Wednesday, August 18, 2021

@20:35, , 8/16/21

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1

In Washington, Recriminations Over Afghanistan Emerge Quickly
President Biden is finding few outspoken defenders amid the chaotic collapse of the Afghan government. But after 20 years, a war-weary America may still give the president a pass. read more
 
Congress was not listening.
Now they are guessing.
 
2
No Flights Land or Leave Kabul's Airport, Pentagon Says
Troops had been working to secure the airport on Monday after halting flights because of security concerns on the civilian side, officials said. read more
 
Flights have resumed. 

3
Lawmakers Unite in Bipartisan Fury Over Afghanistan Withdrawal
If President Biden hoped to find cover from politicians in both parties who had reached a broad consensus on withdrawal, he was most likely disappointed. read more
 
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/08/17/world/taliban-afghanistan-news 

The promises were Trump's.

4
Read the Full Transcript of Biden's Afghanistan Speech
Mr. Biden spoke from the White House on Monday afternoon after the collapse of the Afghan government to the Taliban. read more
 
I heard it live.   Trump left Biden a Gordian Knot.  
Biden tried the Alexanderian solution.
It has not failed yet.
 

James Hormel, America’s First Openly Gay Ambassador, Dies at 88
An outspoken advocate of L.G.B.T.Q. rights, he was nominated by President Bill Clinton and appointed despite fierce opposition from the right. read more
 
The closeted life is not easy.
 
 
6
Taliban Seize Key Afghan City as Biden Speeds Deployment
With the collapse of Mazar-i-Sharif and Jalalabad, the insurgents appeared to be on the verge of a full military takeover. read more
 
 Done.
 
7
Fearing Kabul’s Fall, U.S. Officials Implore Afghans to ‘Fight’
The calls to action underscore the stark reality that the United States has no intention of rescuing government forces. read more
 
Kabul is fallen.
 
8
Taliban Takeover Could Extinguish U.S. Influence in Kabul
After 20 years of diplomacy and support, American officials are now contemplating the harrowing question of whether — and how — they might engage with a Taliban government in Afghanistan. read more
 
It should do that.
 
9
Rushed Evacuation in Kabul Highlights Disconnect in Washington
Pentagon officials had warned the White House about delaying a drawdown or full evacuation of American personnel from Afghanistan. read more
 
Trump has never been good at listening.
 
10
Judge Allows Biden’s Narrower Evictions Ban in Place for Now
But the judge said she doubted the Supreme Court would ultimately find it lawful. read more
 
Recovery from Lockdown is not as smooth as the Republicans dreamed.
 
11
Ian Welsh11 hours ago
The Taliban Take Control Of Afghanistan
[image: Story 466664090] As I noted recently, once the US left Afghanistan, the Taliban would rule. This was obvious, and only completely delusional fools thought otherwise. Anyone who thought so should never say anything about military affairs ever again. Yes, the government army was larger and better equipped, but they have zero legitimacy and the Taliban are better fighters. Not that being better fighters was needed, in most cases there was hardly any fighting and “government” forces just surrendered because of that whole “zero legitimacy” thing. (

The U.S. military suffers under Republican control.

13
For Biden, Images of Defeat He Wanted to Avoid
President Biden will go down in history, fairly or unfairly, as the president who presided over a humiliating final act in the American experiment in Afghanistan. read more
 

Biden Administration Prompts Largest Permanent Increase in Food Stamps
The jump in benefits, the biggest in the program’s history, comes after a revision of the initiative’s nutrition standards that supporters say will reduce hunger and better reflect how Americans eat. read more
 
It is not before time.
 
15
Tap Dancing With Trump: Lindsey Graham’s Quest for Relevance
The senator went from Donald J. Trump’s public enemy to his impassioned defender. Now he’s a golfing regular at Mar-a-Lago, advising the former president on his future. What is behind one of the unlikeliest partnerships in politics? read more
 
The Voters of South Carolina elected Lindsey Graham.
 
16
Ian Welsh1 day ago
Week-end Wrap – Political Economy – August 15, 2021
[image: Story 466411313] *Strategic Political Economy* What China Wants and Why [Bill Totten’s Weblog, via Mike Norman Economics, August 14, 2021] *One of the most concise summaries of the geographic, economic, and demographic determinants of a country’s history and strategic interests I have ever read. * Of China’s 1.4 billion people, 94% are Han, and their distribution follows nearly perfectly the Hu/15-in isohyet/NSGL line. This is surprising, especially if you compare it to India {4}, and its diverse ethnicities {5}. Why is China’s population so uniform? To understand that,... read more
 
I find little beyond some editorial oppinions to disagree with.
 
17
A Gallery Sells Hunter Bidens. The White House Says It Won’t Know Who’s Buying.
Hunter Biden’s works are being offered for as much as $500,000 apiece; his art dealer said he would follow ethics guidelines that the Biden administration helped to develop. read more
 
"Don't ask,don't tell."

18
Amid Extreme Weather, a Shift Among Republicans on Climate Change
Many Republicans in Congress no longer deny that Earth is heating because of fossil fuel emissions. But they say abandoning oil, gas and coal will harm the economy. read more
 
The economy will benefit from a carbon tax.
 
19
Ian Welsh2 days ago
Open Thread
[image: Story 465864597] Use for topics unrelated to recent posts. No vax/anti-vax in this thread. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn read more
 
Live negotiation must come first.
Sooner is better.     As soon as you can is best. 

20
C.D.C. Panel Recommends Third Vaccine Dose for Immunocompromised
A day after the F.D.A. authorized third doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for some immunocompromised people, an independent expert panel advising the C.D.C. recommended the move. read 
 
Fewer sick and dead  is better.
 
 
 
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