This Superlative Sanctuary Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.

It is also a place to read, post and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.

In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.

We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.

Please show respect and consideration for your fellow QTreepers.

Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure you’re addressing the issue only, and not trying to confront the poster.

If you feel the need to bare your fangs, we have a companion site – called The U Tree – where you can run wild and free with the Wolfpack where all legal free speech is allowed.

But NOT HERE in The Q Tree. Personal attacks, name calling, ridicule, insults, baiting and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.

In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.

Please also consider the Important Guidelines, outlined here. Let’s not give the Internet Censors a reason to shut down this precious haven that Wolf has created for us.

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The Storm is upon us.
Please remember to Pray for our President.

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AND WHAT TIME IS IT?
TIME TO DRAIN THE SWAMP!!!

Our movement is about replacing a failed and CORRUPT political establishment with a new government controlled by you, the American People. ~ Candidate Donald J. Trump

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Also remember Wheatie’s Rules:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

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On this day and every day –

God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up

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Hopefully, every Sunday, you can find something here that will build you up a little . . . give you a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.

“This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” . . . “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

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The Fruit of the Spirit 

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God looks at us and deals with us on the basis of love . . . agapé love . . . love that puts our well-being first. He knows what’s best for us and he nudges us and sometimes shoves us in that direction.

When we trust in Jesus as our Savior, God sends the Holy Spirit to live within us as a Helper to shape our lives toward what God knows is best for us.

God’s Word lists nine characteristics that the Holy Spirit works to grow in each Believer to shape our lives toward how God wants us to live. These characteristics are called the Fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

The Fruit of the Spirit is:
Love, a love that seeks the highest good for others;
Joy, a gladness that is not based on one’s circumstances;
Peace, a deep contentment, shalom, unity with God and with people;
Patience or Forbearance, being slow to speak and slow to anger;
Kindness, showing mercy, sympathy, helpfulness;
Goodness, being generous and open-hearted;
Faithfulness, being dependable, loyal and trustworthy;
Gentleness, being calm, non-threatening; and
Self-control, behaving well and in a way that honors God.

It’s important to note here that the Holy Spirit is our Helper . . . He’s not going to magically change us while we ignore Him and continue to live the life of the world and “me first”.

We have a responsibility here to want to grow our Spirit Fruit and work toward that end. God’s Word puts that responsibility on us and tells us that we are to yield to the Holy Spirit. We are not to be passive but active in the development of our Fruit of the Spirit. In Colossians 3:10-15 Paul tells Christians to put on many of the same virtues. In 2 Peter 1:5-8 Peter tells his readers to add to their faith some of the same characteristics that are called the Fruit of the Spirit.

It’s important to know what the Fruit of the Spirit is and to diligently work to make it part of our Christian life. We don’t get to spiritual maturity by pursuing our own interests. We need to yield our lives to the Spirit’s leading by means of the Bible (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18). Our Christian life is always a combination of the work of the Spirit of God in originating fruit and the cooperation of our will.

John 14:15-17
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

When God, the Holy Spirit, gives us His fruit in ever increasing measure, I don’t believe He just zaps us with a little fruit basket because we mentally agree with yielding to the Holy Spirit, were good last week and read our Bibles a bit more than usual. I believe God puts us into situations where we need to have love or joy or peace or patience and then, after going through many situations not using the Fruit of the Spirit, we slowly, even sometimes reluctantly, come to the realization that it is actually in our own best interest to live our lives with that basket of fruit . . . full and overflowing.

Us coming to the knowledge that God is, once again and always, correct in these matters is a very important lesson for us to learn.

The Spirit’s fruit needs time to grow. It will not grow like Jack’s beanstalk. Our old sin nature works to choke out the work of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power we need to resist and ultimately reject those old sinful desires. We can say “no” to sin and accept the way God provides (1 Corinthians 10:13) by following the Holy Spirit’s leading. 

As we give the Spirit more control of our lives, He begins to do in and through us what only He can do – to shape us and grow us to look more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

As difficult as growing fully ripened Fruit of the Spirit is (nigh impossible), the actual task at hand is absolutely impossible. In Jesus’ words, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Since God’s goal for all His children is for us to be like Jesus (Romans 8:29), the Holy Spirit constantly works to rid our lives of the “acts of the sinful nature” (Gal 5:19) and to display His fruit instead. The presence of the Fruit of the Spirit is evidence that our character is becoming more like Christ’s.

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The Fruit of the Spirit works to rid our lives of the works of flesh.

Galations 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

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God’s Orchard

Our world is an orchard God planted and grows,
With deep, dark, rich soil and water that flows.
We are His trees, all growing in God’s fields,
And each is unique with different yields.

God gave us His Spirit to show us the way
To grow fruit for Him, each and every day.
This isn’t just for you, it’s also for me,
So I have to ask, what’s growing on our trees?

The foremost of God’s fruit is agapé love.
Love God, and our neighbors: His gift from above.
Love the Lord with all our heart, mind and soul,
And love our neighbors – those must be our goals.

Joy is the fruit to make our poor hearts glad.
God plan is our happiness, not to be sad.
Believing in Him, inexpressible joy,
Now and forever, His presence to enjoy.

Peace, God’s peace, a harmony of mind,
A fruit to be treasured for all of time.
Let the peace of Christ rule in our heart
And our fears and worries will all depart.

Patience we show when we wait on the Lord;
Waiting and trusting are special rewards.
Goals, plans and steps are all made by man,
But all will be done by God’s perfect plan.

Kindness to others, as shown through our life,
Is our protection from discord and strife.
For just as God gave His kindness to us,
We can give others our kindness plus.

Goodness is uprightness of life and heart,
One of the things setting Christians apart.
The world might call it having a good name,
But we credit God, from Whom goodness came.

Faithfulness leads to God’s blessings, it’s true,
A faithful servant, the best we can do.
For Jesus was faithful, in life and death,
There, on the cross, to His very last breath.

Gentleness and meekness should grow on our tree,
As we walk with our God in humility.
Though we crave honors, it must be reversed.
Forever in God’s eyes, the last will be first.

Self-control will keep us on God’s path,
Not seeking the world and incurring His wrath.
The Kingdom of God is not worldly pleasure,
But righteousness, peace and joy in good measure.

Hate, anger, impatience, cruelty and strife
Are what the world chains to us in life.
Wickedness, betrayal, wantonness, and pride
Will be bound to us, so we must decide.

Will we live life for God, for all of our days,
Praising and thanking and walking in His ways?
It is for freedom that Christ set us free,
Let’s search our hearts now, what’s growing on my tree?

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Welcome to the OPEN THREAD!!!!!!!! January shall be known as “Expose the Sham in SHAMUARY!” Let the truth bombs fall. Expose the hypocrisy of the press, malinent of politicos, bureaucracy, and NGOs. 

Here are a few examples:

1. The press and Dems insist our President was out of bounds for an “Assassination”. Well, it wasn’t an assassination when Holder and Obama did it.

WATCH: In 2012, Attorney General Eric Holder argued that the targeted elimination of a "senior operational leader" of a terrorist group or country who "presents an an imminent threat of violent attack" is NOT an "assassination," it is SELF DEFENSE. https://t.co/pOx3FVqlg6 pic.twitter.com/g1R3KMCp6n

— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) January 9, 2020

2. For the past 3 days, the press and Dems have foamed at the mouth about curbing the President’s Power with a War Powers Resolution. They passed it. The media covered it. It means nothing. It’s toothless. All a big act for the media and to mislead the people. Besides that, most people think the War Powers Act is unconstitutional.

Smart analysis, I fully agree! https://t.co/0YMU7GunDt

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2020

#3. The word of the day has been “Crossfire”, intended to mislead the public to believe a Ukrainian Airliner was shot down, with 176 dead, because of something the USA did. No.

Incredible. Iran fires balisstic missiles at US troops, US does not shoot back. Then when Iran shoots down a civilian airplane, it’s “crossfire.” https://t.co/QtJJGUH8rj

— Philip Klein (@philipaklein) January 9, 2020

Expose them all!!!!!!!!!!! They’re STONE COLD BUSTED!

Cuz you know what happens right?

Now for the housekeeping.

We don’t believe in political correctness at QTree. You can say what you want, comment on what other people said, and so on. Free Speech is practiced here. ENJOY IT. Use it or lose it. Important Guidelines are outlined here in the January 1st open thread, with an addendum on 20191110. In other words, please keep it SOMEWHAT civil. We have a new board – actually a new SITE – called The U Tree – where people can take each other to the woodshed without fear of censorship or moderation. NOT HERE. This board will remain a REFUGE for those who need civility, either some or all of the time.

SPEAK THE FIVE WORDS BOLDLY TO OUR PRESIDENT!, “I AM PRAYING FOR YOU!“

And remember….. it is time to drain the swamp in DC and LOCALLY. Please make a commitment in the new year to attend a LOCAL board meeting for your town or municipality or school board. Get involved and make your presence known. Put your local officials phone numbers in your cell phone and call them once a week (or more often).

“Our movement is about replacing a failed and corrupt political establishment with a new government controlled by you, the American People.”

Candidate Donald J Trump

Also remember Wheatie’s Rules:

1. No food fights.
2. No running with scissors.
3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

RSBN Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzePH6z5c2A

FOX10 Phoenix Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDE2KG0mIGw

Golden State Times Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWXPkK02j6MHW-4xCJzgMuw/featured

When you have to get home to Toledo, any excuse will do.

Corporal Klinger dreamed of Tony Packo’s corner cafe when he served in the Army in Korea but Packo’s is still there, still serving their famous pickles and peppers for hot dogs.

But this time, we get to travel with the President to Toledo, Ohio, for a MAGA/KAG Rally and seriously kick off the 2020 Presidential campaign season. Toledo has changed dramatically since the Korean War and even more since MASH ended.

Also, maybe worth considering was the dispute between Ohio and Michigan over a border area that was known as the Toledo Strip. It nearly came to war between the two states. Andrew Jackson intervened to help resolve the dispute. One outcome was that Michigan was given most of the Upper Peninsula as compensation in the settlement. (Hat tip to ItsWoot) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toledo_War

Toledo was founded in 1833, re-founded in 1837 at the conclusion of the Toledo War, but expanded rapidly when the Erie and Miami (connected Cincinnati to Lake Erie) Canals were finished. Since Toledo is located on the manufacturing beltway between Chicago and New York, the glass manufacturers arrived in 1880’s and Toledo’s nickname became “Glass City”. To this day, Owens Corning and Libby Glass are still big employers in Toledo.

The Great Depression hit hard in Toledo and many WPA projects were completed at the time, an amphitheater, aquarium, zoo, and Museum of Art. In the 80’s, the downtown of Toledo was in recession/depression as the suburbs grew. Yet, recent hockey rinks and ballparks have brought people back to the downtown area.

The population of Toledo as of the 2010 Census was 287,128 making it the 71st-largest city in the United States. The 2018 population estimate is 274,975. Population is going down in Toledo. It hit a high in 1970 of 383,818, shrunk by 1/3 since the onset of NAFTA. Amazing what the destruction of manufacturing can do to a city. Housing and rents are inexpensive in Toledo and many old gems still exist.

Outstanding Statistic for Toledo is their location. Toledo is within 250 miles of 7 metro areas – each of them containing greater than a 2 million population, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and Chicago. It makes Toledo a perfect business location.

The Toledo economy is bustling and picking up in a Trump economy. Look at the top 40 places to work, GM, Solar, Libby, Grain Elevators and AgriBusiness, Dana Manf, Owens Corning, Healthcare, Banking, etc. https://topworkplaces.com/publication/toledoblade/

Toledo has a perfect port location on west end of Lake Erie, just south of Detroit. The town is split by the Maumee River and ideally located for shipping and transport logistics.

Michael, our dearest QTreeper usually in charge of food for our MAGA Rally threads is going to have a good time in Toledo. This is a town which has a rare mix of outstanding Mediterranean to Hungarian food + the best hot dogs in the world + an overabundance of local breweries + the normal Chinese/Japanese/Mexican/SteakHouse etc. It’s a food-gasm in Toledo.

Ahhhh, would give anything to spend the afternoon with this guy in his bakery, learning how to make ciabattas and meat pies. LOOK at those pans!!!!!

The hot dogs/Polish sausages are legendary in Toledo. Rudy’s, Central Hot Dog, and Tony Packo’s are the local haunts. Even Obama made it to Rudy’s for a hot dog, so President Trump would probably go to Tony Packo’s.

That said, the Trump Supporters are gearing up for Toledo!!!!!!!!

Trump merchandise for sale ahead of Toledo rally – https://t.co/2WLZfs07GF pic.twitter.com/EVHV75GlHX

— WTOL 11 (@WTOL11Toledo) January 7, 2020

This is the first sitting president to visit the city since July of 2012 https://t.co/j7ssb23I8A

— 13 Action News (@13abc) January 7, 2020

Do NOT miss President Donald Trump’s #KeepAmericaGreat Rally, Thursday, January 9th, in Toledo, Ohio! #TRUMP2020

💥Thursday, January 9,
7 PM EST #Jobs #Economy #KAG #Toledo #OH #Trump2020Landslide

Register for free tickets:https://t.co/SCWvgP9XNt

— Linda Suhler, PhD (@LindaSuhler) January 7, 2020

President Trump Rally Traffic Advisory

Check out our Facebook for the full press release information!
.
.
.https://t.co/m8BlTII1Rf#toledopolice pic.twitter.com/dGQhRPyb8F

— Toledo Police (@Toledo_PD) January 7, 2020

God Bless President Trump Keep America Great 2020!
Trump Rally Thursday … Huntington Center. January 9 at 7pm in Toledo 🇺🇸💕Ohio 🇺🇸💕🇺🇸💕🙏

— DiAnna Gacik (@DG_Sells) January 6, 2020

And courtesy of Cuppa, we have John Denver, singing about Toledo, Ohio.

This one is pretty, a holiday tune about Toledo. Beautiful voice.

Apparently, in about an hour, the President will address the nation about the Iranian attacks on our bases last night. Transcript is located below.

Here is the live link from FOX 10 in Phoenix.

Golden State Times Link:

Going to be a busy day, folks. QTree will add info as it becomes available. God Bless our Troops and love to all.

Golden State Times does not have a live feed link up for the President’s Address. Yet, here is his presser from yesterday with the Greek PM.

Remember, there is a MAGA/KAG rally in Toledo, Ohio tomorrow.

Transcript:

THE PRESIDENT: As long as I am President of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

Good morning. I’m pleased to inform you: The American people should be extremely grateful and happy no Americans were harmed in last night’s attack by the Iranian regime. We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases.

Our great American forces are prepared for anything. Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.

No American or Iraqi lives were lost because of the precautions taken, the dispersal of forces, and an early warning system that worked very well. I salute the incredible skill and courage of America’s men and women in uniform.

For far too long — all the way back to 1979, to be exact — nations have tolerated Iran’s destructive and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East and beyond. Those days are over. Iran has been the leading sponsor of terrorism, and their pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens the civilized world. We will never let that happen.

Last week, we took decisive action to stop a ruthless terrorist from threatening American lives. At my direction, the United States military eliminated the world’s top terrorist, Qasem Soleimani. As the head of the Quds Force, Soleimani was personally responsible for some of the absolutely worst atrocities.

He trained terrorist armies, including Hezbollah, launching terrorist strikes against civilian targets. He fueled bloody civil wars all across the region. He viciously wounded and murdered thousands of U.S. troops, including the planting of roadside bombs that maim and dismember their victims.

Soleimani directed the recent attacks on U.S. personnel in Iraq that badly wounded four service members and killed one American, and he orchestrated the violent assault on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. In recent days, he was planning new attacks on American targets, but we stopped him.

Soleimani’s hands were drenched in both American and Iranian blood. He should have been terminated long ago. By removing Soleimani, we have sent a powerful message to terrorists: If you value your own life, you will not threaten the lives of our people.

As we continue to evaluate options in response to Iranian aggression, the United States will immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime. These powerful sanctions will remain until Iran changes its behavior.

In recent months alone, Iran has seized ships in international waters, fired an unprovoked strike on Saudi Arabia, and shot down two U.S. drones.

Iran’s hostilities substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013, and they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash. Instead of saying “thank you” to the United States, they chanted “death to America.” In fact, they chanted “death to America” the day the agreement was signed.

Then, Iran went on a terror spree, funded by the money from the deal, and created hell in Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration. The regime also greatly tightened the reins on their own country, even recently killing 1,500 people at the many protests that are taking place all throughout Iran.

The very defective JCPOA expires shortly anyway, and gives Iran a clear and quick path to nuclear breakout. Iran must abandon its nuclear ambitions and end its support for terrorism. The time has come for the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, and China to recognize this reality.

They must now break away from the remnants of the Iran deal -– or JCPOA –- and we must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place. We must also make a deal that allows Iran to thrive and prosper, and take advantage of its enormous untapped potential. Iran can be a great country.

Peace and stability cannot prevail in the Middle East as long as Iran continues to foment violence, unrest, hatred, and war. The civilized world must send a clear and unified message to the Iranian regime: Your campaign of terror, murder, mayhem will not be tolerated any longer. It will not be allowed to go forward.

Today, I am going to ask NATO to become much more involved in the Middle East process. Over the last three years, under my leadership, our economy is stronger than ever before and America has achieved energy independence. These historic accomplishments changed our strategic priorities. These are accomplishments that nobody thought were possible. And options in the Middle East became available. We are now the number-one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere in the world. We are independent, and we do not need Middle East oil.

The American military has been completely rebuilt under my administration, at a cost of $2.5 trillion. U.S. Armed Forces are stronger than ever before. Our missiles are big, powerful, accurate, lethal, and fast. Under construction are many hypersonic missiles.

The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it. American strength, both military and economic, is the best deterrent.

Three months ago, after destroying 100 percent of ISIS and its territorial caliphate, we killed the savage leader of ISIS, al-Baghdadi, who was responsible for so much death, including the mass beheadings of Christians, Muslims, and all who stood in his way. He was a monster. Al-Baghdadi was trying again to rebuild the ISIS caliphate, and failed.

Tens of thousands of ISIS fighters have been killed or captured during my administration. ISIS is a natural enemy of Iran. The destruction of ISIS is good for Iran, and we should work together on this and other shared priorities.

Finally, to the people and leaders of Iran: We want you to have a future and a great future — one that you deserve, one of prosperity at home, and harmony with the nations of the world. The United States is ready to embrace peace with all who seek it.

I want to thank you, and God bless America. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

Yesterday, we did a rehash of ME history highlighting major events over the last 30+ years. We’re trying to get an objective view of what happened, what we did, where we screwed up, and what we could have done differently through various administrations. It was time for a reassessment. Not sure if anyone accurately explained the Obama Doctrine of “appeasement” of Iran. Did you get that message? Could any of us passed a test on Obama Doctrine in the Middle East? Well, Robert Malley knew what it was, he wrote it.

Wait until you see what we found today.

https://media.giphy.com/media/l0HU1hasfJKRST93q/giphy.gif

The JCPOA ensured a path to nuclear weapons for Iran. Bottom line, we knew some things would never work and Iran should never have a nuclear weapon, which is why Trump ripped up the JCPOA.

But what to do? Once Team Trump decided to identify Iran as an enemy, act like Iran is an enemy, and TREAT Iran as an enemy, and actually act like our military was a REAL military, we thought we were in the clear, right? Sure, we wanted to get rid of ISIS, get out of Syria and Afghanistan, and we’re working on it. Yes, the QUDS forces killed some of ISIS because ISIS was also in Iran’s way. Yet, Team Trump had everyone heading in the same direction, clearly defined good guys and bad guys. Sounds easy, right?

Iran = the bad guys.

At the end of yesterday’s post, we talked a little bit about “The Crisis Group”. They bugged me, like a snake lurking in the weeds. Made me want to throw a yellow caution flag. Robert Malley is the CEO, head of the Crisis Group. This is the internal enemy, the behind the scenes opposition. It’s the people who are too narcissistic to admit failure and would rather drive the world off a cliff than admit they were wrong. It’s leftover Obama Administration fellows who are clogging up the works.

Keep in mind, I’m a mere bumbling middle-aged lady in a flyover state who makes blueberry muffins. I’m no one special, but I stumbled across Robert Malley yesterday and lil’ ole me stopped on a dime.

Thus, when I woke up this morning and saw a reposted article from Tony Badran on Robert Malley in Tablet, I started looking over my shoulder. Pretty weird, eh? Imagine my surprise. How is it possible we can all be thinking about the same thing? The same person/group? At roughly the same time? And if I can see the problem “from my kitchen window”, why is everyone in the chattering inter-agency assessment community so damn blind? Or, more likely, intentionally avoiding the conversation?

Again, here is the link to the Crisis Group. It’s an NGO, receive funds from grants (read as US Taxpayer dollars), various countries, and private donations. It’s a who’s who of progressives and similar to the Atlantic Council. In the case of Crisis Group, their goal is to push favor towards Iran, whereas Atlantic Council’s goal is to do anything to oppose Russia. It’s a nest of vipers, former high ranking officials with media execs to push a narrative anywhere on the planet they wish. Take a look at the Board of Directors. https://www.crisisgroup.org/who-we-are/board

Robert Malley was born in ’63, served in the National Security Council under Obama from ’14- January of 2017. He’s a “global conflicts resolution” lawyer/specialist and immediately flew the coup when Trump was inaugurated, returning to the Crisis Group. He went to Yale/Oxford/Harvard. Gee whiz, he must be really smart. But note his resume, Malley worked at Crisis Group BEFORE he went into the NSC under Obama. AND the Crisis Group has been pro-Iran since the 90’s. Why was Malley picked for the NSC during the JCPOA negotiations? Interesting choice. Cue the suspicious cat or dog…..

From his Wikipedia bio, obviously carefully curated, “Malley is considered an expert on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and has written extensively on this subject advocating rapprochement with Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood.”

And then we find the golden nugget: “In 2015, the Obama administration appointed Rob Malley as its “point man” on the Middle East, leading the Middle East desk of the National Security Council.^[4] In November 2015, Malley was named as President Obama’s new special ISIS advisor.^[5] “

Malley was the Obama point man for ISIS? What? Have any of you guys ever seen Malley’s picture before today? So, when James Foley was beheaded, it would have been a “policy failure” by Malley? When the Jordanian pilot was burned alive in a cage, would that have been another policy mistake by Malley? How about the Yazidi women/children sold as sex slaves? Don’t tell me that was approved policy. Or the million + immigrants into Europe?

Why haven’t we done a thorough probe of Malley? He’s at the center with blood on his hands…… and he LOVED the Muslim Brotherhood. In researching this piece, several experts have described the “Arab Spring” as the Muslim Brotherhood’s coming out party, as opposed to independent citizens who wanted to throw off old and repressive dictators. Interesting…..

Then we get to the history of Robert Malley. Check his Wiki Bio, he could have been Obama’s brother. His mother — “worked for the United Nations delegation of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FNL), and her husband, Simon Malley (1923–2006), an Egyptian-born Jewish journalist who grew up in Egypt and worked as a foreign correspondent for Al Gomhuria. A communist sympathizer, the elder Malley spent time in New York, writing about international affairs, particularly about nationalist, anti-imperial movements in Africa.

It gets better. I’m the same age as Malley. When my dad moved me to Chicago in ’69 to build skyscrapers and roll around in American Capitalism, Malley’s father moved him to France to open a leftist magazine called Africasia. Malley’s dad, Simon Malley, was so far left, he was thrown out of France in 1980 when “then French president Valéry Giscard d’Estaing briefly expelled Simon Malley from the country to New York, due to his hostility towards the Western world and Israel.^[6] “

What????? Malley’s dad was too far left for France…….. so New York state took him?

Naturally, young Robert Malley went to Yale, then Oxford for a PhD in political philosophy (just like Chelsea Clinton), and he wrote about “third worldism” and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Yet, Malley was so smart, he decided to pick up a JD at Harvard……… where his classmate was one……… Barack Obama……. What are the chances?

Why didn’t we see that one coming?

See this picture below? Robert Malley is at the end, on the left. Followed by the short humpty-dumpty Napoleon guy, next to John Kerry…… who consistently meddles in the ME subverting President Trump’s policies. At the end is the white-haired Cruella deVille – Wendy Sherman, the latest star pundit at MSNBC. She’s the one who screwed up DPRK in the 90s, giving North Korea nuclear weapons during the Clinton Administration. These are the people who have been wrong for decades.

THIS is the JCPOA negotiating team.

But let’s get into the Badran article from Tablet which beautifully explains the problem. Here is the link to the full article. https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/293996/malley-in-wonderland

The Tony Badran article begins by discussing another article written by Malley for Foreign Affairs (( https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2019-10-02/unwanted-wars?spJobID=1740145950&spMailingID=60564848&spReportId=MTc0MDE0NTk1MAS2&spUserID=MTk4Mzk3MjU2NjEzS0&sp_mid=60564848&sp_rid=bmlycm9zZW5AZ21haWwuY29tS0&utm_campaign=unwanted_wars&utm_medium=newsletters&utm_source=pre_release%252520 ))) . Save yourself the time. I read Malley’s original article and I wanted to throw tomatoes at him. His arrogance is inescapable. This is the kind of guy who is so caught up in personal pride, he would be easily compromised by two Vegas hookers in about 30 minutes. Suddenly Epstein’s modus operandi is making a lot of sense to me. Robert Malley is a deeply ideological communist and he does not like the USA and he hates Israel. His logic is flawed and he is a dangerous man.

Yet, the Malley essay is a lackluster defense of Obama’s foreign policy. Malley seems depressed, desperate, wildly partisan, as Obama’s legacy of the JCPOA is in tatters. Malley insists the only way forward for us all, for us to save the WORLD, is more diplomacy and negotiation……. the kind of stuff only smart guys like Malley can do.

And the folks in the agencies take their cues from Malley, as he was Obama’s right hand in the Middle East. It was Malley’s push which netted the recent block on more weapons to Saudi for the Yemen war.

No, there is another option, brought forth by President Trump. Treat Iran like an enemy and hit them over the head. Thugs respect strength and sometimes you need a bigger StrongMan with a bigger gun. Establish a deterrent, a consequence for their actions…. like the death of Soleimani. Iran has been unchecked for a decade.

Clearly, Malley wants to run away from the Middle East, “avoid the tinderbox” and blame allies like Saudi and Israel. He describes Saudi’s war with Yemen as “reckless”, and shames Israel for actions in Lebanon and Syria. “How dare they object to Iranian presence”, seems to be the mantra. Funny, I had a salesman in Yemen when the Houthis started the war with Saudi. His brother was the manager of the port. The Saudis didn’t start anything. Iran funded the Houthis to bug Saudi at their southern border. And somehow Israel should stand down while Iran runs Hezbollah, Hamas, and Syria? Nah…… I can’t see the Jewish people ignoring all the rockets…. suicide bombers…. burning crops… you know…. terrorists.

It’s true though, the strategy from Obama/Malley was to strengthen Iran in order to balance the power of Israel and Saudi. Strike a balance for peace and harmony in the region (I’m looking for white doves to be released and the seas to be parted by Obama). In effect, the Obama Admin sided with Iran, against our allies……. for some “greater good”…. according to smart guys from Yale/Harvard/Oxford.

In other words, if our allies are strong, then America should seek to weaken them until “balance” is achieved, which will help bring about more “peace.” If Iran were stronger, and Israel and Saudi Arabia were weaker, then peace would therefore be more likely. American policy, in the present moment at least, should therefore be to strengthen Iran at the expense of Israel and the Saudis. 

Indeed, this odd syllogism, which anchors the essay, is hardly Malley’s own; it simply reiterates Obama’s core vision for the region. The goal of achieving “balance” in America’s posture in the Middle East is how Obama presented his strategy of realigning American interests with Iran. For Obama, it was not in America’s interest to lead a regional alliance system which stands in opposition to Iran, and which therefore threatens to move the U.S. closer to war. Rebalancing away from traditional allies means moving closer to Iran, and away from the security architecture in which America had formerly been invested.

https://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/293996/malley-in-wonderland

Gobsmacked. We had suspicions Obama was a sell-out to Iran but here it is in black and white. My poor little flyover state brain can’t handle it, but here it is. Common knowledge amongst the bureaucracy.

How did it happen? Who thought it was a good idea to turn Iran loose and throw Israel and Saudi under the bus? Guess that explains why Obama left Netanyahu waiting, cooling his heels for over an hour, outside the Oval Office. Yet, it’s clear, that was Obama’s policy and Malley was merely aligned in thinking. Such a reversal was dramatic, however, what caused it? Because make no mistake, the policy was malicious and intentional.

Answer can be found in the rejection of Bush policy, nation building, endless war, and the utter disaster of Iraq and Afghanistan. Elections have consequences and the Obama team seized the opportunity. Reading further in the article, when the Obama admin came in, they reassessed and took an opposite approach = hands off Iran. Let Iran and Saudi share the region. Coddle Iran to the detriment of Saudi and especially Israel.

Both Malley and Badran freely admit the “interagency consensus” is now tilted against Israel and Saudi and loyal to Obama policy = cozy up to Iran. Well, that explains why they had such a fit when Khashoggi was killed. It also explains why they had a fit when Trump visited Saudi Arabia for his first foreign visit. And why the Deep State thinks Trump is dumb……… because he does not agree with “them”.

“I think there was a comfort with a United States that was comfortable with an existing order and the existing alignments, and was an implacable foe of Iran,” Obama said in 2014, referring to Gulf Arab states. “What I’ve been saying to our partners in the region is, ‘We’ve got to respond and adapt to change.’”

In other words, it was Obama’s “new normal” for the Middle East.

Malley was/is far more concerned about Sunni tribal divisions than the problem of Iran and points again to MBS killing of Khashoggi, isolating Qatar, war in Yemen, and the “kidnapping of Lebanon’s foreign minister” (he was stopped at the border to save his life – Saudi learned about the assassination plot)….. which also explains the extended stay at the Ritz Carlton for the Saudi Princes.

Malley and his disciples are sprinkled through the Dem candidates running for President and their influence is real. Malley prefers Bernie Sanders the fellow communist sympathizer, personally, but there are other members of the team interspersed in Butteigeg and Warren campaigns as well as others. Malley thinks if President Trump is a one term President, the old Obama policy will “snap back” (which is why Kerry is running around the middle east) and Iran will again be in good graces, with Israel and Saudi on the outs.

And not only that: What is perhaps more surprising, and more significant, about Malley’s essay is the extent to which it serves as a blueprint for understanding the larger foreign policy consensus in Washington—one that is embraced by both Democrats and Republicans, whether wittingly or not.

As an architect of the Obama administration’s highly deliberate and disciplined Middle East policy, and as a representative of the new Democratic Party foreign policy elite, Malley’s thoughts are worth studying carefully. 

Other articles in my research for this article mention Malley over and over again as a possible National Security Advisor for a Dem Administration if they win in November.

Get your head around the idea.

Official Dem policy is to embrace Iran.

In 2020, vote like your life depends on it.