Author: nick

[ad_1] After a day’s talks with the Iran, J.D. Vance’s claims to progress seem flimsy even by the slack standards the U.S. sets for itself these days in its diplomatic endeavors.  U.S. President Donald Trump signing a memorandum of understanding with Iran at the Palace of Versailles on June 17. French President Emmanuel Macron on right, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on left, standing. (White House / Daniel Torok) By Patrick LawrenceSpecial to Consortium News Well, J.D. Vance had his first talks with the Iranians — 18 hours of them Sunday tipping into Monday — since the American and Iranian…

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[ad_1] Sarah Swift of the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign in Britain says: “Now is the time to call for Independence From America.” What prompted this call? You can see it in this video clip about the U.S. spy base Menwith Hill in North Yorkshire. Featuring the chair of Yorkshire CND (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Quakers and others, it’s a scene filmed by Jane of Bradford City of Climate Culture. It explains how the base connects to military oppression in Gaza and in Iran. Declaration Day Demonstration Yorkshire CND and the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign will meet at 3 pm on…

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[ad_1] OK, it’s patriot time; let’s unfurl the flags and get out the trumpets. Two-hundred fifty years and all that, and I’ll begin with my favorite American, Thomas Jefferson. Did he really believe that all men are created equal? Being the gentleman that he was, of course he would say so, but as you and I know, some are created more equal than others. Some have better brains, others have better physiques, there are even those who have more moola to begin with. My, my, the latter gets people very angry, so we won’t mention it any more.  A classic,…

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[ad_1] Against all odds, President Donald Trump may secure a comprehensive deal with Iran to address its nuclear program and ease bilateral tensions. The memorandum of understanding (MOU), already signed by both sides, allows for 60 days to finalize the details. Vice President J.D. Vance traveled to Switzerland this weekend for talks with Iranian officials and regional mediators, and news outlets report “constructive progress.” Ultimately, the success of the negotiations hinges on two factors: Israel’s conduct in Lebanon and Washington’s willingness to drop its maximalist demands on Iran’s nuclear program. Regarding the latter, Washington seeks a moratorium on Iran’s nuclear…

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[ad_1] The neoconservative pundit Mark Levin posted on X on Thursday, “Here’s a novel idea: stop bullying our ally and cozying up to our enemy.” Megyn Kelly, the influential conservative podcaster, replied, “To which politician could he be talking? I guess we’ll just have to wonder.” Kelly was being tongue-in-cheek. There was no wondering. Levin was talking about J.D. Vance. He just didn’t want to name names. The vice president rocked Washington last Thursday—and infuriated neoconservatives—when he defended the Trump administration’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) deal with Iran at a press briefing. “This does bother me,” Vance said. “You’ve seen…

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[ad_1] The pattern is obvious. In an overworked House office, whoever has time and capacity to produce a clean draft often decides what gets written. On defense portfolios, that is increasingly a uniformed fellow on detail from the Department of Defense. In practice, executive-branch detailees do not supplement staff capacity; they replace it on key tasks, shaping agendas, drafting text, and gatekeeping information that will later govern their own departments. About ninety military fellows cycle through the Hill each year, with roughly two dozen each from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and a dozen more from the Marine Corps.…

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