How Is Donald Trump Still President?

This President Trump learned, at some point, either last week or months ago, that Vladimir Putin and Russia put out a bounty to pay the Taliban in Afghanistan to kill our American troops, our soldiers over there.

His first response to this information

First he said he wasn't told, that he knew nothing of or about it.

Trump Says He Was Not Briefed 

On Russian Bounties

Now he says what he was told, the intelligence, wasn't credible.

Trump claims intel on Russian bounties 

was deemed not credible

Which is it?

Now it's June 29 and still, to this minute, that same President Trump has still done nothing about these bounties to Russia.

That is at least gross, gross dereliction of duty if it isn't, in fact, treason, no exaggeration.

trea·son
/ˈtrēzən/
noun
the crime of betraying one's country

Finally, there's this, breaking today. So much for the "I didn't know" and "No one told me" defense.

Spies and Commandos Warned Months Ago of Russian Bounties on U.S. Troops

Given this and everything else, honestly, this man Trump has done and said while in office, I'm one more who has to ask..

How is Donald Trump still President?
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Breaking developments today, this morning:

Pelosi requests US intelligence leaders brief House on reports of Russian bounties
White House says Congress will be briefed on reports of Russian bounties

House Armed Services leaders demand briefing on reported Russian bounties on US troops

Voters must strongly reject the president's abuses by voting him out this November

Intelligence suggests Russian bounties led to deaths of several US troops in Afghanistan: report

Expert Wonders Why GOP Silent, Not Angry, on Russian Bounty Scandal

Memorial Day

Army Rangers in Afghanistan Release Music Video in Commemoration of Memorial Day

First Lieutenants Andrew Yacovone and Justin Wright formed a musical duo called Interstate 10, and this week they released a music video from Afghanistan.

Prophetic. Prescient

On this day, September 25

1990 - Saddam Hussein warns that US will repeat Vietnam experience.

Local Story for National POW/MIA Recognition Day

From the New York Times today:

Today, a personal reflection from Victoria, one of your Morning Briefers:

For many years, “Eugene M. Jewell” was just a name inscribed on a metal bracelet that I, like so many others, wore in the 1970s.

Nearly five million similar bracelets were sold by a student group, starting in 1970, to raise awareness about those missing in action or held prisoner in the Vietnam War. Each had a name, a rank and the date of disappearance.

In 1971, I paid $2.50 and agreed not to remove the band until my bracelet’s “name” came home. But the metal dug into my wrist, the war ended, and the bracelet went into a box.

Today, on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, thanks to an Internet that makes us all a little less anonymous, I know that Eugene Jewell was more than an engraving.

He was 24 and a first lieutenant in the Air Force when he took off in an F-4 Phantom fighter jet for a mission over North Vietnam. His aircraft was shot down and lost on Sept. 4, 1965.

The Defense Department says 1,627 Americans who fought in the Vietnam War remain unaccounted for, including Captain Jewell (he was promoted in absentia).

When Captain Jewell was declared missing, his wife was back home in Topeka, Kan., with their 1-year-old daughter, Deborah, and pregnant with their second child.

Last year, Deborah Jewell wrote on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial website:

“It always is a surprise when I read about folks who have/are wearing a bracelet with my Dad’s name on it, and to hear about how their hearts ache for the loss and hurt our family feels.”

Victoria Shannon contributed reporting.

Links:  National POW/MIA Recognition Day in United States

Presidential Proclamation -- National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2015 | whitehouse.gov

National POW/MIA Recognition Day - Wikipedia

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY – Third Friday

Pow Mia Day History

Best Way to Celebrate Memorial Day

Memorial Day, 2015

A Poem: From an Iraq War Veteran

Maybe a poem for the American people:

I Hate: A Poem

I hate being a veteran of war

I hate the constant triggers

I hate the never ending avoidance of emotions

I hate the constant reminders of what I’ve lost

I hate that I’m not alone in my pain

I hate that people say “Thank you for your service”

I hate that the VA does little to help the people they serve

I hate that Americans still crave war

I hate that our children play war video games

I hate that every day is a day of pain and anger

I hate that so many of us take our own lives because the pain is too much

I hate that there are no reparations I can make to fix my faults

I hate that I cry whenever I think about Iraq

I hate that I can’t fully express the anguish and resentment I feel

I hate that this poem may only get read once before you close your laptop and move on to something less painful

--published by Jennifer Cole on 01/23/15 10:31am

posted to: 

New York City

. I wrote this poem this morning after trying to fill out even more VA compensation paperwork and seeing one too many commercials for preventing veteran suicide and for the new film "American Sniper". Life just becomes so overwhelming at times, and poetry is one of the few ways I can express my feelings in a way that is safe for me. 

We must never forget.

Link:  Iraq Veterans Against the War

America's "War on Terror"

"You cannot win a War on Terrorism. 

It’s like having a war on jealousy."

~David Cross

What Republican Leaders Said--and Promised---About Iraq

Yet they blame and blamed President Obama

Veterans Day, 2014

"I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill.” 

--Mohandas K Gandhi

Important, even huge, milestone too many Americans haven't noticed

And so, that they/we haven't been extremely grateful for:

The costs of war

The cost of war - Another week:

6758 - Number of Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command.

4 more dead since Dec 17th. 
- Marine Sgt. Daniel M. Vasselian, December 23, 2013 - 27, of Abington, MA.
- Air Force Capt. David I. Lyon, December 27, 2013 - 28, of Sandpoint, ID
- Marine Sgt. Jacob M. Hess, January 1, 2014 - 22, of Spokane, WA
- Army Sgt. First Class William K. Lacey, January 4, 2014 - 38, of Laurel Hill, FL

Another $2 Billion spent in Afghanistan. Total bill to U.S. Taxpayers = $1,505,178,618,274

How long are you going to tolerate this, America?  How long are WE going to tolerate this?

We've been at war in Afghanistan 12 years.

This is crazy.  Insane.

They don't want us there and we don't want to be there.

Let's get out.  Let's end this nightmare.

Stop the endless wars.

American War, 10 Years On

Happy now?

Here's your 9/11 Memorial

 

At the national memorial in New York, I hope they also include a copy of the Presidential Daily Briefing from August, 2001, telling then-President George W. Bush of Osama bin Laden's plans to attack the US.

 

Seriously.

 

It should be there.

 

He completely, totally and utterly ignored it.

 

 

The Costs of War

 

6723 - Number of Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command.

 

Six thousand seven hundred twenty-three American soldiers, lost to yet more pointless war.

 3 more dead this week:

 - Army Pvt. Jonathon Michael Dean Hostetter, August 23, 2013 - 20, of Humphreys, Missouri

 - Army Spc. Kenneth Clifford Alvarez, August 23, 2013 - 23, of Santa Maria, California

 - Army Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Young, August 28, 2013 - 34, of Rosston, Arkansas

 

Another week and another $2 Billion spent in Afghanistan.

 

Total bill to U.S. Taxpayers = $1,468,604,110,382.

 

 

At what point do we raise hell, ladies and gentlemen?

 

At what point do we say "Enough!"

 

 

American foreign policy, explained

And/but it's "their" fault.

With thanks to The Economist  for the cartoon.

How long with these wars, America?

The cost of war:

6714 - Number of Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command.

7 more dead this week:

- Army Sgt. Stefan M. Smith, July 23, 2013 - 24, of Glennville, Ga

- Army 1st Lt. Jonam Russell, July 23, 2013 - 25, of Cornville, Ariz

- Army Spc. Rob L. Nichols, July 23, 2013 - 24, of Colorado Springs, Colo

- Army Spc. Caryn E. Nouv, July 27, 2013 - 29, of Newport News, Va

- Army Sgt. Eric T. Lawson, July 27, 2013 - 30, of Stockbridge, Ga

- Army Sgt. Stephen M. New, July 28, 2013 - 29, of Bartlett, Tenn

- Army Spc. Nicholas B. Burley, July 30, 2013 - 22, of Red Bluff, Calif.


 Another week and another $2 Billion spent in Afghanistan. 

Total bill to U.S. Taxpayers = $1,461,095,349,726.


You want to "support the troops"?

Bring them home.  Demand that we bring them home.

You want to cut our wasteful--grossly wasteful, obscene--deficit spending?

Cut the Department of Defense budget by half.

We would still outspend the rest of the world several times over.

Great satire

As is with all satire, great because there's so much truth to it:

The Cost of War

The cost of war -

Another week and another $2 Billion spent in Afghanistan. Total bill to U.S. Taxpayers = $1,444,224,447,359.

6680 - Number of Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn casualties as confirmed by U.S. Central Command.

1 more dead this week:

 - Army Spc. Christopher R. Drake, May 26, 2013 - 20, of Tickfaw, Louisiana