@lrozen's Threads
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Both Erdogan and Putin, among other foreign leaders, have shown they know how to make Trump think that he wants what they want.
In their call last week, Erdogan made an argument for the invasion that he rightly thought Trump would understand: he told Trump
that he wants to repatriate the 3 to 4 million Syrian refugees in Turkey in the Syrian territory that Turkey would invade, a State offl said
Trump tweeted last wk after call with Erdogan Us getting out of Syria. NSC & State officials subsequently said just 50-100 special operators
now, sec def announcing basically all US troops departing.
the gap between the president and everyone else in admin, and *the denial* everyone else in admin is in on what the policy is...
between when Trump said all troops leaving Syria in December & last Sunday Trump call w/Erdogan, they could have done an orderly withdrawal
but instead it is cut and run with no planning and Kurdish and other allies got no consultation
both decisions were prompted by Erdogan calls with Trump, and Trump acquiescence
Sondland going to say quid pro quo was announcement of investigation for a WH meeting—not releasing aid, as Johnson said sondland told him?
and which holding was big secret even inside the govt (because not legal?)
is it just another cover story?
I’ve written the firm but not yet heard back. anyone know why, as far as i can tell, Toensing/DeGenova have not registered to rep Firtash?
or am I just missing the FARA filings?
the attorney they reportedly replaced, lanny davis, was registered, and filed in july that his representation had ended.
Parnas, Fruman, Huckabee. & bearded man looks like Moshe Azman, chief rabbi of Kiev Giuliani tweeted pic w/ 5/21/19 chabadinfo.com/infocus/pictur…
“Hi, Moshe,” maybe the “Moshe,” Moshe Azman, from the video of Giuliani, Parnas, and Fruman at Trump Intl Hotel 
Video of Giuliani, Parnas, Fruman at Trump Intl Hotel sending greetings to Moshe Azman reportedly from Sept. 2018 dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7…
Giuliani in March: “Lanny Davis represents a gentleman named Firtash...He is considered to be one of the close associates of [Semion] Mogilevich, who is the head of Russian organized crime, who is Putin's best friend.”
Via —>
Via —>
Now it turns out that Giuliani’s indicted clients/associates Parnas and Fruman were financed by Firtash, acc. to Reuters, and his close collaborators Toensing and DiGenova rep Firtash mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/id…
H/t to @MsEnergyHealer
“It became clear that Toensing & diGenova’s PR efforts had intersected with their work for Firtash last week when an affidavit emerged 1/
“signed by Shokin, Ukrainian prosecutor general fired in 2016..&submitted on Firtash’s behalf to an Austrian court” politico.com/amp/news/2019/…
Shokin affidavit claims Biden improperly pressured govt of Ukraine to prevent Firtash from entering Ukraine from where can’t be extradited
can someone who knows better say if firtash and lutsenko interests would have aligned? would firtash have had particular interest in getting
rid of yovanovitch?
and why really would lutsenko have wanted to be rid of yovanovitch?
and why really would lutsenko have wanted to be rid of yovanovitch?
or would Firtash just be the money bags who could fund a political dirt operation to benefit Trump in exchange for Trump legal intervention
so, per the host cited in this rather convincing wsj piece, parnas first met giuliani and trump in oct. 2016. wsj.com/articles/indic…
but nyt reports parnas and giuliani has known each other for years supposedly thru Republican political circles. nytimes.com/2019/10/10/us/…
but ...really? parnas first known political donation was in 2016. what evidence giuliani and parnas knew each other casually or at all?
How can even Fox put Toensing&DiGenova on ¬ explain who they are working for? &that they apparently hired Parnas?
Law firm run by DiGenova & Toensing hired Parnas in July to serve as interpreter related to their representation of Firtash, DiGenova said.
Internal State emails reveal heavy pressure from NSC for diplomats to play down when aid to Ukraine was released, because Trump hold secret
“NSC said that in the spirit of the ‘hold’ being a normal review, there will be no public announcement that it has been lifted”
“In terms of public messaging, NSC is deliberately treating both the hold and its lifting as administrative matters” nyti.ms/2AYoLFE
so when Giuliani crashed Pompeo’s anti Iran powwow in Warsaw Feb.13-14, 2019 to attend MEK rally, he was meeting w ex Ukrainian prosecutor
and Pence and Kushner also were in Warsaw
and netanyahu
Sondland could have done what Kurt Volker did. Resign, testify, turn over documents. Instead, he is hiding behind Pompeo’s big skirts
and the American taxpayer is still paying for his salary and housing & his plane ticket to come to DC & not testify.
would be surprised if Sondland’s Provenance Hotels chain not boycotted for holding the American people in contempt
US official says Turks intent on doing this operation in Syria, but is not saying if Trump asked him not to. Also did not hear him say any warning against Turks killing SDF. warned not to harm US personnel
Said 50-100 US personnel/special operators moving to other bases in Syria, removal underway and over next few days.
well, SAO is saying Trump tweet said if massacre of Kurds, he is willing to obliterate Turkey, but I am not sure Trump tweet said the first part.
Ex StateDep 44admin official tells me that Sondland told the Ukrainians Trump may nominate him (Sondland) for SecState after Pompeo leaves
and that he reported directly to Trump, and that is why they should listen to him and do what he was saying.
How this person understood Sondland Trump deal reminded me of what read of Trump & Elliot Broidy. donor with special access to potus
best of both worlds for Trump if he announces every few months leaving Syria, then quietly acquiesces to DoD/Graham etc to split difference?
base gives him credit for wanting to leave, DoD/Graham etc restrain him from really/fully doing it, shellshocked allies readjust
separately, worth noting, the revived syria exit/no exit debate has disappeared whatever pressure was on trump to respond on Iran.
most sustained, bad national press Pompeo gotten since he joined admin. the collapse of his reputation from early sept to now-Shakespearian
think the trick to Pompeo’s reputational success til recent weeks is he was loyal & had Trump’s trust, but he also projected wink nod image
that, when needed, he picked his battles internally to steer past calamity and gross abuses of office. and that is what is now gone. 3/
He fools nobody, certainly nobody at State. He is looking out only for number one.
A senior Foreign Service Officer tells me on Pompeo: “The schtick has worn off. Nobody believes the ‘swagger’ or other bullshit...” 2/
“Professional ethos is a sham. He has no cred among the troops. No matter how smoothly he does any town halls or whatever.” 3/
So, Ron Johnson tells Trump on Aug. 31 that Sondland told him quid pro quo on mil aid to Ukraine. 1/
And Pompeo hightails it to Brussels, where Sondland posted, with no press pool two days later on Sept. 2. 2/
And Pence goes to poland instead of Trump. (Suspect there’s a Poland angle on the TrumpUkraineGiuliani stuff, but can’t totally figure it out)
Many times Pompeo goes to a podium to pontificate on Iran or religious freedom, it often seems like cover for how little policy gets done
so little actual foreign policy and so little diplomacy. just these press releases and gimmicky things for their website.
to make it look like they are doing things, when what top Pompeo aides are really doing is conspiring with Giuliani on fixing 2020 for Trump
anyone remember that sudden trip Pompeo took to Brussels with no press pool? damage control w Sondland after WH learned of WB complaint?
Sept. 2. the timing might fit cnn.com/2019/09/02/med…
ICIG forwarded WB complaint to DNI Aug26. acting DNI then consulted w WH & DOJ. DNI should have sent to HPSCI Sep2. intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/…
Can see from the texts why Pompeo did not want State people to cooperate with the House investigation. all from during his time as secretary
What does it say about his leadership of the department?
Is there any sign he ever interceded to block naked Trump political pressure on the state department? anything?
Pompeo brought his wife on trip including few nights in Rome, lot of face time with the Gingriches.
Pompeo doing the next two countries Montenegro and North Macedonia in one day tomorrow
Just spent a week in KC suburbs .. nobody ever mentioned Pompeo. Wasn’t clear that people knew he was secretary of state.
