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Monday, March 14, 2022

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Iran Fires Missiles Near U.S Consulate in Iraq

From the story: Iran claimed responsibility Sunday for a missile barrage that struck near a sprawling U.S. consulate complex in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, saying it was retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard earlier this week. No injuries were reported in Sunday’s attack on the city of Irbil, which marked a significant escalation between the U.S. and Iran (Fox News). But it’s okay, the Biden administration tells us, because the consulate wasn’t the target of the attack (Twitter). From Erielle Davidson: The largest state sponsor of terror can fire missiles at a US consulate without consequence, and the US State Department will run cover for the terrorists. This is all to save a deal that serves only the egos of DC foreign policy elite. Shameful (Twitter). From Katie Pavlich: White House wants us to believe they will hold Iran accountable for targeting “a civilian residence” as they continue to negotiate Iran deal, w/ plans to lift sanctions on leaders who murdered Americans & won’t prevent Iran from getting a nuke. A joke, if it weren’t so serious (Twitter). From Nikki Haley: It would be completely insane for Biden to continue trying to make a deal with Iran after it attacked our consulate in Iraq with ballistic missiles. No talks. No concessions. No new Iran Deal (Twitter). From another story: Iran’s missile attack shows the incongruity of the looming nuclear deal. Like the 2015 original agreement, the new one would do nothing to restrict Iran’s support for regional terror groups. It includes no restrictions on Iran’s missile program that is growing more sophisticated and dangerous. Iran also continues to support the Houthis in Yemen who use missiles and drones to target civilian and commercial targets in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. And Iran is helping Hezbollah make its missiles targeted at Israel more accurate (WSJ).

U.S. Warns of “Full Fledged” NATO Response if Russia Strikes Poland

From the story: “If there is a military attack on NATO territory it would cause the invocation of Article 5, and we would bring the full force of the NATO alliance to bear in responding to it,” Mr. Sullivan said in an interview Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” He was referring to the provision of the treaty that provides that if any NATO member is the victim of an armed attack, every other member will consider it to be an attack on all members. The Russian airstrike, which killed 35 people near the Polish border early Sunday, came one day after Moscow warned the West that it would consider arms deliveries to Ukraine as legitimate targets (WSJ). From the Wall Street Journal editorial board: Mr. Putin is taking every advantage of President Biden’s desire to avoid “escalation” at all costs. He hears Mr. Biden say his overriding goal is avoiding “World War III,” not stopping Mr. Putin in Ukraine. The Russian sees that his threats caused Mr. Biden to back away from a plan to send Polish fighter jets to Ukraine, even if flown by Ukrainian pilots. His threats and Sunday’s military strike are intended to stop NATO from continuing to send military aid to Ukraine. He is betting the U.S. will do nothing if he starts blowing up trucks coming across the Polish border (WSJ).

Democrats Revive Earmarks to Funnell Millions to Vulnerable Democrats

From the story: Mr. Biden’s 2,741-page budget bill, which passed with bipartisan support last week, was the first in over a decade to include earmarks. The discretionary spending measures were long banned under Republican control of Congress but came back last year under Democrats’ unified control of the House and the Senate. While Republicans also benefit from the budget’s allotments, some of the biggest winners from the inclusion of $8 billion in earmarks are Democrats facing tough reelection challenges this year. Sen. Raphael Warnock, for instance, inserted earmarks worth roughly $95 million to fund pet projects in his home state of Georgia.

Washington Times

Story: White House Scrapped Plan to Send Trainers to Ukraine in December

From the story: In December 2021, senior U.S. military officials told lawmakers that they wanted to send a “few hundred” additional special operations personnel to Ukraine to provide military advice and training on unconventional warfare. At the time, Russia had amassed roughly 100,000 troops on the border with Ukraine, and concerns were growing in Washington and Europe about a broadening invasion. But White House officials had concerns about the deployment and the troops were never sent, according to two people familiar with the two December briefings with lawmakers and congressional aides. They also said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin planned to directly press President Joe Biden to approve the mission. A senior military official told House lawmakers that the White House was concerned that sending the troops would escalate the already tense situation with Russia, according to the two people (Politico). The simple response from Mark Thiessen: Weakness (Twitter).

Reporters Gunned Down by Russian Troops

Including one, a U.S citizen, who previously worked for the New York Times (Washington Times). From Senator Tom Cotton: And I reiterate to Vladimir Putin and his military leaders that the intentional targeting of innocent civilians, including reporters, is a war crime (Twitter). Russia appears to be increasing their cruelty and attacks on civilians (Mediaite).

Atlantic: Nuclear War Could Harm Climate

It’s difficult to imagine, but this leftists news outlet is worried “on top of killing tens of millions of people, even a relatively “minor” exchange of nuclear weapons would wreck the planet’s climate in enormous and long-lasting ways” (Atlantic). The story has been widely mocked (Fox News).

Pelosi: Government Spending Reduces National Debt

The Speaker of the House is saying the exact opposite of facts. She said the same of inflation (Twitter). Amazingly, Biden tried to make the same point (Fox News).

Adidas Goes All In on Men Competing Against Women

And they have put together a fully woke ad to try to convince America it’s wonderful and even heroic for a man to dominate actual females in their sport.

Washington Times

Progressives to Biden: Just Use Executive Orders to Govern

Jazz Shaw explains “during meetings of the House Black, Asian, and Progressive caucuses should have been predictable. Democratic leaders from these groups took their case directly to Biden, asking him to forget about the legislative process and just start firing off even more executive orders so they can have something – anything – to show to their base as some sort of a “win.”

Hot Air

10.

Poll: Democratic Policies are Pushing Away Hispanic Voters

The numbers were buried in this Wall Street Journal poll that found “By 9 percentage points, Hispanic voters in the new poll said they would back a Republican candidate for Congress over a Democrat” (WSJ). From another story: Democrats talk about climate change, but dismiss the fact that many Latinos work in lucrative oilfield jobs in New Mexico and West Texas. Democrats talk about diversity. But by pleasing white progressives, they push out moderate Hispanic candidates (Axios).