Blinken acknowledges Mideast crisis taking
toll on staff
Posted By: NorthernDog, 10/19/2023 10:39:26 PM
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his staffers Thursday night that he knew many were shaken professionally and personally by the Israel-Hamas war — a message he sent amid unhappiness among some Muslim and Arab employees over how the U.S. is approaching the crisis. Blinken’s note to staff wasn’t a response to reports of the frustrations, a person familiar with the issue said. He had planned to write to department employees about the Middle East crisis but wanted to wait until he returned from a visit to the region, said the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
people like this.
Below, you will find ...
Most Recent Articles posted by "NorthernDog"
and
Most Active Articles (last 48 hours)
Most Recent Articles posted by
NorthernDog"
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his staffers Thursday night that he knew many were shaken professionally and personally by the Israel-Hamas war — a message he sent amid unhappiness among some Muslim and Arab employees over how the U.S. is approaching the crisis. Blinken’s note to staff wasn’t a response to reports of the frustrations, a person familiar with the issue said. He had planned to write to department employees about the Middle East crisis but wanted to wait until he returned from a visit to the region, said the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive
‘Anxiety and fear are high:’ US Palestinians,
Muslims fear a return to post-9/11 Islamophobia 34 replies
Muslims fear a return to post-9/11 Islamophobia 34 replies
As the Israel-Hamas War rages and the crisis in Gaza deepens, Taher Herzallah said he has exchanged frantic messages on social media with his family members who are trapped in Gaza. Their description of the situation is grim. He said they’ve told him they have no food, electricity, water or fuel. (Snip) Herzallah said his concerns for his family thousands of miles away have also been compounded by a growing fear for the safety of his wife and children here in the US, as reports of attacks against people perceived to be Muslim or Palestinian surface across the country.
President Biden is fully wrapping his arms around Israel. Literally. President Biden got off Air Force One during his high-stakes trip to the Middle East Wednesday and greeted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a big hug. (Snip) For Biden, he's left in a difficult and politically risky position – and the risk crosses political lines. He's not benefiting in the polls from his strong, pro-Israeli stance despite Americans saying they want that. Republicans are looking to pounce on any misstep. And, the longer Israel's campaign on Gaza marches on and civilian deaths mount, the more pressure Biden will likely face
'Squad' Democrats blame Israel for Gaza
hospital strike and slam Biden despite
strong pushback 28 replies
hospital strike and slam Biden despite
strong pushback 28 replies
Members of the progressive House "Squad" quickly blamed Israel for a deadly strike on a Christian hospital in Gaza, despite fierce denial from the Israeli government. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN) posted condemnations of the strike within hours of it happening, despite contradictory claims from Israeli and Palestinian officials. Hamas, the terrorist organization that is the de facto government of the Gaza Strip, immediately accused Israel of being behind the strike, and the Israeli Defense Forces attributed the strike to a different Gaza-based terror group known as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Omar and Tlaib accepted the Palestinian explanation
Two people were shot dead in the Belgian capital Brussels on Monday evening in what the government described as a terrorist attack. The suspect was still at large hours later, Belgian media reported, as authorities raised the terror alert in Brussels to its highest level. “Horrified by the terrorist attack that claimed two victims in the heart of Brussels,” Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib posted to X. “All necessary means must be mobilized to combat radicalism. Our thoughts go out to the victims, their families, and our police forces,” the minister added. Following the attack, the terror threat level for
Convoys of humanitarian aid stacked up near Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip on Sunday, unable to enter the Palestinian enclave being bombarded by Israel, witnesses told AFP. The Rafah crossing -- the only passage in and out of the Gaza Strip not controlled by Israel -- has been closed since Tuesday, after three Israeli air strikes on the Palestinian border post within 24 hours. (Snip) On Sunday, witnesses said concrete blocks installed by the Egyptians to fortify the border following Israel's bombings were still in place, suggesting that no passage was being considered in the immediate future. Already, shipments of aid
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s push-off from the pier at Naval Station Norfolk was delayed Friday. “The departure was delayed to ensure the ship is in peak readiness when she joins the units from the strike group,” said Cmdr. Lara Bollinger, public affairs officer for the U.S. Second Fleet. The Navy didn’t specify when the aircraft carrier will depart. The Eisenhower is the flagship of the Ike carrier strike group, a combined force of more than 5,000 sailors. It has long been scheduled to deploy this week to the Mediterranean. Other components of the strike group, destroyer USS Gravely and
Palestinian citizens of Israel have faced assaults, harassment, and discrimination since Saturday's terrorist attacks by Hamas, a local activist told Insider. Jafar Farah, the director of the Mossawa Center, which advocates for Palestinians in Israel, said in an interview on Thursday that the nonprofit has received a growing number of reports citing physical attacks, hate speech, workplace discrimination, and bias against Palestinians in Israel since Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, launched its surprise assault on the Jewish state. "On a daily basis, we get messages from groups and people in different places that there is incitement against them, that there
Sen. John Fetterman: "America Is Not Sending
Their Best And Brightest To Washington D.C." 36 replies
Their Best And Brightest To Washington D.C." 36 replies
Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), who was dressed in a hoodie and gym shorts, appeared on 'The Late Show' with host Stephen Colbert on Wednesday accompanied by a tablet to assist him. "Sometimes you literally just can't believe these people are making the decisions that are determining the government here," Fetterman said. "It's actually scary too," he added. COLBERT: Is it awkward to be in the Capitol and then run into people that you have put up a devastating meme about because you have excellent meme game. But then you have to see these people in the cafeteria. FETTERMAN: You all
High school students’ scores on the ACT college admissions test have dropped to their lowest in more than three decades, showing a lack of student preparedness for college-level coursework, according to the nonprofit organization that administers the test. (Snip) The average ACT composite score for U.S. students was 19.5 out of 36. Last year, the average score was 19.8. The average scores in reading, science and math all were below benchmarks the ACT says students must reach to have a high probability of success in first-year college courses. The average score in English was just above the benchmark but still
An American mom, 67, spent her life advocating
for Palestinian rights. Then, Hamas came
for her. 21 replies
for Palestinian rights. Then, Hamas came
for her. 21 replies
SHEFAYIM KIBBUTZ, Israel − They exchanged text messages and emojis. Brief status updates with words of encouragement. A picture of the beloved family dog "Tutsi." Until no more messages came. And then, Cindy Flash, an American, and her Israeli husband Igal vanished into the violence, presumed kidnapped by Hamas. Four days after Hamas attacked Israel, more than 100 Israelis and potentially dozens of foreign nationals are thought to be held captive in the Gaza Strip. At least 14 U.S. citizens have been killed and an unknown number are still unaccounted for. Flash, 67, originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, is one
Supporters of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement expressed distaste for the organization on Tuesday after a BLM chapter shared a statement supporting Palestinian people. "I have been a Black Lives Matter supporter since the beginning. That ends today," Natalie W wrote on X, formerly Twitter, responding to the BLM Grassroots statement. (Snip) In a statement posted on social media, the BLM Grassroots chapter responded to the ongoing fighting between Hamas militants and Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) saying, "As the world is faced with deep questions about self-determination, as well all desire and pray for a world of peace, we
Most Active Articles (last 48 hours)
Former Trump attorney Sidney Powell pleaded guilty Thursday morning in the Georgia election interference case on the eve of her trial alongside co-defendant Kenneth Chesebro.
Powell entered her guilty plea in Fulton County Superior Court, part of a deal reached with prosecutors, in which she pled guilty to six misdemeanor counts. In her plea, Powell agreed to serve six years of probation and pay a $6,000 fine and $2,700 in restitution to the state of Georgia. She also agreed to submit an apology letter to the citizens of Georgia and to testify at related court proceedings.
Powell was one of 19 defendants
‘Anxiety and fear are high:’ US Palestinians,
Muslims fear a return to post-9/11 Islamophobia 34 replies
Muslims fear a return to post-9/11 Islamophobia 34 replies
As the Israel-Hamas War rages and the crisis in Gaza deepens, Taher Herzallah said he has exchanged frantic messages on social media with his family members who are trapped in Gaza. Their description of the situation is grim. He said they’ve told him they have no food, electricity, water or fuel. (Snip) Herzallah said his concerns for his family thousands of miles away have also been compounded by a growing fear for the safety of his wife and children here in the US, as reports of attacks against people perceived to be Muslim or Palestinian surface across the country.
Veteran climate worrier Greta Thunberg announced Friday she has shifted her attention away from the world’s weather to focus on Israel’s fate as it fights Hamas and its associated terrorist organizations.
Thunberg took to social media and posted on X – formerly known as Twitter – to call a strike “in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza. The world needs to speak up and call for an immediate ceasefire, justice and freedom for Palestinians and all civilians affected.”
She also wants an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Thunberg’s call for peace and harmony in the Middle East comes three days after she was arrested in London during a protest against fossil fuels.
The ever feckless Republican National Committee (RNC) recently announced that it is going to have NBC News host its next presidential primary debate. This seems an odd choice, if only because NBC News hates Republicans. The news organization detests President Trump, Trump voters, patriotic Americans, capitalism, traditional values, borders, the Constitution of the United States of America, straight white males,Christianity, Israel, pro-lifers, Fox News, the Second Amendment, Mike Lindell, Lee Greenwood, “anti-vaxxers,” Joe Rogan, Aaron Rodgers, fossil fuels...and those of us who reside in Middle America in general.
Harvard pro-Palestinian groups held a 'die-in' on Wednesday, just over a week after the deadly terrorist attack by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 people in Israel.
The protests come just 12 days after the attack and a letter backed by 33 Harvard student groups that blamed Israel for the attack by Hamas terrorists sparked national outrage.
The Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee and Harvard Graduate Students for Palestine organized Wednesday's march from Harvard's main campus in Cambridge to its business school in Boston.
Former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC) said it is an absolute mess behind the scenes on Capitol Hill as House Republicans try to elect a new speaker, saying he “cannot overstate how angry some Republican members are.”[Snip] It is not Jim Jordan. It is the fact that Kevin McCarthy was the victim of a drive-by shooting orchestrated by a small group of people and Stevie Scalise got one crack at it.[Snip] Gowdy was likely referring to the strong-arm tactics Jordan’s supporters have been reportedly using while lobbying on his behalf.
Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume said Thursday that President Joe Biden’s address to the nation was “one of the best, if not the best, speeches of his presidency.”
Hume said, “I think it may be remembered as one of the best, if not the best, speeches of his presidency. He was firm, he was unequivocal, he was strong, as he has been particularly in recent days before he went to Israel and while he was over there.”He continued, “I was struck by the fact that he spent as much time as he did on Ukraine and I think it was a good thing that he did because
House Republicans voted to drop Jim Jordan as their speaker nominee in a secret-ballot vote on Friday afternoon, shortly after the House Judiciary chairman failed to secure the gavel in a floor vote for the third time this week.
Twenty-five House Republicans joined a united Democratic caucus in opposing Jordan’s third speaker bid on Friday, setting up the secret-ballot vote to strip him of the nomination. The GOP opposition to Jordan’s bid had steadily grown with each successive ballot: 2o members of the caucus voted against him on the first ballot and 22 voted against him the second time around.
President Biden delivered a speech to the nation from the Oval Office Thursday evening after returning from Israel in the aftermath of the Hamas terror attacks on October 7. He said he's going to ask Congress to appropriate $100 billion in new funding to combat Hamas and continue to aid Ukraine in its war against Russia. Reportedly, he wants $60 billion more for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.
"American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us – America – safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with," he said. "To put all that at risk
A number of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are reportedly refusing to support Rep. Jim Jordan in his bid to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker, not because of personal opposition to Jordan but rather in protest of Matt Gaetz’s efforts to oust the previous speaker. “I have been told by a good number of people that their objection isn’t personal to Jim, it is that voting in Jordan is perceived to be rewarding Matt Gaetz and the rest of the eight,” Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs said.
America has begun preparing for a major attack on the nation's capital - by simulating incoming missiles and hijacked airplanes. US defense contractor Northrop Grumman announced the successful test of its Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) this month. (Photo) The Beltway-area around Washington DC, known by defense personnel as the 'National Capital Region,' was successfully defended against 'simulated cruise missiles and 'compromised aircraft,' the company said. The tests come amid rising tensions worldwide, with the US amassing a war machine in the MidEast in a clear message to Iran to stay on the sidelines as Israel prepares to launch a ground invasion into Gaza.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his staffers Thursday night that he knew many were shaken professionally and personally by the Israel-Hamas war — a message he sent amid unhappiness among some Muslim and Arab employees over how the U.S. is approaching the crisis. Blinken’s note to staff wasn’t a response to reports of the frustrations, a person familiar with the issue said. He had planned to write to department employees about the Middle East crisis but wanted to wait until he returned from a visit to the region, said the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss a sensitive
Comments:
Blinky is promising they will urge Israel to tone things down and be more favorable to the Hamasites. Miss Rashida should be pleased.