illegal foreign lobbying.

Read more HERE

[mauricioclavercarone]

Mauricio Claver-Carone - A National Security Council Official

Mauricio Claver-Carone, a seasoned attorney and investor in Washington, D.C., previously served as President of the Inter-American Development Bank. His goals are twofold: to excel as an investor and to advance U.S. policy priorities in Latin America and the Caribbean.