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29 May, 4 tweets, 2 min read
NEWS: U.S. officials are monitoring two Iranian warships believed to be headed toward Venezuela

w/ @woodruffbets @laraseligman @nahaltoosi

politico.com/news/2021/05/2…
An Iranian frigate and the Makran, a former oil tanker that was converted to a floating forward staging base, have been heading south along the east coast of Africa, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive subject.
The mere presence of Iranian warships in America’s backyard would represent a challenge to U.S. authority in the region — and would likely inflame the debate in Washington over President Joe Biden’s decision to re-open negotiations with Tehran.
Lawmakers privy to the most sensitive intelligence information were informed over the past few days that the U.S. believed the Iranian ships may be heading toward Venezuela, but cautioned that the destination could change, according to a person briefed on the matter.

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More from @AndrewDesiderio

Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
27 May
Crapo and Schumer have reached a tentative deal, per Sen. Rounds, clearing the way for cloture on the China bill. Cautious optimism that this now gets done today as originally planned.
The vote has now been open for three hours; despite the breakthrough, we don’t expect it to close any time soon. Details of the Crapo-Schumer agreement are still being ironed out.
GOP Sens. Daines & Tillis just voted yes. Vote is now at 56-32. Needs four more.
Read 5 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
27 May
“Yes that’s right. I said the two words together. Rand Paul, voice vote. Four words, but...” Schumer says of the amendment process for the China bill
Republicans have been demanding additional amendment votes, but Sen. Young (R-Ind.), Schumer’s partner on the China bill, told me yesterday that Schumer has “kept his word” on a robust & inclusive floor process.

politico.com/news/2021/05/2…
McConnell says the Senate’s work on the China bill is incomplete, noting Sen. Crapo’s objections as we laid out here — politico.com/news/2021/05/2…
Read 4 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
26 May
NEWS: Democrats are starting to join GOP calls for a more robust inquiry into the Covid lab-leak theory. The talks center on Senate Intel & the Senate health committee, and could pit lawmakers against the Biden admin which wants a WHO probe.

w/ @ErinBanco
politico.com/news/2021/05/2…
For the 1st time, Dems are entertaining arguments from GOP China hawks that the WH needs to exert diplomatic pressure on China to release data from the Wuhan lab.

“Understanding the origin & whether there was any nefarious activity in China is all part of that,” @timkaine says.
Sen. Burr, who is uniquely situated atop the health & intel committees, tells me “it’s absolutely essential that we understand what we can about the origin — and the opinions on that are split about 50-50 right now.”
Read 5 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
20 May
NEW—The Biden foreign policy doctrine is taking shape, but Democrats are still figuring out how to live with it

My look at how Dems are struggling to influence a POTUS guided by decades of experience & a belief that diplomacy should be conducted privately
politico.com/news/2021/05/2…
Pressure from Dems on Israel + yesterday’s decision to waive sanctions on Nord Stream 2 have shown Democrats they have little sway over Biden on the world stage.

“President Biden will be his own secretary of state,” SFRC Chairman Menendez told me.
Sen. Chris Coons with some 🔥

“I strongly doubt that just a few sharply worded cable TV interviews or resolutions by junior members of the House are going to pressure the president of the United States.”
Read 4 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
15 May
New this morning: Democrats embrace a tougher tack toward Israel as violence flares in the region. Biden now under pressure from the left to forcefully condemn Israeli settlements, looming evictions, & strikes like the one in Gaza this morning.

politico.com/news/2021/05/1…
“We’re in this moment today because Hamas made a horrible mistake and fired rockets unprovoked into Israel. But we also got here because the Israeli government has effectively eliminated the prospect of a viable future Palestinian state,” Sen. @ChrisMurphyCT told me.
“it’s even more important for the United States to draw a harder line with the Israeli gov’t and demand that these settlements and these evictions and these displacements stop,” Murphy says. “Because the violence will not end...if the Palestinians feel like they have no future”
Read 5 tweets
Andrew Desiderio Profile picture
11 May
NEW: Lawmakers are opening up about the years-long failure to adequately address Havana syndrome & the more recent growing threat of directed-energy attacks on Americans overseas & at home.

“We owe this to our people,” Senate Intel chair tells me

politico.com/news/2021/05/1…
“The fact that we’re five years into this and we’re still making sure we’ve got the protocols to one, take care of our people who are injured, two, [identify] who did this, and three, [identify] what tools or weapons did they use — these are all critical questions,” Warner says
Senate Intel vice chair Rubio agrees, says “it’s almost like the burden of proof is on these individuals, and given the nature of the injuries they’ve suffered, I don’t think it was initially treated the way it should’ve been.”

politico.com/news/2021/05/1…
Read 6 tweets

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