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☆ Reaction to Drone Strike on US Troops in Jordan
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three U.S. service members were killed and as many as 34 wounded, United States officials said on Sunday, after a drone attack in Jordan that they linked to Iranian-backed militants. REPUBLICAN FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP"The drone attack on a U.S. Military Installation in Jordan, killing 3 American service members, and wounding many more, marks a horrible day for America ... This brazen attack on the United States is yet another horrific and tragic consequence of Joe Biden's weakness and surrender." MITCH MCCONNELL, US SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER"Last night, the cost of failure to deter America's adversaries was again measured in American lives. CHUCK SCHUMER, US SENATE DEMOCRATIC LEADER"We mourn the deaths of the three service members killed by a drone attack in Jordan from an Iran-backed militant group.

Persons: JOE BIDEN, DONALD TRUMP, Joe Biden's, LLOYD AUSTIN, MICHAEL MCCAUL, MITCH MCCONNELL, CHUCK SCHUMER, HAKEEM JEFFRIES, Jordan, ISRAEL KATZ, ROGER WICKER, Biden, JACKY ROSEN, Susan Heavey, Kanishka Singh, Emily Rose, Hatem Maher, Heather Timmons, Matthew Lewis, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: WASHINGTON, United, DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLICAN, U.S, America, HOUSE, DEMOCRAT ON Locations: United States, Jordan, Iranian, Israel, Gaza, Iran, U.S, REPUBLICAN, Egypt, Hashemite Kingdom

☆ Biden administration tells Congress it intends to sell Turkey F-16s after Erdogan approved Sweden’s NATO membership
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The State Department also sent Congress a formal notification of its intent to sell $8.6 billion worth of F-35s to Greece. Blinken, in turn, told the Turkish president multiple times that members of Congress would not approve the sale of jets until Turkey allowed Sweden to join NATO. The Turkish Parliament finally voted in favor of Sweden’s NATO accession Tuesday, and Erdogan signed off on the instruments of ratification Thursday. The US official said this was to assure Congress there was no way for Turkey to back out of the deal. Hungary still must approve Sweden’s NATO bid for the nation to finally become a member.

Persons: CNN —, Biden, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Erdogan, Hakan Fidan, Fidan, Robert Menendez –, Turkey –, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Menendez, Sen, Ben Cardin Organizations: CNN, NATO, The State Department, Turkish, Foreign, The New, Greek, House Foreign Affairs Committee, State Department Locations: Turkey, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Vilnius, Lithuania, London, The New Jersey, Turkish, Hungary

☆ Biden Urges Congress to Quickly Approve F-16 Sale to Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Edward Wong | More About Edward Wong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Biden sent a letter to four senior members of Congress on Wednesday urging them to quickly approve a $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, following the vote one day earlier by Turkey’s Parliament to allow Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, according to three U.S. officials. The White House sent the letter to the top Democratic and Republican lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, which have oversight of arms transfers by the State Department to other nations. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, a member of NATO, has linked his country’s approval of Sweden’s accession to the security organization to the F-16 sales, which had been pending. Both Sweden and Finland had asked to join NATO after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the vast majority of the alliance’s members soon agreed. Turkey approved Finland’s bid but, along with Hungary, has withheld approval for Sweden.

Persons: Biden, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Organizations: Atlantic Treaty Organization, White House, Democratic, Republican, Senate Foreign Relations, House Foreign Affairs Committee, State Department, NATO Locations: Turkey, Sweden, Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, Finland, Ukraine, Hungary

☆ Lithuania Broke Human Rights Laws in Case Tied to CIA Detention Program, European Court Rules
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lithuania broke European human rights laws by allowing the CIA to subject an alleged 9/11 suspect to "inhuman treatment" in a secret interrogation center in the Baltic country, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Tuesday. Al-Hawsawi is now held in Guantanamo Bay on suspicion of being a facilitator and financial manager of al Qaeda. While held in Lithuania, he experienced an extremely harsh detention regime, according to the press release, including solitary confinement, the continuous use of leg shackles and exposure to noise and light. “While not commenting on the specific case, I’d note that CIA’s detention and interrogation program ended in 2009," a CIA spokesperson said. It came to symbolize the excesses of the U.S. "war on terror" because of harsh interrogation methods that critics have said amounted to torture.

Persons: Mustafa Ahmed Adam al, Hawsawi, George W, Bush, Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis, Bill Berkrot Organizations: WASHINGTON, CIA, of Human, Convention, Lithuanian, Baltic News Service, Lithuania's, U.S, Senate, Republican, Pentagon Locations: Lithuania, Baltic, Guantanamo Bay, al Qaeda, Lithuanian, Washington, Guantanamo, Cuba, New York

☆ The GOP blocked more US aid to Ukraine weeks after Republicans blasted Biden for not doing enough to help the country
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Sonam Sheth | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Republicans drafted a document blasting Biden for not doing enough to help Ukraine. Weeks later, the GOP blocked an emergency spending bill that would have provided additional aid. AdvertisementThree Republican-led congressional committees drafted a document late last year slamming President Joe Biden for his handling of the Ukraine war. Weeks after it was drafted, the GOP blocked an emergency spending bill that would have sent more US aid to Ukraine. On December 6, Republicans tanked a spending bill that would have provided $50 billion in additional aid to Ukraine and $14 billion in aid to Israel, The New York Times reported last month.

Persons: Biden, Weeks, —, Joe Biden, Russia's, Republicans tanked, Biden's, Today's Organizations: GOP, Congressional, Service, Victory, Pravda, Republicans, The New York Times Locations: Ukraine, Europe, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Israel

☆ 'Pretty horrific mistakes:' Democrats have few nice things to say about Henry Kissinger following his death
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

"There are some pretty horrific mistakes that Henry Kissinger made that have taken the United States a very long time to recover from." Other Democrats have issued similar critiques of Kissinger's legacy in the wake of his death. "I am proud to say that Henry Kissinger is not my friend. "Count me in as somebody who will not be listening to Henry Kissinger," Sanders added at that debate. "Today, the world Henry Kissinger leaves behind bears his indelible mark," McConnell said on the Senate floor on Thursday.

Persons: Sen, Bernie Sanders, Henry Kissinger, Hillary Clinton's, Kissinger, I've, Sanders, —, Greg Casar, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Chris Murphy of, Murphy, they've, General Augusto Pinochet, Pinochet, Jim McGovern, @RepMcGovern, Gerry Connolly, Vietnam –, Hillary Clinton, Mike Pompeo, AzyRrHhH6i — Bernie Sanders, George W, Bush, Mitch McConnell, McConnell Organizations: Service, Democratic, Texas, National Security, State, Republican, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Massachusetts, House Foreign Affairs, — Locations: China, Soviet Union, Latin America, Southeast Asia, United States, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Vietnam, Argentina, East Timor, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Virginia, Iran, @GerryConnolly, Vermont, Khmer Rouge, @BernieSanders

☆ American families speak out about Hamas’ ‘psychological warfare’ as they call for loved ones held hostage to be released
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Jeremy Herb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The family members were in Washington this week attending a roundtable with the House Foreign Affairs Committee and other meetings. “It’s really tough, it’s really tough,” said Orna Neutra, whose son Omer Neutra is being held hostage. “I think the fact that the families have come together, we each feel collectively that we have 240 new family members,” Chen said. On Wednesday, one American hostage was released, though it was not a member of the five families who spoke to CNN Wednesday. The family members spoke warmly of their relatives and the lives they led before being kidnapped October 7.

Persons: they’ve, Jake Tapper, ”, Ruby Chen, Itay Chen, “, Orna Neutra, Omer Neutra, Omer, He’s, Ronen Neutra, there’s, Liz Hirsh Naftali, Abigail Mor Edan, let’s, ” Chen, Biden, Adi Alexander, Edan Alexander, Edan, Yael Alexander, ” Adi Alexander Organizations: CNN, House Foreign Affairs Locations: Washington , DC, Gaza, Washington, Israel, Tenafly ( New Jersey

☆ Passing at home, failing abroad: Grading Mike Johnson's first month as speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

In late October, House Republicans settled on a little-known congressman as their next leader. AdvertisementMike Johnson has been the speaker of the House for just under a month now following a testy race to succeed ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Johnson's so-called "laddered" approach has been heavily criticized by congressional Democrats, Republicans, and even the White House, who called it an "unserious proposal." AdvertisementSection 702: FailFBI Director Christopher Wray speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, in Washington. AdvertisementWith just over a month left until the authorization expires, though, Johnson's been mum on the topic since becoming speaker.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Kevin McCarthy, —, Johnson, here's, Tom Brenner, McCarthy, Biden, Tom Emmer, Elise Stefanik, Steve Scalise, Alex Wong, Volodymyr Zelensky, Mitch McConnell, Chuck Schumer, Mandel Ngan, Michael McCaul, McCaul, Sandy Huffaker, Congress didn't, Christopher Wray, Evan Vucci, Jim Jordan, Johnson's, Patrick McHenry, Win McNamee, who's, he'd, McCarthy's Organizations: Republicans, Business, Service, The Washington, Getty, House Republican, Capitol, House Republicans, Internal Revenue Service, Democratic, White, Congress, Republican, Foreign Affairs Committee, American Farm Bureau Federation, Texas Farm Bureau, Foreign Intelligence, Associated Press, GOP Rep, FBI Locations: Israel, Gaza, Washington , DC, Ukraine, AFP, Mexico, Taiwan, California, Texas, Washington

☆ Azerbaijan snubs Armenia meeting in Washington, accusing US of bias
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh region ride in a truck upon their arrival at the border village of Kornidzor, Armenia, September 27, 2023. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 16 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said on Thursday it could not take part in a meeting with Armenia's foreign minister planned for Nov. 20 in Washington because of the "one-sided approach of the United States". Azerbaijan objected in particular to "one-sided and biased" comments on Wednesday by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James O’Brien to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It complained that O'Brien did not mention that "for more than two months Armenia has not been responding" to Azerbaijani peace proposals. The Azerbaijani statement also said Washington was continuing to offer support to Armenia even though Armenia was "an aggressor and a destabilizing source in the region".

Persons: Irakli, Nikol Pashinyan, State James O’Brien, O'Brien, Washington, Ali Asadov, Kevin Liffey, Mark Trevelyan Organizations: REUTERS, Russia's TASS, U.S, State, House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S ., Reuters, Thomson Locations: Nagorno, Karabakh, Kornidzor, Armenia, Washington, United States, Baku, Azerbaijan, U.S, Tbilisi, Yerevan

☆ Primary Battles Brew Over Progressive Democrats’ Stances on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Jonathan Weisman | More About Jonathan Weisman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

And progressive organizations are girding for possible challenges to Representatives Cori Bush of Missouri, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and others, funded from the deep pockets of AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups. “They spent a historic amount of money to intervene, and try and buy primaries in 2022,” said Usamah Andrabi, spokesman for Justice Democrats, the liberal insurgent group that helped elect many of the progressives now on the primary target list. “I think we will see a doubling and tripling down, because no one in the Democratic leadership is trying to stop them.”Officially, AIPAC is neutral for now. Progressive Democrats like Ms. Lee have other constituents to consider, including progressive Jews who remain by her side. Ms. Lee said Jews were “10 percent of our district, but we also have Muslim, Arab, Palestinian constituents who are afraid for their families and their lives.”

Persons: George Latimer, Jamaal Bowman, Eliot Engel, Cori Bush of, Rashida, “, ”, Usamah Andrabi, Marshall Wittmann, Bowman, Lee, ” Waleed Shahid, Biden, Avigail Oren Organizations: Westchester County, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Justice Democrats, Democratic, AIPAC, Israel, Progressive Locations: New York, Westchester, Cori Bush of Missouri, Michigan, Israel, Gaza, Pittsburgh

2 House Republican Steve Scalise and prominent conservative Jim Jordan. The task of choosing a new Republican nominee for the job of House speaker begins again on Monday at 6:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT), when nine declared candidates, including No. 3 House Republican Tom Emmer, will appear at a closed-door candidate forum. McCarthy has endorsed Emmer, stressing his experience in working to marshal party votes on major legislation since January, when Republicans became the majority party in the House. House Republicans have been embroiled in chaos all year.

Persons: Jonathan Ernst, Kevin McCarthy, Republican Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Joe Biden, Michael McCaul, ABC's, Republican Tom Emmer, McCarthy, Emmer, NBC's, Matt Gaetz, Jordan, Donald Trump, Jack Bergman, Byron Donalds, Kevin Hern, Mike Johnson, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer, Pete Sessions, Trump, Austin Scott, Biden, David Morgan, Kat Jackson, Andy Sullivan, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Capitol Hill, U.S . House, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Republicans, Republican, Foreign, House Republicans, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Israel, Ukraine

☆ Republicans: House circus embarrasses senior party leaders as the country and the world wait for a speaker
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The uprising that began nearly three weeks ago with the toppling of Speaker Kevin McCarthy has now weakened three of the most powerful figures in the House GOP. Twisting colored squares together in the right order seems simple by comparison with attempts to unite a House Republican conference unable to comprehend how clownish it looks. “We need (a speaker) because the House can’t do anything without a speaker,” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. “This is probably one of the most embarrassing things I’ve seen because if we don’t have a speaker of the House, we can’t govern. “This is embarrassing for the Republican Party.

Persons: shutdowns, Jim Jordan, Steve Scalise, Kevin McCarthy, McCarthy, Scalise, Jordan, “, Mike Turner, Mitch McConnell, procrastinate, Joe Biden, Vladimir Putin, It’s, Donald Trump, Matt Gaetz, ”, Trump, Michael McCaul, ” McCarthy, Tom Emmer, Emmer, Kevin Hern of, Jack Bergman of, Austin Scott of Georgia, Byron Donalds of, Mike Johnson of, Pete Sessions, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer of, Newt Gingrich –, GOP –, ” Gingrich Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, Republican Party, ”, Intelligence, Republican, Kentucky, CBS, Biden, GOP, The, Democratic, White, California Republican, Republicans, Trump, Florida, Foreign, Texas Republican, ABC, Press, Caucus, Marine, Jordan, Black Republicans, Pete Sessions of Texas, Committee, Fox News, firebrand Georgia Republican Locations: Washington, Israel, “ State, Ukraine, Kyiv, California, Texas, Minnesota, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Byron Donalds of Florida, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Gary Palmer of Alabama

☆ Jim Jordan's House Speaker bid gains momentum as Biden warns of 'dangerous' leadership vacuum in Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

US Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) speaks to members of the media at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 4, 2023. The renewed momentum came at a crucial moment for Jordan, whose candidacy seemed destined to fail late last week. After winning the internal, closed door nomination vote, Jordan still faced a bloc of around 50 House Republicans who opposed his speakership. Jim Jordan can do it," McCarthy said in a social post. President Joe Biden called the leadership vacuum in the House "dangerous" in an interview with CBS News that aired Sunday.

Persons: Jim Jordan, Jim Jordan of, Republican holdouts, Jordan, Mike Rogers of, Ken Calvert of, Ann Wagner of Missouri, Carlos Gimenez of, Don Bacon of, Gimenez, Kevin McCarthy, Steve Womack, Mike Lawler, Mario Diaz, Matt Gaetz, McCarthy, Joe Biden, Biden, Michael McCaul, Steve Scalise Organizations: Jim Jordan of Ohio, Representatives, Republican, Republicans, Armed Services, Mike Rogers of Alabama, NBC News, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, California Republican, Rep, Jordan, CBS News, Republican Party, Foreign Affairs, NBC, Texas Republican, GOP Locations: Washington ,, Ken Calvert of California, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Arkansas, York, Florida, Israel, Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, United States, Texas, Louisiana

However since parliament opened on Oct. 1, its foreign affairs commission, which would debate the NATO bid, has received almost 60 international agreements to review - excluding Sweden's, official data shows. A second person familiar with U.S.-Turkish talks said a rough proposal - in which each side would take steps toward ratifying the NATO bid on the one side, and the F-16s purchase on the other - had been delayed. IN NO RUSHTurkey, NATO's second-biggest military, is still expected to ultimately endorse Sweden's bid and could rapidly move on it. Addressing the drone incident, which occurred near U.S. troops on Oct. 5, Erdogan said last week: "Isn't Turkey a NATO ally of the U.S.? Finnish membership was sealed in April, marking an historic expansion of the Western defence bloc, but Sweden's bid remains held up by Turkey and Hungary.

Persons: Tayyip Erdogan, Ulf Kristersson, Jens Stoltenberg, Yves Herman, Joe Biden, RUSH Turkey, NATO's, Sweden's, Erdogan, Yasar Guler, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Johnson, Bernadette Baum Organizations: NATO, REUTERS, Rights, Washington, State Department, AK Party, U.S, U.S . State Department, RUSH, Kurdistan Workers Party, European Union, Turkish Defence, Swedish, U.S . Senate, White House, Lockheed Martin Corp, Palestinian, Hamas, aircraft, Thomson Locations: Swedish, Vilnius, Lithuania, Rights ANKARA, Turkey, Sweden, Ankara, United States, Syria, U.S, NATO, Finland, Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Brussels, Stockholm, Helsinki, Iraq, Gaza, Riyadh

The U.S. Capitol is seen at sunrise as Republican House members will today continue their search to find a House speaker following the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, in Washington, U.S., October 13, 2023. The House of Representatives has drifted leaderless for 12 days since eight of its 221 Republicans ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Some House Republicans voiced frustration and anger that they have gone so long without being able to choose a leader. Our adversaries are watching what we do and ... quite frankly, they like it," said Republican House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul. Former President Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, has at times been a cheerleader for the chaos.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Kevin Lamarque, Donald Trump's, Israel, hardliner Jim Jordan, Joe Biden, Michael McCaul, McCaul, Trump, Zach Nunn, Nunn, Pete Aguilar, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, Vladimir Putin, Elizabeth Hoffman, William Hoagland, Congress doesn't, Scott Perry, Richard Cowan, Patricia Zengerle, Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Republican, REUTERS, Rights, U.S ., Hamas, Republicans, Democratic, House, Republican House Foreign, Reuters, Israel, Democrats, House Democratic, Pentagon, Center for Strategic & International Studies, Center, Congress, Caucus, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, East, Ukraine, Washington, Middle, Israel, Gaza, Iowa, Des Moines

☆ Republican head of the House's foreign policy committee said the current GOP caucus is 'one of the biggest threats' around
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Rep. Mike McCaul said the House GOP caucus is 'one of the biggest threats' around. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementWhile the US is in the middle of funding wars in Ukraine and Israel, the Republican head of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs said that the GOP caucus itself is 'one of the biggest threats' around. McCaul said he told the GOP caucus that the party's failure to speedily appoint a new speaker amidst global turmoil validates Chinese Leader Xi Jinping's claims that "Democracy doesn't work."

Persons: Mike McCaul, McCaul, —, Xi Jinping's, Kevin McCarthy, Matt Gaetz, Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry Organizations: GOP, House Foreign Affairs, Service, Republican, Foreign Affairs, Texas Republican, Homeland Security, Democratic Caucus, Hamas, Pro Tempore Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Texas

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Despite Israeli bombardment that has brought Gaza to the brink of a humanitarian meltdown, U.S. President Joe Biden is facing little pressure at home to rein in Israel's military retaliation for an unprecedented attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. Republicans have shown near-unanimity in backing whatever military action Israel decides to take after suffering the deadliest attack on its soil in decades. Though polls continue to show overwhelming sympathy for Israel among the overall U.S. public, a Gallup survey in March found that Democrats were slightly more favorable toward the Palestinians than Israel. Biden, an avowed lifelong friend of Israel, has pledged to provide Israel with all the assistance it needs. A White House official said Biden's aides have privately discussed their concerns with Israeli counterparts.

Persons: Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Jonathan Ernst, Biden, Israel, excoriate, Gregory Meeks, Rashida Tlaib, Karine Jean, Pierre, ”, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, Washington’s, Khaled Elgindy, Jeremy Ben, Ami, Matt Spetalnick, Patricia Zengerle, Jeff Mason, Simon Lewis, Steve Holland, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Israeli, White, REUTERS, Rights, Israel, Democratic Party, Republicans, Democratic, House Foreign Relations, American, White House Press, Gallup, Biden, AIPAC, Middle East Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Israel, Washington , U.S, Gaza, Palestinian, U.S, New York, Washington, Washington . U.S, Saudi Arabia

“We are in uncharted waters, but it’s also very clear that we do not want to have a speaker pro tem who is leading policy. “That's the goal,” McHenry said earlier Thursday when asked if he would put a vote for speaker on the House floor. House Republicans are gridlocked with no end in sight, a war is escalating in Israel and Palestine and the U.S. government is ticking closer to a shutdown. McHenry was named to the role of speaker pro tempore by McCarthy as part of a process established in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. It's an argument that may catch on in the House as lawmakers grow restless with their inability to act.

Persons: Patrick McHenry, gavel, Kevin McCarthy, McHenry, it’s, That’s, ”, Zach Nunn, Steve Scalise, Marc Molinaro, “, ” McHenry, McCarthy, Israel —, Michael McCaul, shouldn't, David Joyce, Joyce, Jim McGovern, Josh Chafetz, Scalise, Jen Kiggans, Kevin Freking, Farnoush Amiri, Lisa Mascaro Organizations: WASHINGTON, North Carolina Republican, Republicans, U.S, Republican, House Foreign Relations, Israel, GOP, Ohio Republican, Capitol, Georgetown Law School, Virginia Republican, Associated Press Locations: McHenry, Iowa, Israel, Palestine, Virginia

☆ House Speaker Fight Hurts Israel, Says Foreign-Affairs Chairman
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. Michael McCaul (R., Texas), the chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said House Republicans' inability to elect a new speaker is threatening aid to Israel and delighting America's adversaries. McCaul made the comments as he left a closed-door meeting where the GOP conference is meeting to try to coalesce around Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R., La.) He said he warned his colleagues that the House GOP's dysfunction is becoming more dangerous every day. "But they can't do that if we don't have a speaker in the chair. One of the biggest threats I see is in that room, because we can't unify as a conference and put a speaker in the chair together."

Persons: Michael McCaul, delighting, McCaul, Steve Scalise, They're Organizations: House Foreign Affairs, Republicans, GOP Locations: , Texas, Israel

☆ Iran intelligence: Initial US intel suggests Tehran was surprised by the Hamas attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Zachary Cohen Katie Bo Lillis Natasha Bertrand Jeremy Herb | Zachary Cohen | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The United States has collected specific intelligence that suggests senior Iranian government officials were caught by surprise by Saturday’s bloody attack on Israel by Hamas, according to multiple sources familiar with the intelligence. The existence of the intelligence has cast doubt on the idea that Iran was directly involved in the planning, resourcing or approving of the operation, sources said. The sources stressed that the US intelligence community is not ready to reach a full conclusion about whether Tehran was directly involved in the run-up to the attack. They continue to look for evidence of Iranian involvement, which caught both Israel and the United States by surprise. “We’re looking to acquire further intelligence,” national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.

Persons: Mike McCaul, “, Tehran doesn’t, Jake Sullivan, ” Organizations: CNN, Capitol, Foreign, Texas Republican, Hamas, White Locations: United States, Israel, Iran, Tehran, Texas, Gaza

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his “unshakeable” commitment to defending Israel on Wednesday as concerns mount over the potential for nearby countries and militant groups to take advantage of the chaotic situation and broaden the conflict. And the horrors of Hamas’ Saturday attack continue to unfold, with reports of children found butchered in a kibbutz. As it stands, at least 1,200 people have been killed in Israel, including at least 22 Americans. He said that the U.S. is well equipped to support Israel while also continuing to aid Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia. “We will stand firmly with Israel as we continue to support Ukraine.”

Persons: Joe Biden, ” Biden, ”, “, It’s, Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, he’ll, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Jake Sullivan, “ We’ve, they’ve, Sullivan, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ” Austin Organizations: Israel, Israeli, House Foreign Affairs, Iran, Republicans, Defense, Department of Defense, American, intel, Hamas, State Department, Hezbollah, White, National, Ukraine Defense Contact, Ukraine Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Iran, Louisiana, Lebanon, Lebanese, The U.S, Brussels, Ukraine, Russia

Leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee introduced a bipartisan resolution Tuesday, with the backing of nearly 400 lawmakers, expressing support for Israel after a surprise attack over the weekend by Hamas. House Republicans are set to hold a candidate forum Tuesday evening before holding an internal speaker election and chamber-wide vote in the following days. But the conflict in Israel has added urgency to the election, with limited ability to show support or provide aid without a speaker. “Israel is responding to the Hamas terror organization’s unprecedented attack,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the foreign affairs committee said. Political Cartoons on Congress View All 254 ImagesThough the legislation has widespread support, its speedy passage likely depends on the quick resolution of the speaker election.

Persons: Israel, Michael McCaul, Kevin McCarthy’s, “, Gregory Meeks, ”, McCaul Organizations: House Foreign Affairs, Israel, ”, Republicans, . House, Iran Locations: United States, Iran, Israel, “ Israel

While the impetus on Republicans to pick a new speaker escalated after the terrorist attack in Israel over the weekend, the House GOP conference remains bitterly divided over how it should proceed – and who can get the 217 votes needed to lead it. Republicans are preparing for the prospect that neither House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana nor House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio can get the votes to be elected speaker, leaving the conference with no clear path forward. In some corners of the conference, there was a push to quickly settle on a speaker. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Mike McCaul called for a new speaker by Wednesday to avoid appearances of weakness and dysfunction amid war in Israel. Until a new speaker is selected, the House can’t pass legislation to address the crisis, McCaul noted.

Persons: Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, They’re, McCarthy, “, ” Scalise, Derrick Van Orden, ”, Max Miller, Steve Womack, GOP appropriator, ” Womack, Jordan, Cory Mills, who’ve, Chip Roy, Texas, –, Mike McCaul, McCaul Organizations: CNN — House Republicans, GOP, Republicans, CNN, Florida Republican, Foreign Locations: coalescing, Israel, Louisiana, Ohio, Scalise, Jordan, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Florida

☆ The idea of Israel coexisting with Hamas is over, says former WH foreign policy advisor Dan Senor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe idea of Israel coexisting with Hamas is over, says former WH foreign policy advisor Dan SenorDan Senor, 'Start-Up Nation' author and former White House foreign policy advisor in the George W. Bush administration, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the potential impact on Israel's business community, and more.

Persons: Israel coexisting, Dan Senor Dan Senor, George W, Bush Organizations: WH, White House Locations: Israel

☆ America’s political turmoil hampers its capacity to lead through yet another global crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

But no one could foresee just how quickly the paralysis in Washington would test the country’s reaction to a major global crisis. A situation this dangerous requires a calm, united and thoughtful US response, supported across the political spectrum. This means, at best, the United States will spend the coming months preoccupied by its own political plight. As president, I will once again stand with Israel,” Trump said. A growing sense abroad that America’s political problems are limiting its ability to lead globally could also have a devastating effect on its power.

Persons: –, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, “ Joe Biden, Israel, ” Trump, Biden, autocrats, doesn’t, Michael McCaul, Xi, Michael Lawler, “, ” Lawler, CNN’s Dana Bash, McCarthy, Jim Jordan, Trump, Steve Scalise, Ukraine –, America’s, Russia –, Antony Blinken, ”, Nikki Haley, Blinken, ” Haley, GOP Sen, Tim Scott of, Biden – Organizations: CNN, Republicans, Israel, Republican, Trump, Hamas, House Foreign Affairs, Texas Republican, GOP, Senate, Democratic, White, Russia, Republican Party, US Treasury Department, Union, United Nations, Press, Washington Locations: Israel, United States, Washington, Ukraine, Iran, Russia, China, “ State, Texas, New York, Kyiv, Beijing, Moscow, Tehran, Gaza, Islamic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Tim Scott of South Carolina

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