Four men in Washington shape America’s policy in the Middle East. Three are obvious: President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
The fourth is less well-known, despite his huge sway over the other three ― and despite his determination to keep championing policies that many see as fueling bloodshed in Gaza and beyond.
His name is Brett McGurk. He’s the White House coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, and he’s one of the most powerful people in U.S. national security.
McGurk crafts the options that Biden considers on issues from negotiations with Israel to weapon sales for Saudi Arabia. He controls whether global affairs experts within the government ― including more experienced staff at the Pentagon and the State Department ― can have any impact, and he decides which outside voices have access to White House decision-making conversations.
A former official said there’s a joke in some national security circles:
“If a nuclear bomb was dropped on D.C., two forms of life would survive: cockroaches and Brett McGurk.”
A former Obama administration official described McGurk as placing “less emphasis on the human rights side of things, except where it serves as useful leverage for his preferred strategic outcomes.”
McGurk frequently discourages colleagues from raising rights concerns with other governments, often saying it will make them more likely to draw away from the U.S. and toward China.
For all his influence, McGurk is ultimately not the chief decision-maker over Middle East policies that are drawing public disdain and risking U.S. interests.
“He is giving the president what he wants,” the former Obama administration official said. “Biden owns these decisions.”
Source: HuffPost
“Why is this country trying to kill us?”
Major toilet paper brands in America have been found to contain forever chemicals. PFAS cause cancer, hormone disruption and more
Major brands include
21 in brands total were found to contain forever chemicals. It should be illegal
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🇿🇦 Police airlift a crocodile with the body of a 59-year-old businessman inside.
Local police in #SouthAfrica say they suspected the crocodile ate the man after observing it from drones. They then shot it and airlifted it off. When they landed back on the ground, the crocodile was sliced open, and human remains were found.
The remains are believed to be those of 59-year-old Gabriel Batista, who had previously been swept away in raging floodwaters. His ring was found inside the animal along with six other pairs of shoes.
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Illinois: Video Shows Palestinian Police Officer Urging Arabs to Flood U.S. Police Departments
A Palestinian police officer in Bridgeview, Illinois is urging the Arab community to flood U.S. police departments in huge numbers. His blunt message “the more the merrier” has now sparked major controversy.
Read the full story here: https://lawenforcementtoday.com/illinoisvideoshowspalestinianpoliceofficerurgingarabstoflooduspolicedepartments
@police_frequency
📢 🇺🇸 🚷 Congressman Andy Ogles on X:
Excited to announce that my 83-page ASSIMILATION Act has been introduced.
Months of labor were undertaken by my staff, Senator Tuberville and myself in order to GUT the Hart-Celler Act of 1965, as well as scrap provisions of the Immigration Act of the 1990s.
The goal of this bill is simple: end replacement migration and ensure American cultural cohesion.
This bill will end the H-1B scam, ensure migrants NEVER become a public charge, and make America look like America again. FYI, net immigration immediately decreases by 85% under this bill.
Some other things it does:
• National Interest Standard
• Stringent Character Tests
• Mandatory E-Verify
• Ends Chain Migration
• Ends Diversity Lottery
• GUTS Birthright Citizenship
• WAY Tougher Asylum Standards
• Stronger Public Charge Rules
• 10 Year Citizenship Requirement
• English & American Civics PROFICIENCY
📎 Rep. Andy Ogles
BREAKING: US data center construction spending jumped +34% YoY in March, to a record $50 billion annualized rate.
Spending on data centers is up +437% since the beginning of 2021, when the annualized rate stood at ~$9 billion.
This is also up +688% since the start of 2018, when the annualized rate was just ~$6 billion.
Meanwhile, office building construction spending fell -9% YoY in March, to $46 billion, the lowest since 2015.
This means that spending on data centers now exceeds office building construction by $4 billion, or +9%.
To put this into perspective, office construction spending exceeded data center spending by $65 billion, or +650%, in 2020.
AI is fundamentally transforming the US economy.
(@TheKobeissiLetter)