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Monday, December 4, 2023

Islamic Terror Attacks Ramping Up Around the World

Wall Street Journal: A German tourist was stabbed to death on Saturday evening a few hundred yards from the Eiffel Tower in a suspected Islamist terrorist attack, rattling a nation on high alert because of the Israel-Hamas war. The suspect, identified as a Frenchman in his mid-20s born of Iranian parents, was arrested shortly after the slaying, said Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. France’s counterterrorism prosecutor opened an investigation. Authorities in a number of European countries fear the war is stirring Islamist extremists on the continent to plan attacks. The French government raised the terrorism alert to the highest threat level in October after an Islamist radical stabbed a teacher to death at a high school in the north of France. Prosecutors said the assailant in that case, a refugee from Russia, was motivated by the deaths of Muslims across the world, not specifically in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank (Wall Street Journal). Associated Press: A 15-year-old boy and an alleged accomplice are accused of plotting to blow up a small truck at a Christmas market in western Germany in an attack modeled on the methods of the Islamic State group, prosecutors said Thursday. The teenager was detained Tuesday in Burscheid, a town near Cologne. The two suspects allegedly planned to leave Germany together after the attack and join the Islamic State-Khorasan Province extremist group, an IS offshoot active in and around Afghanistan. Investigators are evaluating evidence found at the 15-year-old’s home but did not find any stocks of fuel, prosecutors said. He is being investigated on suspicion of conspiring to commit murder and preparing a serious act of violence (Associated Press).

VP Kamala Harris: "We have to revitalize the Palestinian Authority"

Breitbart: Vice President Kamala Harris spoke of a post-conflict Gaza built around a revitalized Palestinian Authority (PA) with its own security forces “strengthened” as she entered a round of diplomatic talks with Arab leaders on Saturday. Speaking at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, she also cautioned Israel to do more to protect Palestinian civilians from the “devastating” bombardment (Breitbart). RNC Research: KAMALA HARRIS: “We have to revitalize the Palestinian Authority” (X). DA Marina Medevin: The Palestinian Authority literally pays stipends, millions of dollars, to suicide bombers who killed Jews and their families. The PA literally funds terrorists. Biden administration knows this. They admitted as such to Congress (X). Former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman: How exactly would you “revitalize” the PA? Would you have them stop endorsing Hamas and its barbarity? Have them stop blaming Jews for the Holocaust? have them rescind their laws criminalizing homosexuality? Have them rescind their laws making the sale of a Palestinian house to a Jew punishable by death? Have them end their massive financial corruption which funnels billions to their dishonest leaders? have them stop denying basic human rights like freedom of speech and religion? Have them adopt a fair and impartial judiciary? Have them stop their pension system which incentivizes and rewards Palestinian terrorists and their families who attack and murder Jews? have them end their blood libels falsely accusing Jews of attacking Al Aqsa every time they want attention and need to cause a riot? Have them accept Israel as a Jewish State? Under your administration, the US has sent the PA lots of money, but that hasn’t made a dent in any of these. I’d love to hear the plan Madame Vice President. But I know that you don’t have one and, indeed, there is none (X).

Congress Blocks $6 Billion Biden Unfroze for Iran

Daily Mail: President Biden is facing a humiliating foreign policy setback as $6 billion he used to leverage the release of five imprisoned Americans from Iran could be frozen. Lawmakers including members of Biden’s own party voted on Thursday to approve a bill that would permanently freeze the funds, which were unfrozen by the White House in September as part of a controversial deal. The bill, named the No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act, passed in a 307 to 119 vote – which was approved by almost every Republican and 90 Democrats (Daily Mail). Post Millennial: Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have been classified as terrorist organizations by the US. The bill also cites National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s remarks on October 10, only days after the attack on Israel. “Iran is complicit in this attack in a broad sense because they have provided the lion’s share of the funding for the military wing of Hamas, they have provided capabilities, they have provided support, and they have provided engagement and contact with Hamas over years and years,” Sullivan said (Post Millennial).

Houthi Rebels Launch Drone Strike Against U.S. Destroyer in Red Sea

Wall Street Journal: A U.S. destroyer and several commercial ships operating in the Red Sea came under drone and ballistic missile attacks, a U.S. defense official said Sunday, marking the most significant escalation of a weekslong military attack on ships operating in those waters. The USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, struck a drone that was “in the direction of the ship” and launched from a Houthi-controlled part of Yemen, the official said. As the Carney was assessing the damage on the commercial ship, it spotted a second drone operating nearby and shot it down, the official said. The official didn’t say what the destroyer used to bring down the drones. The official stressed that the U.S. has so far only done an initial assessment and is still determining the details of what happened. Other commercial ships also came (Wall Street Journal). Townhall: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have launched several attacks on vessels in the Red Sea. It has also launched drones and missiles targeting Israel as the Jewish state continues its war against Hamas in Gaza (Townhall).

Speaker Mike Johnson Believes GOP Has Enough Votes to Open Impeachment Inquiry Against President Biden

Just the News: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said during a Fox News interview on Saturday that he thinks the GOP has the votes to open up an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. The Biden administration has been facing investigations from House Republicans over his family’s overseas business dealings and alleged weaponization of the federal government (Just the News). Speaker Mike Johnson: Here are the straightforward facts: $15 million flowed to the Biden family from countries like Russia and China, 22 times President Biden talked to his son’s business associates, 16 times President Biden lied about it to the American people and we have checks made out to President Biden directly. We are following the facts (X). Reporter Aaron Rupar: James Comer tells Maria Bartiromo that moderate House Republicans are more willing to vote for a Biden impeachment inquiry now because they went home over Thanksgiving and heard from their constituents at Walmart (X).

Ukrainians: Peace Will Come When All Territory is Reclaimed

Just the News: With winter setting in and eastern Ukraine coated in snow, Russian offensive activities near strategic settlements have prompted concerns of a broader offensive that could potentially redraw the war map and have substantial implications for any potential peace negotiations as Congress mulls approving additional financial and military aid to Ukraine. Thus far, reported Russian gains have been confined to the longstanding theaters of the war, namely the Kharkiv and Donetsk Oblasts (provinces). The Russians have maintained a military presence in both regions throughout the conflict, though of the two, Russia has only officially annexed Donetsk. Russia officially annexed the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson Oblasts late last year, staging referendums to legitimize the move, though Russian forces did not control all of the territory in those provinces at the time and the international community largely rejected them as fraudulent. Russia’s territorial claims to Ukraine are likely to present complications for any potential peace agreement as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thus far rejected the prospect of conceding any ground to the Russians (Just the News). Gallup: Gallup asked those who said Ukraine should fight until victory what would have to happen for their country to declare it had won the war with Russia. Their response was almost unanimous: 91% believe that a victory means regaining all territory lost between 2014 and now, including Crimea. This is unchanged from 2022 (91%) (Gallup).

United States Should Not Lose Focus of China’s Ambitions Toward Taiwan

Just the News: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Charles Brown says that Americans should be worried about China potentially invading Taiwan. Brown also said that the possible incursion is “part of the reason why deterrence is so important, so that conflict does not occur.” Brown said that even if China does not use military force against Taiwan, Beijing’s actions in Hong Kong may illustrate its plans for the self-governing island, which the People’s Republic of China views as a rogue province (Just the News). Fox News: On Sunday morning local time in Taiwan, the country’s Ministry of National Defense wrote in a post on X that 4 Chinese military aircraft and 6 naval vessels were located around Taiwan. During the U.S.-China summit in San Francisco in November, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying released a blunt warning about America’s relations with Taiwan, calling it “the most important and most sensitive issue in China-U.S. relations.” “The U.S. side should take real actions to honor its commitment of not supporting ‘Taiwan independence’, stop arming Taiwan, and support China’s peaceful reunification. China will realize reunification, and this is unstoppable,” Chunying wrote in a post on X (Fox News).

Vermont School District Official Asserts a “Detransition Awareness Day” Goes Against the District’s “Equity Policy”

Townhall: Officials within a Vermont school district said that celebrating “Detransition Awareness Day” is hurtful and students who identify as “transgender” and that it does not align with the district’s “equity policy,” according to documents obtained by Parents Defending Education and shared exclusively with Townhall. The documents show that on Feb. 6, 2023, a parent emailed the school board and superintendent of Essex Westford School District requesting to add “Detransition Awareness Day” on March 12 to the school calendar. In addition, the parent requested that the book “Irreversible Damage” by Abigail Shrier be available to students “ “on an easel atop the shelves in the HS library. In response, the school district claimed that students who transition genders “in any direction” are recognized during Pride month, which occurs in June (Townhall). Parents Defending Education: The district equity and inclusion administrator crafted an initial response to the parent but added that they “should probably grab a quick consult” from a local activist. The response from the outside activist states that the “detransition awareness narrative and literature that this person offered as ‘evidence’ is not scientifically based nor is detransition as common as folks want others to believe it is.” The activist also asserts that “often people who are talking about their detransition may be doing so after being subjected to conversion therapy or are being propped up by organizations that don’t support transgender people” (Parents Defending Education).

United States to Throw $3 Billion Taxpayer Dollars Toward Climate Change Initiatives

ABC: The U.S. government and the oil industry have announced plans to drastically reduce emissions of methane, one of the most dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, due to its heightened ability to raise global temperatures. The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28, is currently underway in Dubai, where 50 major oil and gas companies have agreed to a deal that will reduce methane emissions to .2% by 2030 (ABC). CNN: Vice President Kamala Harris also announced the US was committing another $3 billion to global climate action. The rule will crack down on methane leaks from industry in several ways. In a major new development, it will end routine flaring of the natural gas that is a byproduct of drilling oil wells and will phase in a requirement for that gas to be captured instead of burned. The rule will also require stringent leak monitoring of oil and gas wells and compressors, and cut down on leaks from equipment like pumps, storage tanks and controllers (CNN). Daily Wire: Buried deep in the White House fact sheet are commitments to advancing “gender equity amid climate change,” which include an additional $449 million for new programs such as Global Girls Creating Change, a program that seeks to give 900 girls and young women in 29 different countries “professional opportunities in the sustainable economy.” The White House said the Rockefeller Foundation will be committing $25 million to the Co-Impact Gender Fund, seeking to “advance gender equity amid climate change.” The UPS Foundation is also committing $3 million to the Climate Gender Equity Fund “to foster a greener world and create economic opportunities for women” (Daily Wire).

10.

Department of Veterans Affairs Postpones Medical Treatment for Veterans in Favor of Illegal Immigrants

Fox News: A long-standing arrangement between the Department of Veterans Affairs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to process claims for migrant medical care is drawing scrutiny from veterans’ advocates — who are concerned that it could affect the agency’s mission of caring for veterans — amid an ongoing border crisis and existing complaints about the care delivered to veterans. When an illegal immigrant under ICE detention requires healthcare, they are typically treated on-site by medical professionals. However, if specialist or emergency care is required, they may be transported to an independent private provider. In such cases, ICE contracts with the VA’s Financial Service Center (VA-FSC) to process reimbursements to those providers. According to a report from July, ICE has hundreds of letters of understanding in which ICE’s Health Service Corps (IHSC) will reimburse providers at Medicare rates. That uses the VA-FSC’s Healthcare Claims Processing System — a portal that allows providers to submit and view claims and access other resources (Fox News). Townhall: Darin Selnick, who worked as veterans’ affairs adviser on the Domestic Policy Council and as a senior adviser to the VA secretary during the Trump administration, said, “In my position, we would have stopped this because if the VA had the extra ability to do this, then they should have been doing it for the veterans and not for another agency.” Under President Joe Biden’s term, the VA has processed 161,000 medical and dental care claims for unauthorized migrants in 2022 while postponing medical care for U.S. veterans (Townhall).