Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Pentagon Gamble Hits a Political Wall 🏛
Trump’s push to dramatically expand America’s military budget is running into a growing problem in Washington: even some Republicans are struggling to agree on how to pay for it, while Democrats are demanding greater accountability for the administration’s war spending.
The White House is seeking a record $1.5 trillion for defense in fiscal year 2027, a proposal that would mark a major increase in military spending. But the plan is facing mounting resistance as lawmakers debate its cost, its priorities and the administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran.
The proposal combines conventional military investments with some of Trump’s signature ambitions, including a next-generation missile defense system known as the Golden Dome, a new generation of warships and advanced fighter aircraft. The administration has also floated the idea of renaming the Defense Department the Department of War.
The scale of the request is only part of the problem. The administration has divided the proposed funding into two tracks: roughly $1.15 trillion that would require at least some Democratic support and another $350 billion intended to move through a party-line budget process. Republicans have yet to reach agreement on how to advance the latter package, exposing divisions within the president’s own party.
Democrats say they are reluctant to approve additional funding for the Iran war without stronger oversight and clear answers about the administration’s objectives.
Republicans counter that delaying defense legislation could weaken military readiness at a time when American forces are operating under growing pressure. The dispute is unfolding amid strained relations between Congress and Defense Secretary Hegseth.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration over restricted briefings, confrontational exchanges and what they describe as a breakdown in the trust traditionally needed to pass major defense legislation.The war itself is adding urgency to the debate. According to figures cited in reporting by one high-ranking official, the conflict with Iran has cost the United States more than $47 billion.
The fighting has also placed additional demands on weapons stockpiles, while military training and maintenance have faced delays. For defense planners, replenishing depleted inventories is a pressing concern.
For lawmakers, however, the question is whether the administration’s proposed spending package adequately distinguishes immediate military needs from expensive projects tied to the president’s broader vision.
The political calendar makes the challenge harder. With another election approaching and Democrats potentially preparing for more aggressive congressional oversight, negotiations over the budget are becoming entangled with wider battles over war policy, executive power and fiscal priorities.
The annual defense authorization bill is also stalled, raising doubts about whether Congress can approve the full package before the end of the year. Trump’s proposal is therefore about more than military hardware.
It has become a test of whether the administration can turn its ambitions into legislation, persuade skeptical lawmakers and maintain support for an increasingly costly war.
For now, the $1.5 trillion plan remains a request, not an approved budget, and its final shape will depend on negotiations on Capitol Hill.
#Trump #PentagonBudget #USDefense #IranWar
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Trump’s push to dramatically expand America’s military budget is running into a growing problem in Washington: even some Republicans are struggling to agree on how to pay for it, while Democrats are demanding greater accountability for the administration’s war spending.
The White House is seeking a record $1.5 trillion for defense in fiscal year 2027, a proposal that would mark a major increase in military spending. But the plan is facing mounting resistance as lawmakers debate its cost, its priorities and the administration’s handling of the conflict with Iran.
The proposal combines conventional military investments with some of Trump’s signature ambitions, including a next-generation missile defense system known as the Golden Dome, a new generation of warships and advanced fighter aircraft. The administration has also floated the idea of renaming the Defense Department the Department of War.
The scale of the request is only part of the problem. The administration has divided the proposed funding into two tracks: roughly $1.15 trillion that would require at least some Democratic support and another $350 billion intended to move through a party-line budget process. Republicans have yet to reach agreement on how to advance the latter package, exposing divisions within the president’s own party.
Democrats say they are reluctant to approve additional funding for the Iran war without stronger oversight and clear answers about the administration’s objectives.
Republicans counter that delaying defense legislation could weaken military readiness at a time when American forces are operating under growing pressure. The dispute is unfolding amid strained relations between Congress and Defense Secretary Hegseth.
Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration over restricted briefings, confrontational exchanges and what they describe as a breakdown in the trust traditionally needed to pass major defense legislation.The war itself is adding urgency to the debate. According to figures cited in reporting by one high-ranking official, the conflict with Iran has cost the United States more than $47 billion.
The fighting has also placed additional demands on weapons stockpiles, while military training and maintenance have faced delays. For defense planners, replenishing depleted inventories is a pressing concern.
For lawmakers, however, the question is whether the administration’s proposed spending package adequately distinguishes immediate military needs from expensive projects tied to the president’s broader vision.
The political calendar makes the challenge harder. With another election approaching and Democrats potentially preparing for more aggressive congressional oversight, negotiations over the budget are becoming entangled with wider battles over war policy, executive power and fiscal priorities.
The annual defense authorization bill is also stalled, raising doubts about whether Congress can approve the full package before the end of the year. Trump’s proposal is therefore about more than military hardware.
It has become a test of whether the administration can turn its ambitions into legislation, persuade skeptical lawmakers and maintain support for an increasingly costly war.
For now, the $1.5 trillion plan remains a request, not an approved budget, and its final shape will depend on negotiations on Capitol Hill.
#Trump #PentagonBudget #USDefense #IranWar
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Brussels Pulls the Plug on Canada’s EU Membership Dream 🇨🇦🇪🇺
The European Union is backing away from a controversial proposal to make Canada its first “associate member,” after resistance from several key member states threatened to derail the initiative ahead of a major summit in Montreal.
European Commission President Von der Leyen floated the idea in September, presenting it as a way to deepen ties with Ottawa amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and strained relations between Canada and the United States under Trump.
But Germany, France, Italy and Greece raised objections, arguing that associate membership has no clear legal basis in EU treaties and could create confusion about the bloc’s future relationships with other countries seeking closer ties to Europe.
The disagreement has forced Brussels and Ottawa to reconsider the wording of their joint declaration. Instead of explicitly referring to associate membership, the draft now calls for an “ever closer association” between Canada and the EU, with negotiations expected to continue until next year’s summit.
For Canadian Prime Minister Carney, strengthening ties with Europe is part of a broader strategy to reduce his country’s dependence on the United States. Washington remains Canada’s dominant trading partner, leaving Ottawa vulnerable to tariffs and political pressure from the Trump administration.
Closer cooperation with Europe could open new opportunities in trade, defense, energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and digital technology. Both sides also see potential for stronger economic and security partnerships as global competition intensifies.
Despite the setback, the proposal has not ended the push for closer relations. Canadian officials have emphasized that the substance of the partnership matters more than its formal title, while European governments broadly support expanding cooperation.
The dispute, however, exposes divisions within the EU over how far the bloc should go in developing new forms of partnership beyond full membership. For now, Brussels appears determined to pursue closer ties with Canada without committing to a status that remains legally undefined.
#EuropeanUnion #Canada #VonDerLeyen #Geopolitics
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The European Union is backing away from a controversial proposal to make Canada its first “associate member,” after resistance from several key member states threatened to derail the initiative ahead of a major summit in Montreal.
European Commission President Von der Leyen floated the idea in September, presenting it as a way to deepen ties with Ottawa amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and strained relations between Canada and the United States under Trump.
But Germany, France, Italy and Greece raised objections, arguing that associate membership has no clear legal basis in EU treaties and could create confusion about the bloc’s future relationships with other countries seeking closer ties to Europe.
The disagreement has forced Brussels and Ottawa to reconsider the wording of their joint declaration. Instead of explicitly referring to associate membership, the draft now calls for an “ever closer association” between Canada and the EU, with negotiations expected to continue until next year’s summit.
For Canadian Prime Minister Carney, strengthening ties with Europe is part of a broader strategy to reduce his country’s dependence on the United States. Washington remains Canada’s dominant trading partner, leaving Ottawa vulnerable to tariffs and political pressure from the Trump administration.
Closer cooperation with Europe could open new opportunities in trade, defense, energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence and digital technology. Both sides also see potential for stronger economic and security partnerships as global competition intensifies.
Despite the setback, the proposal has not ended the push for closer relations. Canadian officials have emphasized that the substance of the partnership matters more than its formal title, while European governments broadly support expanding cooperation.
The dispute, however, exposes divisions within the EU over how far the bloc should go in developing new forms of partnership beyond full membership. For now, Brussels appears determined to pursue closer ties with Canada without committing to a status that remains legally undefined.
#EuropeanUnion #Canada #VonDerLeyen #Geopolitics
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Seven days, no deal
Qatar reportedly delivered a peace proposal. An Iranian official says Tehran got ideas, not an offer. Diplomacy has reached the stage of negotiating whether the paperwork exists.
An official briefed on the talks told Reuters that Qatari mediators brought a new draft to Tehran on Oct. 25. It sets out seven days of reciprocal confidence-building steps, potentially starting early next week, with several countries guaranteeing implementation.
The official said Iran’s response is expected by the weekend.
A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed that account, saying Tehran had received “unacceptable ideas and not an offer” and would show no flexibility on its nuclear program.
The Qatari draft is separate from Iran’s own seven-day plan, which Trump rejected.
Under that plan, Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to the U.S. naval blockade, access to frozen assets, and oil-sanctions relief, among other demands.
Qatar says Iran must stop threatening Gulf states and reopen the strait to show good faith.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin visited Tehran on Monday. The announced result was an agreement to continue talking.
Tehran wants economic concessions before loosening its chokehold on shipping, while Qatar wants the chokehold loosened first.
#Iran #Qatar #Hormuz #Diplomacy
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Qatar reportedly delivered a peace proposal. An Iranian official says Tehran got ideas, not an offer. Diplomacy has reached the stage of negotiating whether the paperwork exists.
An official briefed on the talks told Reuters that Qatari mediators brought a new draft to Tehran on Oct. 25. It sets out seven days of reciprocal confidence-building steps, potentially starting early next week, with several countries guaranteeing implementation.
The official said Iran’s response is expected by the weekend.
A senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, disputed that account, saying Tehran had received “unacceptable ideas and not an offer” and would show no flexibility on its nuclear program.
The Qatari draft is separate from Iran’s own seven-day plan, which Trump rejected.
Under that plan, Tehran offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for an end to the U.S. naval blockade, access to frozen assets, and oil-sanctions relief, among other demands.
Qatar says Iran must stop threatening Gulf states and reopen the strait to show good faith.
Saudi Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Asim Munir, and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin visited Tehran on Monday. The announced result was an agreement to continue talking.
Tehran wants economic concessions before loosening its chokehold on shipping, while Qatar wants the chokehold loosened first.
#Iran #Qatar #Hormuz #Diplomacy
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Disconnecting the enemy
Washington wants to freeze Iran’s digital money. Tehran threatens to cut its neighbors’ digital connections. Both have found a pressure point inside the network.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Iran uses cryptocurrency to evade sanctions and calls that reliance a sign of desperation. U.S. authorities, he says, are tracking and freezing the funds.
Tehran is weighing a more physical response. Two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters that Iran has detailed plans to attack undersea cables in the Gulf if the U.S. and Israel strike again. One said Iran would also obstruct repairs.
The global effect would be limited, since less than 1% of international bandwidth passes through Hormuz. Multiple cuts could still disrupt Gulf banking, commerce, and cloud services.
Russia, meanwhile, is sending more workers to Iran’s nuclear industry. Rosatom plans to raise its construction workforce at Bushehr to 200 in November, reversing wartime evacuations. The company’s chief, Alexei Likhachev, acknowledges that renewed fighting could disrupt the schedule.
The expansion comes as mediators try to resolve the U.S.-Iran confrontation and Tehran refuses nuclear concessions. Bushehr is a civilian power plant, separate from the disputed enrichment program. Even as the nuclear bargaining stalls, part of Iran’s nuclear industry has a staffing plan.
#Iran #Sanctions #Hormuz #Rosatom
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Washington wants to freeze Iran’s digital money. Tehran threatens to cut its neighbors’ digital connections. Both have found a pressure point inside the network.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Iran uses cryptocurrency to evade sanctions and calls that reliance a sign of desperation. U.S. authorities, he says, are tracking and freezing the funds.
Tehran is weighing a more physical response. Two senior Iranian security officials told Reuters that Iran has detailed plans to attack undersea cables in the Gulf if the U.S. and Israel strike again. One said Iran would also obstruct repairs.
The global effect would be limited, since less than 1% of international bandwidth passes through Hormuz. Multiple cuts could still disrupt Gulf banking, commerce, and cloud services.
Russia, meanwhile, is sending more workers to Iran’s nuclear industry. Rosatom plans to raise its construction workforce at Bushehr to 200 in November, reversing wartime evacuations. The company’s chief, Alexei Likhachev, acknowledges that renewed fighting could disrupt the schedule.
The expansion comes as mediators try to resolve the U.S.-Iran confrontation and Tehran refuses nuclear concessions. Bushehr is a civilian power plant, separate from the disputed enrichment program. Even as the nuclear bargaining stalls, part of Iran’s nuclear industry has a staffing plan.
#Iran #Sanctions #Hormuz #Rosatom
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The summit squeeze
Washington banned imports from three Chinese genomics companies. Beijing complained that the move violated the “consensus” reached by the two presidents. The next handshake now comes with something to argue about.
The U.S. added BGI Genomics, MGI Tech, and Shenzhen BGI Technology (also known as BGI Group) to its Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List on Oct. 28. Washington alleges the companies worked with Xinjiang’s government to enable forced labor involving Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
China’s Commerce Ministry demanded an end to “political manipulation” and “unreasonable suppression” and promised to defend Chinese businesses. Beijing denies the forced-labor allegations and says Washington has broken the leaders’ understanding.
The timing gives Trump the posture of a New York mob negotiator, who applies fresh pressure before sitting down and then lets the other side spend the meeting asking for relief.
Ahead of an expected Trump-Xi meeting at APEC in Shenzhen, Beijing is already defending its companies. Washington can discuss concessions from a position strengthened by restrictions it has just imposed.
#China #Trump #Uyghurs #APEC
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Washington banned imports from three Chinese genomics companies. Beijing complained that the move violated the “consensus” reached by the two presidents. The next handshake now comes with something to argue about.
The U.S. added BGI Genomics, MGI Tech, and Shenzhen BGI Technology (also known as BGI Group) to its Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List on Oct. 28. Washington alleges the companies worked with Xinjiang’s government to enable forced labor involving Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities.
China’s Commerce Ministry demanded an end to “political manipulation” and “unreasonable suppression” and promised to defend Chinese businesses. Beijing denies the forced-labor allegations and says Washington has broken the leaders’ understanding.
The timing gives Trump the posture of a New York mob negotiator, who applies fresh pressure before sitting down and then lets the other side spend the meeting asking for relief.
Ahead of an expected Trump-Xi meeting at APEC in Shenzhen, Beijing is already defending its companies. Washington can discuss concessions from a position strengthened by restrictions it has just imposed.
#China #Trump #Uyghurs #APEC
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The authorized leak
The Pentagon used an anonymous briefing to accuse a general of unauthorized briefings. This disclosure apparently came with management approval.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Joint Staff’s director for strategy, plans and policy.
An unnamed [Pentagon] official told Fox News that Sylvia leaked classified information about Iran and Ukraine, failed three polygraph tests, and met journalists outside the Pentagon after Hegseth imposed escort requirements inside. The official said the case went to the Justice Department. No charges have been reported. Fox also reported that Sylvia’s strategy directorate had been sidelined since spring.
A day earlier, The Atlantic gave a different reason for the firing. Hegseth had lost confidence in Sylvia, who had clashed with policy chief Elbridge Colby. That report mentioned no leak investigation, an explanation Fox’s source supplied only after the firing became public.
Without naming Sylvia, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell issued a threat, saying, “We vowed to find you, and we meant it.”
Sylvia has lost his job, and an unnamed official has supplied the case against him. The Pentagon’s own leak reached the public before any indictment.
#Pentagon #Hegseth #PressFreedom
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The Pentagon used an anonymous briefing to accuse a general of unauthorized briefings. This disclosure apparently came with management approval.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, the Joint Staff’s director for strategy, plans and policy.
An unnamed [Pentagon] official told Fox News that Sylvia leaked classified information about Iran and Ukraine, failed three polygraph tests, and met journalists outside the Pentagon after Hegseth imposed escort requirements inside. The official said the case went to the Justice Department. No charges have been reported. Fox also reported that Sylvia’s strategy directorate had been sidelined since spring.
A day earlier, The Atlantic gave a different reason for the firing. Hegseth had lost confidence in Sylvia, who had clashed with policy chief Elbridge Colby. That report mentioned no leak investigation, an explanation Fox’s source supplied only after the firing became public.
Without naming Sylvia, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell issued a threat, saying, “We vowed to find you, and we meant it.”
Sylvia has lost his job, and an unnamed official has supplied the case against him. The Pentagon’s own leak reached the public before any indictment.
#Pentagon #Hegseth #PressFreedom
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An investigation, a verdict already
Likud called Israel’s election “stolen.” The Shin Bet says its investigation is unfinished, focused, and limited. The party has reached a conclusion the investigators have not.
Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg instructed Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspected foreign financing and election bribery and to report findings within a week.
His letter named neither a foreign country nor a political party. Reports linking the suspicions to Qatar, Turkey, and Arab voter mobilization went beyond what the letter disclosed.
The agency already held relevant intelligence when Zini publicly declared the elections secure before the vote.
It now says the inquiry grew out of its own intelligence and warns against using it to discredit Arab citizens who voted lawfully.
Police reported no unusual pattern of irregularities. Central Elections Committee director Dean Livne rejected claims of systematic interference with the vote.
Counting and publication of the final results will proceed unaffected by the investigation[, the committee said].
The authorities must establish whether foreign money financed illegal activity and whether anyone bought votes. Higher Arab turnout answers neither question.
Sohlberg gave investigators a week. Likud needed only the announcement of an investigation to declare the election stolen.
#IsraelElection #ShinBet #ElectionIntegrity
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Likud called Israel’s election “stolen.” The Shin Bet says its investigation is unfinished, focused, and limited. The party has reached a conclusion the investigators have not.
Central Elections Committee chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg instructed Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspected foreign financing and election bribery and to report findings within a week.
His letter named neither a foreign country nor a political party. Reports linking the suspicions to Qatar, Turkey, and Arab voter mobilization went beyond what the letter disclosed.
The agency already held relevant intelligence when Zini publicly declared the elections secure before the vote.
It now says the inquiry grew out of its own intelligence and warns against using it to discredit Arab citizens who voted lawfully.
Police reported no unusual pattern of irregularities. Central Elections Committee director Dean Livne rejected claims of systematic interference with the vote.
Counting and publication of the final results will proceed unaffected by the investigation[, the committee said].
The authorities must establish whether foreign money financed illegal activity and whether anyone bought votes. Higher Arab turnout answers neither question.
Sohlberg gave investigators a week. Likud needed only the announcement of an investigation to declare the election stolen.
#IsraelElection #ShinBet #ElectionIntegrity
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An arrest list before the findings
Israel’s national security minister wants Arab party leaders arrested. Its finance minister wants them interrogated today. The investigation has not established that their parties bought the election.
Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded that Arab party leaders be arrested wherever legal grounds exist. Bezalel Smotrich demanded that the Shin Bet question them immediately. Likud supplied the verdict, declaring, “They stole the elections in Israel!” It then demanded that no Zionist party use Arab parties’ votes to replace the Knesset speaker or form a government.
That demand would protect Netanyahu from a rival majority assembled with Arab support. Likud’s statement treats allegedly purchased votes as fact, though investigators have not confirmed the claim. Police rejected the broader stolen-election allegations.
Likud calls the affair “Ra’amgate.” Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas denies involvement and welcomes an investigation. No connection has been publicly established between the suspected foreign-funding case and the separate Negev vote-buying investigation. The branding got ahead of the evidence.
After meeting Shin Bet chief David Zini, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said the material posed no challenge to the election results and no obstacle to swearing in the Knesset.
Investigators must determine whether crimes occurred. Likud has already identified which parliamentary votes it wants ruled unusable.
#IsraelElection #Likud #ShinBet
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Israel’s national security minister wants Arab party leaders arrested. Its finance minister wants them interrogated today. The investigation has not established that their parties bought the election.
Itamar Ben-Gvir demanded that Arab party leaders be arrested wherever legal grounds exist. Bezalel Smotrich demanded that the Shin Bet question them immediately. Likud supplied the verdict, declaring, “They stole the elections in Israel!” It then demanded that no Zionist party use Arab parties’ votes to replace the Knesset speaker or form a government.
That demand would protect Netanyahu from a rival majority assembled with Arab support. Likud’s statement treats allegedly purchased votes as fact, though investigators have not confirmed the claim. Police rejected the broader stolen-election allegations.
Likud calls the affair “Ra’amgate.” Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas denies involvement and welcomes an investigation. No connection has been publicly established between the suspected foreign-funding case and the separate Negev vote-buying investigation. The branding got ahead of the evidence.
After meeting Shin Bet chief David Zini, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid said the material posed no challenge to the election results and no obstacle to swearing in the Knesset.
Investigators must determine whether crimes occurred. Likud has already identified which parliamentary votes it wants ruled unusable.
#IsraelElection #Likud #ShinBet
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Qatar denies buying the country
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari delivered the line after listing accusations that Doha had bought off Netanyahu, the Israeli left, and now Arab voters. He categorically denied that Qatar had financed activities intended to influence the election.
The Shin Bet is investigating suspected foreign funding of Arab voter-mobilization groups. Israeli reports identify Qatar and Turkey as possible sources. Both governments deny interference. Central Elections Committee chairman Noam Sohlberg asked investigators to establish whether the suspicions, which he called “serious,” were supported by evidence.
The distinction matters. Funding turnout campaigns, illegally financing political activity, and buying individual votes are three different things. Likud’s claim that the election was stolen collapses them into a single accusation. Police and election officials say they have found no evidence of systematic irregularities.
Doha’s sarcasm also sweeps in a separate investigation into alleged Qatar-linked payments to Netanyahu’s associates to promote the emirate’s interests. That case neither proves election interference nor disappears because the latest accusations are unsubstantiated.
Likud wants suspicion to invalidate its opponents’ votes. Qatar wants the excesses of Likud’s accusation to discredit every question about Qatari influence. Both would prefer the argument settled before investigators finish tracing the money.
#Qatar #IsraelElection #ForeignInfluence
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“If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel.”
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari delivered the line after listing accusations that Doha had bought off Netanyahu, the Israeli left, and now Arab voters. He categorically denied that Qatar had financed activities intended to influence the election.
The Shin Bet is investigating suspected foreign funding of Arab voter-mobilization groups. Israeli reports identify Qatar and Turkey as possible sources. Both governments deny interference. Central Elections Committee chairman Noam Sohlberg asked investigators to establish whether the suspicions, which he called “serious,” were supported by evidence.
The distinction matters. Funding turnout campaigns, illegally financing political activity, and buying individual votes are three different things. Likud’s claim that the election was stolen collapses them into a single accusation. Police and election officials say they have found no evidence of systematic irregularities.
Doha’s sarcasm also sweeps in a separate investigation into alleged Qatar-linked payments to Netanyahu’s associates to promote the emirate’s interests. That case neither proves election interference nor disappears because the latest accusations are unsubstantiated.
Likud wants suspicion to invalidate its opponents’ votes. Qatar wants the excesses of Likud’s accusation to discredit every question about Qatari influence. Both would prefer the argument settled before investigators finish tracing the money.
#Qatar #IsraelElection #ForeignInfluence
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Trump Eyes a New War With Iran
Trump has received a high-level military briefing on potential U.S. military action against Iran, raising fresh questions about whether Washington is preparing to resume major combat operations in the Middle East after the November 3 midterm elections.
Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), met with Trump at the White House on Thursday to discuss possible military options involving Iran. The unusual face-to-face meeting also included Defense Secretary Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and other senior administration officials, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the discussions.
The meeting comes as the Trump administration weighs its next move in an increasingly volatile confrontation with Tehran. U.S. officials have reportedly warned several Arab Gulf nations to prepare for a potentially short but intense military campaign after the midterm elections.
The possible targets could include Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear facilities, according to separate reporting by the Associated Press.Trump has publicly left the door open to renewed military action, suggesting that Washington could launch another limited campaign if Iran refuses to accept U.S. demands.
Speaking at a rally last week, the president referred to the possibility of another operation similar to the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign conducted earlier this year, known as Operation Epic Fury.
The administration has also strengthened its military posture across the region. The Pentagon has reinforced air defenses, increased supplies of ammunition and other military equipment, and taken steps to reduce the vulnerability of American personnel at exposed bases. An additional Patriot missile battery is also being sent to Israel as regional forces face growing pressure on their air-defense resources.
Meanwhile, Iran has signaled that any new American attack could trigger retaliation against U.S. and Gulf targets. Tehran has reportedly resumed ballistic missile production and intensified efforts to threaten American personnel and regional military installations. Thursday's White House meeting followed another high-level session on Wednesday, when senior military officials met with JD Vance.
The sequence of briefings underscores the growing attention within the administration to possible military scenarios involving Iran. However, a presidential briefing does not mean that a decision to launch new strikes has been made. Diplomacy remains an option, and officials familiar with the discussions have indicated that Trump has not given final approval for another military operation.
The timing is particularly significant. With the November 3 elections approaching, Trump faces competing pressures: maintaining his campaign promise to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while avoiding a wider regional conflict that could carry substantial military, economic and political costs.
For now, Washington appears to be keeping both military and diplomatic options on the table. Whether the latest White House consultations lead to renewed strikes or become another round of strategic pressure on Tehran remains an open question.
#Trump #Iran #MiddleEast #USMilitary
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Trump has received a high-level military briefing on potential U.S. military action against Iran, raising fresh questions about whether Washington is preparing to resume major combat operations in the Middle East after the November 3 midterm elections.
Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), met with Trump at the White House on Thursday to discuss possible military options involving Iran. The unusual face-to-face meeting also included Defense Secretary Hegseth, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine and other senior administration officials, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing U.S. officials and people familiar with the discussions.
The meeting comes as the Trump administration weighs its next move in an increasingly volatile confrontation with Tehran. U.S. officials have reportedly warned several Arab Gulf nations to prepare for a potentially short but intense military campaign after the midterm elections.
The possible targets could include Iranian military infrastructure and nuclear facilities, according to separate reporting by the Associated Press.Trump has publicly left the door open to renewed military action, suggesting that Washington could launch another limited campaign if Iran refuses to accept U.S. demands.
Speaking at a rally last week, the president referred to the possibility of another operation similar to the U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign conducted earlier this year, known as Operation Epic Fury.
The administration has also strengthened its military posture across the region. The Pentagon has reinforced air defenses, increased supplies of ammunition and other military equipment, and taken steps to reduce the vulnerability of American personnel at exposed bases. An additional Patriot missile battery is also being sent to Israel as regional forces face growing pressure on their air-defense resources.
Meanwhile, Iran has signaled that any new American attack could trigger retaliation against U.S. and Gulf targets. Tehran has reportedly resumed ballistic missile production and intensified efforts to threaten American personnel and regional military installations. Thursday's White House meeting followed another high-level session on Wednesday, when senior military officials met with JD Vance.
The sequence of briefings underscores the growing attention within the administration to possible military scenarios involving Iran. However, a presidential briefing does not mean that a decision to launch new strikes has been made. Diplomacy remains an option, and officials familiar with the discussions have indicated that Trump has not given final approval for another military operation.
The timing is particularly significant. With the November 3 elections approaching, Trump faces competing pressures: maintaining his campaign promise to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon while avoiding a wider regional conflict that could carry substantial military, economic and political costs.
For now, Washington appears to be keeping both military and diplomatic options on the table. Whether the latest White House consultations lead to renewed strikes or become another round of strategic pressure on Tehran remains an open question.
#Trump #Iran #MiddleEast #USMilitary
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The voters leave. The partners collect.
Netanyahu’s bloc lost 11 seats compared with its 2022 election result. It finished with 53, against 48 for Gadi Eisenkot’s camp and a record 19 for the Arab parties. Neither main bloc reached the 61 needed for a majority.
The final allocation also rewarded parties that arranged insurance before polling day. Under surplus-vote agreements, paired lists compete jointly for leftover seats, then divide the seats they secure.
The arrangement helped Ra’am take its eighth seat rather than the Joint List winning a twelfth. Their combined strength remained 19.
Other parties discovered that sympathy does not necessarily produce ballots. Ultra-Orthodox Public Party leader Moti Leitner told activists, “We failed the test of results. Tens of thousands of Haredim identify with our path and did not vote for us.”
The Democrats had a more local disappointment. In Jatt, the hometown of their No. 10 candidate, Soumia Bashir, the party received 161 votes, about 2% of those cast. Moshe Radman also remained outside the Knesset.
For the parties that made it, coalition bargaining now follows the electoral arithmetic. Eisenkot’s 48 seats plus Ra’am’s eight make 56. Even that partnership would leave him five short.
The surplus agreements worked as designed. Forming a government will require a much larger agreement.
#IsraelElection #Knesset #CoalitionPolitics
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Netanyahu’s bloc lost 11 seats compared with its 2022 election result. It finished with 53, against 48 for Gadi Eisenkot’s camp and a record 19 for the Arab parties. Neither main bloc reached the 61 needed for a majority.
The final allocation also rewarded parties that arranged insurance before polling day. Under surplus-vote agreements, paired lists compete jointly for leftover seats, then divide the seats they secure.
The arrangement helped Ra’am take its eighth seat rather than the Joint List winning a twelfth. Their combined strength remained 19.
Other parties discovered that sympathy does not necessarily produce ballots. Ultra-Orthodox Public Party leader Moti Leitner told activists, “We failed the test of results. Tens of thousands of Haredim identify with our path and did not vote for us.”
The Democrats had a more local disappointment. In Jatt, the hometown of their No. 10 candidate, Soumia Bashir, the party received 161 votes, about 2% of those cast. Moshe Radman also remained outside the Knesset.
For the parties that made it, coalition bargaining now follows the electoral arithmetic. Eisenkot’s 48 seats plus Ra’am’s eight make 56. Even that partnership would leave him five short.
The surplus agreements worked as designed. Forming a government will require a much larger agreement.
#IsraelElection #Knesset #CoalitionPolitics
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A Turkic seat for Moscow
Kazakhstan’s president wants to raise the Organization of Turkic States’ international standing by inviting Russia. Apparently, five sovereign members could use a major power looking over their shoulders.
At Friday’s summit in Ankara, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed Russian participation through the OTS+ cooperation format or observer status. Neither option amounts to full membership. No decision admitting Russia was announced.
Tokayev cited Russia’s centuries of ties with the Turkic world, the Turkic peoples living in Russia, and Moscow’s “Altai – Cradle of Turkic Civilization” project. He referred to Russian interest, although Moscow has made no public announcement of plans to participate. The invitation is currently clearer than the application.
The organization brings together Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. At the same summit, leaders promoted Asia-Europe transport connections, including the Middle Corridor, which runs through Central Asia, across the Caspian Sea, and through the South Caucasus to Turkey, bypassing Russia.
Tokayev also insisted that the organization should not become a military alliance. His proposal would give Moscow a place in a forum developing economic connections that do not require Russian territory.
The route can bypass Russia. Tokayev would prefer the meeting table did not.
#Kazakhstan #Russia #TurkicStates #MiddleCorridor
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Kazakhstan’s president wants to raise the Organization of Turkic States’ international standing by inviting Russia. Apparently, five sovereign members could use a major power looking over their shoulders.
At Friday’s summit in Ankara, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed Russian participation through the OTS+ cooperation format or observer status. Neither option amounts to full membership. No decision admitting Russia was announced.
Tokayev cited Russia’s centuries of ties with the Turkic world, the Turkic peoples living in Russia, and Moscow’s “Altai – Cradle of Turkic Civilization” project. He referred to Russian interest, although Moscow has made no public announcement of plans to participate. The invitation is currently clearer than the application.
The organization brings together Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. At the same summit, leaders promoted Asia-Europe transport connections, including the Middle Corridor, which runs through Central Asia, across the Caspian Sea, and through the South Caucasus to Turkey, bypassing Russia.
Tokayev also insisted that the organization should not become a military alliance. His proposal would give Moscow a place in a forum developing economic connections that do not require Russian territory.
The route can bypass Russia. Tokayev would prefer the meeting table did not.
#Kazakhstan #Russia #TurkicStates #MiddleCorridor
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The GOP Wants Gen Z Men. Gen Z Men Aren’t Buying It
The Republican Party is looking for its next generation of voters. But a campaign aimed at one of the most traditionally conservative corners of American college life is revealing an uncomfortable reality: young men are not necessarily interested in becoming the party’s political lifeline.
Conservative activist CJ Pearson has taken his message directly to college campuses, hoping to reconnect young men with the GOP ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Through his Make America Party Again PAC, Pearson has been organizing tailgate events around college football games, handing out campaign merchandise and trying to turn campus enthusiasm into political engagement.
One of his stops was the University of Alabama, where he appeared alongside popular football superfan Roll Tide Willie. The setting seemed ideal for a Republican outreach campaign. College football, fraternity culture and conservative politics have long been associated with one another in parts of the South.
But the response was far less enthusiastic than organizers might have hoped.
Some fraternity members treated the political merchandise as a joke. Others described themselves as politically disengaged or simply refused to discuss their views. For many students, politics has become increasingly divisive, while voting itself seems disconnected from their everyday concerns.
Others were more willing to engage but offered a message Republicans may find difficult to hear. One student argued that the party needs to move away from its more confrontational approach and appeal to voters closer to the political center.
That is precisely the challenge facing the GOP. The party has invested heavily in attracting young male voters, a demographic that helped Donald Trump build his political coalition. Yet the appeal of the MAGA brand is no longer universal among younger Americans, particularly those who are uncomfortable with the current political climate.
Pearson believes the problem cannot be solved through occasional appearances and campaign giveaways. Reaching young voters, he argues, requires consistent engagement and personal relationships. His team also points out that conservative sentiment remains strong on many campuses, even among students who are not registered to vote or do not participate in elections.
The broader problem is turnout. Having sympathizers is one thing. Convincing them to show up at the polls is another.
The Alabama event also unfolded against the backdrop of controversy surrounding the fraternity hosting it, including disciplinary action over hazing allegations. That added another layer of complexity to an already carefully staged political appearance.
Perhaps the most revealing moment came afterward. Roll Tide Willie, who had encouraged students to exercise their right to vote, later posted online that voting was a waste of time and complained about the flood of election-related mail.
For Republicans, the episode captures a difficult political reality. Winning young men's attention does not automatically translate into winning their loyalty. And in a generation increasingly skeptical of political institutions, even a familiar conservative campus setting may no longer guarantee an enthusiastic audience.
The GOP may have a strategy for reaching fraternity houses. Whether the young men inside are interested in joining the movement is another question entirely.
#Republicans #YoungVoters #USPolitics #Midterms2026
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The Republican Party is looking for its next generation of voters. But a campaign aimed at one of the most traditionally conservative corners of American college life is revealing an uncomfortable reality: young men are not necessarily interested in becoming the party’s political lifeline.
Conservative activist CJ Pearson has taken his message directly to college campuses, hoping to reconnect young men with the GOP ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Through his Make America Party Again PAC, Pearson has been organizing tailgate events around college football games, handing out campaign merchandise and trying to turn campus enthusiasm into political engagement.
One of his stops was the University of Alabama, where he appeared alongside popular football superfan Roll Tide Willie. The setting seemed ideal for a Republican outreach campaign. College football, fraternity culture and conservative politics have long been associated with one another in parts of the South.
But the response was far less enthusiastic than organizers might have hoped.
Some fraternity members treated the political merchandise as a joke. Others described themselves as politically disengaged or simply refused to discuss their views. For many students, politics has become increasingly divisive, while voting itself seems disconnected from their everyday concerns.
Others were more willing to engage but offered a message Republicans may find difficult to hear. One student argued that the party needs to move away from its more confrontational approach and appeal to voters closer to the political center.
That is precisely the challenge facing the GOP. The party has invested heavily in attracting young male voters, a demographic that helped Donald Trump build his political coalition. Yet the appeal of the MAGA brand is no longer universal among younger Americans, particularly those who are uncomfortable with the current political climate.
Pearson believes the problem cannot be solved through occasional appearances and campaign giveaways. Reaching young voters, he argues, requires consistent engagement and personal relationships. His team also points out that conservative sentiment remains strong on many campuses, even among students who are not registered to vote or do not participate in elections.
The broader problem is turnout. Having sympathizers is one thing. Convincing them to show up at the polls is another.
The Alabama event also unfolded against the backdrop of controversy surrounding the fraternity hosting it, including disciplinary action over hazing allegations. That added another layer of complexity to an already carefully staged political appearance.
Perhaps the most revealing moment came afterward. Roll Tide Willie, who had encouraged students to exercise their right to vote, later posted online that voting was a waste of time and complained about the flood of election-related mail.
For Republicans, the episode captures a difficult political reality. Winning young men's attention does not automatically translate into winning their loyalty. And in a generation increasingly skeptical of political institutions, even a familiar conservative campus setting may no longer guarantee an enthusiastic audience.
The GOP may have a strategy for reaching fraternity houses. Whether the young men inside are interested in joining the movement is another question entirely.
#Republicans #YoungVoters #USPolitics #Midterms2026
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No Holds Barred: Trump Leads GOP’s All-Out Attack on Democrats
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching their final stretch, Republicans are increasingly relying on a familiar political weapon: personal attacks against their Democratic opponents.
Led by Trump, the party has shifted its closing campaign message toward a barrage of accusations, provocative claims and political character assaults. The strategy comes at a difficult moment for the GOP. Voter frustration over inflation, the cost of living and dissatisfaction with the president is creating serious challenges for Republican candidates.
Rather than focusing exclusively on their economic record or presenting a clear legislative agenda, party leaders have increasingly turned their attention to discrediting Democrats.
Trump has been at the center of this approach, using his enormous political platform to amplify attacks against Democratic candidates. The accusations have become increasingly aggressive, with some claims lacking credible factual support.
For Republicans, the calculation is straightforward: energize their political base, dominate the news cycle and shift public attention away from issues that could hurt the party at the ballot box.
Personal controversies can generate headlines far more quickly than detailed discussions about economic policy or government performance.But the strategy also carries risks.
Negative campaigning may mobilize loyal supporters, yet it can alienate independent voters and Americans who are increasingly exhausted by the constant hostility in Washington.
For voters worried about grocery bills, housing costs and financial security, another round of political name-calling offers little reassurance that their everyday problems will be addressed. The increasingly personal nature of the campaign also reflects a broader transformation within the Republican Party.
Under Trump, political confrontation has become a defining feature of the party's public identity. Candidates are operating in an environment where loyalty, aggressive messaging and the ability to dominate the media conversation often compete with traditional policy debates.
The Democrats, meanwhile, have an opportunity to turn the Republican strategy into a liability by keeping the focus on the economy, voters' concerns and the credibility of their opponents' claims.
As Election Day approaches, the central question is whether Trump's confrontational approach will succeed in rallying Republican voters or deepen the frustration of Americans who want political leaders to address the country's problems rather than wage another round of personal battles.
One thing is increasingly clear: the final days of the 2026 midterm campaign are becoming less about competing visions for America's future and more about the politics of accusation, confrontation and personal attacks.
#Trump #Republicans #Midterms2026 #USPolitics
📱 American Оbserver - Stay up to date on all important events🇺🇸
With the 2026 midterm elections approaching their final stretch, Republicans are increasingly relying on a familiar political weapon: personal attacks against their Democratic opponents.
Led by Trump, the party has shifted its closing campaign message toward a barrage of accusations, provocative claims and political character assaults. The strategy comes at a difficult moment for the GOP. Voter frustration over inflation, the cost of living and dissatisfaction with the president is creating serious challenges for Republican candidates.
Rather than focusing exclusively on their economic record or presenting a clear legislative agenda, party leaders have increasingly turned their attention to discrediting Democrats.
Trump has been at the center of this approach, using his enormous political platform to amplify attacks against Democratic candidates. The accusations have become increasingly aggressive, with some claims lacking credible factual support.
For Republicans, the calculation is straightforward: energize their political base, dominate the news cycle and shift public attention away from issues that could hurt the party at the ballot box.
Personal controversies can generate headlines far more quickly than detailed discussions about economic policy or government performance.But the strategy also carries risks.
Negative campaigning may mobilize loyal supporters, yet it can alienate independent voters and Americans who are increasingly exhausted by the constant hostility in Washington.
For voters worried about grocery bills, housing costs and financial security, another round of political name-calling offers little reassurance that their everyday problems will be addressed. The increasingly personal nature of the campaign also reflects a broader transformation within the Republican Party.
Under Trump, political confrontation has become a defining feature of the party's public identity. Candidates are operating in an environment where loyalty, aggressive messaging and the ability to dominate the media conversation often compete with traditional policy debates.
The Democrats, meanwhile, have an opportunity to turn the Republican strategy into a liability by keeping the focus on the economy, voters' concerns and the credibility of their opponents' claims.
As Election Day approaches, the central question is whether Trump's confrontational approach will succeed in rallying Republican voters or deepen the frustration of Americans who want political leaders to address the country's problems rather than wage another round of personal battles.
One thing is increasingly clear: the final days of the 2026 midterm campaign are becoming less about competing visions for America's future and more about the politics of accusation, confrontation and personal attacks.
#Trump #Republicans #Midterms2026 #USPolitics
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Grok, the all-seeing eye
Two House Democrats want to know who might be looking through it.
Before ordering Nicolás Maduro’s capture, Trump reportedly asked Grok how Venezuelans would react. House Democrats now want the record of his conversation with an adviser that never needs Senate confirmation.
Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia, the senior Democrats on the Judiciary and Oversight committees, have demanded preservation of Trump’s official exchanges with Grok, ChatGPT and Claude, including prompts and responses. They requested a briefing by Nov. 11.
Their letter cites reporting that Trump consulted Elon Musk’s chatbot about capturing Maduro, then ordered the operation weeks later without congressional authorization. “You consulted Grok — but not Congress,” they wrote.
The request casts Grok as an oracle, with Trump asking at one end and Musk’s economic and political interests potentially shaping what comes back.
Nobody has established that Musk secretly supplied the answers or that Grok determined the decision. The question is whether a privately controlled system offered its owner a channel into presidential policy.
The White House says it preserves all legally required records. Musk did not immediately respond to Politico’s request for comment.
Democrats want the transcripts. The all-seeing eye has an owner.
#Trump #Grok #AI #Congress
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Two House Democrats want to know who might be looking through it.
Before ordering Nicolás Maduro’s capture, Trump reportedly asked Grok how Venezuelans would react. House Democrats now want the record of his conversation with an adviser that never needs Senate confirmation.
Reps. Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia, the senior Democrats on the Judiciary and Oversight committees, have demanded preservation of Trump’s official exchanges with Grok, ChatGPT and Claude, including prompts and responses. They requested a briefing by Nov. 11.
Their letter cites reporting that Trump consulted Elon Musk’s chatbot about capturing Maduro, then ordered the operation weeks later without congressional authorization. “You consulted Grok — but not Congress,” they wrote.
The request casts Grok as an oracle, with Trump asking at one end and Musk’s economic and political interests potentially shaping what comes back.
Nobody has established that Musk secretly supplied the answers or that Grok determined the decision. The question is whether a privately controlled system offered its owner a channel into presidential policy.
The White House says it preserves all legally required records. Musk did not immediately respond to Politico’s request for comment.
Democrats want the transcripts. The all-seeing eye has an owner.
#Trump #Grok #AI #Congress
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The war that pays for itself
Trump says America has time to negotiate with Iran because the war has more than paid for itself. The Pentagon’s estimate of its cost through mid-October is $47.1 billion.
he told reporters Friday. He cited access to Venezuelan oil as compensation for seven months of war. Access to oil, however, is not an accounting of money received or war expenses repaid.
Qatari mediators spent more than 12 hours in Tehran on Friday trying to prevent renewed U.S.-led attacks. Iranian representatives arrived in Doha on Saturday to continue the talks.
A reported draft proposes moving Iran’s highly enriched uranium to an agreed third country or reducing its enrichment level, alongside reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days of an initial understanding.
Reciprocal U.S. sanctions relief and a possible Chinese guarantee are also under discussion. These remain proposed terms.
The negotiators are working through stockpiles, shipping access, and verifiable commitments.
Trump has already settled the financial question. In his account, an oil arrangement in one country reimburses a war in another.
The Pentagon records the expenditure. The president announces the reimbursement without showing the receipt.
#Iran #Trump #Venezuela #WarCosts
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Trump says America has time to negotiate with Iran because the war has more than paid for itself. The Pentagon’s estimate of its cost through mid-October is $47.1 billion.
“Whatever we’ve spent, we’ve more than made up for in a place called Venezuela,”
he told reporters Friday. He cited access to Venezuelan oil as compensation for seven months of war. Access to oil, however, is not an accounting of money received or war expenses repaid.
Qatari mediators spent more than 12 hours in Tehran on Friday trying to prevent renewed U.S.-led attacks. Iranian representatives arrived in Doha on Saturday to continue the talks.
A reported draft proposes moving Iran’s highly enriched uranium to an agreed third country or reducing its enrichment level, alongside reopening the Strait of Hormuz within seven days of an initial understanding.
Reciprocal U.S. sanctions relief and a possible Chinese guarantee are also under discussion. These remain proposed terms.
The negotiators are working through stockpiles, shipping access, and verifiable commitments.
Trump has already settled the financial question. In his account, an oil arrangement in one country reimburses a war in another.
The Pentagon records the expenditure. The president announces the reimbursement without showing the receipt.
#Iran #Trump #Venezuela #WarCosts
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Hamas’s archive goes on air
Hamas’s commanders filmed their meetings. Al Jazeera is now broadcasting the archive. In one underground group photograph, every commander pictured has since been killed by Israel.
Friday’s documentary showed military chief Mohammed Deif, his deputy Marwan Issa, Yahya Sinwar’s brother Mohammed Sinwar, and other commanders meeting in tunnels. It also featured Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Ismail Haniyeh visiting a rocket workshop, and Deif examining models of Israeli tanks in an operations room.
The network presented what it described as an operational order signed by Deif on Oct. 5, 2023, after a six-hour command meeting. It specified a 6:30 a.m. start for the attack. Another document purportedly recorded a February 2023 decision to begin preparations.
The group photograph predates May 2021, because Bassem Issa, visible among the commanders, was killed that month. [Whatever its framing,] it cannot show the final meeting before Oct. 7. The broadcast also included a Sinwar-Deif call marking the 2021 ceasefire.
The archive gives Hamas’s dead leadership another appearance on screen. It also records something less useful to their memorial, the meetings, weapons production, and orders behind the massacre. The commanders are gone, but their paperwork survives.
#Hamas #October7 #Gaza #AlJazeera
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Hamas’s commanders filmed their meetings. Al Jazeera is now broadcasting the archive. In one underground group photograph, every commander pictured has since been killed by Israel.
Friday’s documentary showed military chief Mohammed Deif, his deputy Marwan Issa, Yahya Sinwar’s brother Mohammed Sinwar, and other commanders meeting in tunnels. It also featured Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Ismail Haniyeh visiting a rocket workshop, and Deif examining models of Israeli tanks in an operations room.
The network presented what it described as an operational order signed by Deif on Oct. 5, 2023, after a six-hour command meeting. It specified a 6:30 a.m. start for the attack. Another document purportedly recorded a February 2023 decision to begin preparations.
The group photograph predates May 2021, because Bassem Issa, visible among the commanders, was killed that month. [Whatever its framing,] it cannot show the final meeting before Oct. 7. The broadcast also included a Sinwar-Deif call marking the 2021 ceasefire.
The archive gives Hamas’s dead leadership another appearance on screen. It also records something less useful to their memorial, the meetings, weapons production, and orders behind the massacre. The commanders are gone, but their paperwork survives.
#Hamas #October7 #Gaza #AlJazeera
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A Jewish address becomes a target
Some Orthodox families moved to Florida partly to escape antisemitism in New York. Their new neighborhood attracted anti-Jewish activists before the moving trucks had finished arriving.
Lakefront Estates, near Lake Okeechobee, plans roughly 1,300 homes and apartments, with synagogues, religious schools and a mikvah. About 60 families had moved in by Oct. 25.
Buyers of any background are welcome, the developers say. Far-right activists nevertheless appeared outside to denounce the residents’ Jewish way of life. One declared, “They are not Americans.”
Then came a separate criminal case. Florida investigators arrested Jerry Ray Sneed, 31, accusing him of posting threats against the community along with its location and a photo of a gun.
Investigators say a search recovered the gun in the photo. He faces charges involving threats to kill or conduct a mass shooting.
In California, Ammaad Akhtar, 34, pleaded guilty Friday to attempting to support ISIS. He supplied an undercover agent with loaded guns, ammunition and cash.
Court documents, as reported by [outlet], also describe him surveilling a synagogue and discussing killing a Jewish man he believed had served in Israel’s military.
The intended victims need not share politics, beliefs or any real connection to Israel. When a connection is needed, it can simply be assumed. The target is “the Jew.” The individual becomes irrelevant once the label supplies the address.
#Antisemitism #Florida #California #ISIS
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Some Orthodox families moved to Florida partly to escape antisemitism in New York. Their new neighborhood attracted anti-Jewish activists before the moving trucks had finished arriving.
Lakefront Estates, near Lake Okeechobee, plans roughly 1,300 homes and apartments, with synagogues, religious schools and a mikvah. About 60 families had moved in by Oct. 25.
Buyers of any background are welcome, the developers say. Far-right activists nevertheless appeared outside to denounce the residents’ Jewish way of life. One declared, “They are not Americans.”
Then came a separate criminal case. Florida investigators arrested Jerry Ray Sneed, 31, accusing him of posting threats against the community along with its location and a photo of a gun.
Investigators say a search recovered the gun in the photo. He faces charges involving threats to kill or conduct a mass shooting.
In California, Ammaad Akhtar, 34, pleaded guilty Friday to attempting to support ISIS. He supplied an undercover agent with loaded guns, ammunition and cash.
Court documents, as reported by [outlet], also describe him surveilling a synagogue and discussing killing a Jewish man he believed had served in Israel’s military.
The intended victims need not share politics, beliefs or any real connection to Israel. When a connection is needed, it can simply be assumed. The target is “the Jew.” The individual becomes irrelevant once the label supplies the address.
#Antisemitism #Florida #California #ISIS
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Deterrence without borders
Iran’s supreme leader has promised retaliation without geographical limits. Neighboring countries have been given no say in the boundaries of their next war.
Mojtaba Khamenei ordered commanders to prepare an “immediate” response to threats, one without “geographic limits,” according to a statement published Saturday on his official Telegram account. He also ordered an updated target list covering U.S. and Israeli “physical and non-physical” assets. The statement names no specific new targets.
Khamenei said Iran would determine the timing and conditions for ending any renewed military or “terrorist” attacks. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia made the regional warning explicit, saying another American intervention would engulf a “much wider geographical area.” Iran has already attacked U.S. assets across the Middle East during the war.
The message arrives as Iranian representatives pursue talks in Doha to prevent renewed fighting. Tehran is negotiating an agreement while advertising the cost of failing to reach one.
Calling this “maximum deterrence,” as [who] did, does not make its geography abstract. American assets sit in other countries, near their infrastructure and populations.
Tehran’s warning tells Washington that another strike could widen the war, and tells Iran’s neighbors that their territory remains available for the reply.
#Iran #Khamenei #GulfSecurity #Diplomacy
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Iran’s supreme leader has promised retaliation without geographical limits. Neighboring countries have been given no say in the boundaries of their next war.
Mojtaba Khamenei ordered commanders to prepare an “immediate” response to threats, one without “geographic limits,” according to a statement published Saturday on his official Telegram account. He also ordered an updated target list covering U.S. and Israeli “physical and non-physical” assets. The statement names no specific new targets.
Khamenei said Iran would determine the timing and conditions for ending any renewed military or “terrorist” attacks. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia made the regional warning explicit, saying another American intervention would engulf a “much wider geographical area.” Iran has already attacked U.S. assets across the Middle East during the war.
The message arrives as Iranian representatives pursue talks in Doha to prevent renewed fighting. Tehran is negotiating an agreement while advertising the cost of failing to reach one.
Calling this “maximum deterrence,” as [who] did, does not make its geography abstract. American assets sit in other countries, near their infrastructure and populations.
Tehran’s warning tells Washington that another strike could widen the war, and tells Iran’s neighbors that their territory remains available for the reply.
#Iran #Khamenei #GulfSecurity #Diplomacy
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