The administration appears to have done no "defensive" prep for war. And it's spent a year shifting counterterrorism personnel to domestic immigration enforcement.
So why haven't the Democrats been talking about this danger? What about the media? Miles, I know your experience underlines this danger, but you can't be the only one who has a clue about these possibilities!!! And we're left in the dark by media and the administration, and, it appears, completely defenseless because DJT had a "feeling" that we should strike Iran. I'm beyond sick about this--and more, of course!
I don’t follow legacy media anymore because they’ve sold out. We won’t get unbiased news from these sources - which includes news about what democrats are saying. I am hearing dems speaking out, but those voices are covered almost entirely by independent media. What the rest of us can do is keep preaching the benefits of independent media. Let people know which sources you follow and encourage them to do the same. Distill whatever you are finding and share it on social media. (Cite sources.) Getting accurate information takes some digging, but it’s worth it.
Yes, sad that a lot of older folks are stuck on mainstream/ tv media. A lot of people think that it is safer to access news on tv vs the internet. At 67 I am in the older category but I only go to substack, Instgram , bluesky and sometimes FB for the news. Independent media is pretty much only news I listen to anymore.
I too at 70 have moved to ind. news. Primarily Substack and blue sky. In general conversation, I am shocked at how uninformed my friends are and how apathetic about it they are. I am constantly accused of being a conspiracy theorists! It’s so frustrating.
I hope to God people remember from 9-11, “if you see something, say something”
Then there's Thomas Fugate III, the 23-year-old Rob Schneider lookalike and ex-grocery store clerk who's the acting director of terrorism prevention at DHS.
Fugate is in a job that people with twenty-five to thirty years experience normally fill. The fact that a twenty-three, inexperienced amateur is "in charge" scares the hell out of me. On the other hand, this is a perfect depiction of the Trump White House and Cabinet. Unqualified, incompetent sycophants in charge of important agencies and departments.
Call me paranoid but perhaps Trump wants an Iranian attack on our homeland. This would give him a perfect reason to declare an emergency and cancel the midterms.
That is exactly what political scientist Barbara K. Walter has suggested as a possibility:
"Trump faces an existential political problem at home. If Democrats gain control of even one chamber of Congress, his agenda would grind to a halt and investigations into his deep corruption and criminality would immediately begin.
"An attack on American soil would transform the political landscape overnight. Trump’s support would likely surge. Patriotism would dominate the national conversation. Security concerns would override nearly everything else. And emergency powers (like cancelling elections) would suddenly become much easier to justify.
We are seeing incompetent Trump loyalist everywhere in the government and our spineless Congress doing nothing. The problem is 140 Insurrectionists in charge of many committees - protected by SCOTUS and Trump in exchange for protection of both. There is little chance of impeachment with the control. In particular, the judicial committee is suppose to keep the FBI and DOJ in line - and they are needed to recommend impeachment. With Jordan in charge this will not happen. Can we class action sue the committee for not doing their job? This corruption and rogue administration needs to be stopped before the next invasion or world war. Grassley and McConnell could step up and admit to the insurrection - they owe us for their past mistakes in judgement. McConnell said we should be able to vote for a criminal - Colorado disagreed.
Our spineless, enabling Republican Senate completely failed in it's duty to advise and confirm. This bunch confirmed every nomination made by Trump -- no matter how clearly unqualified they were. The result is the worst Federal government I can recall!
No one can explain to me why Congress isn't finally saying, "That's it!" and invoke the 25th Amendment. At this point, they all cannot be afraid of him, worried they won't be reelected, still mesmerized by him, etc, etc. All the ones who still sit in silence (many bad-mouthing him behind closed doors) have all sold their souls?? And, if so, what can we do?? I make phone calls, protest, communicate with fence-sitters and even those who still blindly adore him....I feel like we live on another planet!
From the beginning I have been fixated on this. You seem to be viewing it as incompetence but what if it’s intentional? Terrorist strikes on the U.S. could potentially appear to justify a “state of emergency” which this regime could use to cancel/federalize November elections. We all need to understand that the election represents the single greatest existential threat to this president. He and his regime would likely do ANYTHING to determine the outcome.
Excellent analysis, except you left out one very important detail. Mike Johnson (the insurrectionist) and the other Christian Nationalists are ecstatic. For them, this is a religious war and the end of times is near.
That’s the truth! You’re right on it with that. He and Kegsbreath are fiercely right Christian’s and absolutely force it on the military and the public!🤮
Man are you spot on or what? Maybe he should take some of those ICE thugs and send them to protect America in Iran! They would fit in perfectly over there. I feel bad that this is giving you nightmares, but we've all been having them for years now. It's truly sad that they got "RID" of all the people that actually know what they are doing. But this is where the people of our country have to step up. Demand change and try to get more qualified people back in positions like the FBI that don't think that his position is all fun and games. When we say "clown car" I think you know what we're talking about and it's NO way to run a government!
Miles, thank you for this!! Having been in combat, you are 💯 correct and surely understand how this will keep you up at night. We are not to underestimate Iranians. They are like you said, extremely patient, highly intelligent and very methodical. Yes, right now the US is in a highly vulnerable state especially with the incompetent regime. A retaliation of Iranians.......all I can say is, God help us.
In the act of deliberating targeting and killing Iran's Supreme leader as a feature of this ever-shifting-reason for a war, it seems obvious that the white house et al has done so without preparing for or considering the consequences for a newly under-protected America.
As Charlie Sykes continues to state, “FFS, we are stupid!” This regime is all about theatrics, not substance. They are playing with fire and too inept to understand the danger it poses.
I love it! I recommend it as well. I remember when Charlie seemed so wildly conservative. Now he just seems sane and smart. (And he may have moderated a bit.)
Unlike September 11, when planes full of people were flown in to buildings, there are sophisticated drones now. It will be much easier for Iranian or other terrorists to attack us. Iranians are using drones in the Mideast every day now: Kuwait, Qatar, etc. We only woke up to this disaster Saturday morning, February 28. We've only been in this horror show five days although it seems like it has been much longer. We feel reasonably safe here except for visits from ICE. Our son resigned from the Senate before January 6 and has never returned to DC. During the Cold War my grandparents built a bomb shelter in their backyard! Are we at that point again?
That is truly terrifying but unfortunately not surprising when the country is run by a corrupt, unqualified administration. Thank you Miles for warning people, again unfortunately not enough people will know this because mainstream media has failed in their jobs big time.
So why haven't the Democrats been talking about this danger? What about the media? Miles, I know your experience underlines this danger, but you can't be the only one who has a clue about these possibilities!!! And we're left in the dark by media and the administration, and, it appears, completely defenseless because DJT had a "feeling" that we should strike Iran. I'm beyond sick about this--and more, of course!
I don’t follow legacy media anymore because they’ve sold out. We won’t get unbiased news from these sources - which includes news about what democrats are saying. I am hearing dems speaking out, but those voices are covered almost entirely by independent media. What the rest of us can do is keep preaching the benefits of independent media. Let people know which sources you follow and encourage them to do the same. Distill whatever you are finding and share it on social media. (Cite sources.) Getting accurate information takes some digging, but it’s worth it.
Yes, sad that a lot of older folks are stuck on mainstream/ tv media. A lot of people think that it is safer to access news on tv vs the internet. At 67 I am in the older category but I only go to substack, Instgram , bluesky and sometimes FB for the news. Independent media is pretty much only news I listen to anymore.
Thankfully, there are a number of “boomers” (myself included) who are smart and savvy and don’t sit on the couch glued to Fox state TV.
👍🏻 that would be me! No television! 📺
Same here. I don't even have a TV.
I too at 70 have moved to ind. news. Primarily Substack and blue sky. In general conversation, I am shocked at how uninformed my friends are and how apathetic about it they are. I am constantly accused of being a conspiracy theorists! It’s so frustrating.
I hope to God people remember from 9-11, “if you see something, say something”
After all the sanewashing Ive had it as well.
Excellent advice, Martha, especially about citing sources.
It is so frightening to have evil, and uninformed persons making decisions for our country
Then there's Thomas Fugate III, the 23-year-old Rob Schneider lookalike and ex-grocery store clerk who's the acting director of terrorism prevention at DHS.
Fugate is in a job that people with twenty-five to thirty years experience normally fill. The fact that a twenty-three, inexperienced amateur is "in charge" scares the hell out of me. On the other hand, this is a perfect depiction of the Trump White House and Cabinet. Unqualified, incompetent sycophants in charge of important agencies and departments.
With all this incompetence - Trumpworld's middle name AFAIC - this whole enterprise has to blow up or back beyond what he can talk his way out of.
Call me paranoid but perhaps Trump wants an Iranian attack on our homeland. This would give him a perfect reason to declare an emergency and cancel the midterms.
No. That is the current thinking.
You’re not the only one thinking that I’m telling you🤮
That is exactly what political scientist Barbara K. Walter has suggested as a possibility:
"Trump faces an existential political problem at home. If Democrats gain control of even one chamber of Congress, his agenda would grind to a halt and investigations into his deep corruption and criminality would immediately begin.
"An attack on American soil would transform the political landscape overnight. Trump’s support would likely surge. Patriotism would dominate the national conversation. Security concerns would override nearly everything else. And emergency powers (like cancelling elections) would suddenly become much easier to justify.
"History shows that states of emergency are one of the fastest ways democracies slide toward authoritarian rule" (https://substack.com/inbox/post/189901143).
We are seeing incompetent Trump loyalist everywhere in the government and our spineless Congress doing nothing. The problem is 140 Insurrectionists in charge of many committees - protected by SCOTUS and Trump in exchange for protection of both. There is little chance of impeachment with the control. In particular, the judicial committee is suppose to keep the FBI and DOJ in line - and they are needed to recommend impeachment. With Jordan in charge this will not happen. Can we class action sue the committee for not doing their job? This corruption and rogue administration needs to be stopped before the next invasion or world war. Grassley and McConnell could step up and admit to the insurrection - they owe us for their past mistakes in judgement. McConnell said we should be able to vote for a criminal - Colorado disagreed.
Our spineless, enabling Republican Senate completely failed in it's duty to advise and confirm. This bunch confirmed every nomination made by Trump -- no matter how clearly unqualified they were. The result is the worst Federal government I can recall!
No one can explain to me why Congress isn't finally saying, "That's it!" and invoke the 25th Amendment. At this point, they all cannot be afraid of him, worried they won't be reelected, still mesmerized by him, etc, etc. All the ones who still sit in silence (many bad-mouthing him behind closed doors) have all sold their souls?? And, if so, what can we do?? I make phone calls, protest, communicate with fence-sitters and even those who still blindly adore him....I feel like we live on another planet!
From the beginning I have been fixated on this. You seem to be viewing it as incompetence but what if it’s intentional? Terrorist strikes on the U.S. could potentially appear to justify a “state of emergency” which this regime could use to cancel/federalize November elections. We all need to understand that the election represents the single greatest existential threat to this president. He and his regime would likely do ANYTHING to determine the outcome.
Excellent analysis, except you left out one very important detail. Mike Johnson (the insurrectionist) and the other Christian Nationalists are ecstatic. For them, this is a religious war and the end of times is near.
That’s the truth! You’re right on it with that. He and Kegsbreath are fiercely right Christian’s and absolutely force it on the military and the public!🤮
Man are you spot on or what? Maybe he should take some of those ICE thugs and send them to protect America in Iran! They would fit in perfectly over there. I feel bad that this is giving you nightmares, but we've all been having them for years now. It's truly sad that they got "RID" of all the people that actually know what they are doing. But this is where the people of our country have to step up. Demand change and try to get more qualified people back in positions like the FBI that don't think that his position is all fun and games. When we say "clown car" I think you know what we're talking about and it's NO way to run a government!
Send ICE! Great idea! They are inept as hell. Good way to get rid of them🤮
Incompetence and idiocy abode! Very sad and concerning.
I hope that if Iran does, indeed, hit back at the US, that they target the right people instead of the innocents who want no part of this illegal war.
Miles, thank you for this!! Having been in combat, you are 💯 correct and surely understand how this will keep you up at night. We are not to underestimate Iranians. They are like you said, extremely patient, highly intelligent and very methodical. Yes, right now the US is in a highly vulnerable state especially with the incompetent regime. A retaliation of Iranians.......all I can say is, God help us.
Spot On, Miles. Wildly terrifying.
In the act of deliberating targeting and killing Iran's Supreme leader as a feature of this ever-shifting-reason for a war, it seems obvious that the white house et al has done so without preparing for or considering the consequences for a newly under-protected America.
As Charlie Sykes continues to state, “FFS, we are stupid!” This regime is all about theatrics, not substance. They are playing with fire and too inept to understand the danger it poses.
Highly recommend Charlie Sykes To The Contrary newsletter also.
I love it! I recommend it as well. I remember when Charlie seemed so wildly conservative. Now he just seems sane and smart. (And he may have moderated a bit.)
Unlike September 11, when planes full of people were flown in to buildings, there are sophisticated drones now. It will be much easier for Iranian or other terrorists to attack us. Iranians are using drones in the Mideast every day now: Kuwait, Qatar, etc. We only woke up to this disaster Saturday morning, February 28. We've only been in this horror show five days although it seems like it has been much longer. We feel reasonably safe here except for visits from ICE. Our son resigned from the Senate before January 6 and has never returned to DC. During the Cold War my grandparents built a bomb shelter in their backyard! Are we at that point again?
That is truly terrifying but unfortunately not surprising when the country is run by a corrupt, unqualified administration. Thank you Miles for warning people, again unfortunately not enough people will know this because mainstream media has failed in their jobs big time.