LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news items for you: • KTVH: A new Montana law effectively bans Pride flags and other LGBTQ flags from being flown at schools or government buildings. Utah and Idaho have recently passed similar laws. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Check out the latest in LGBTQ publications this week including the swimwear issue of Hotspots Magazine. Continue reading “Montana Law Bans Pride Flags + ‘Noah’s Arc: The Movie’ + More News”
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| Donald Trump |
Donald Trump pushed back against recent assessments by his own intelligence have come to conclusions regarding Iran and North Korea that don’t align with what he wants to hear.
From the New York Times:
A new American intelligence assessment of global threats has concluded that North Korea is unlikely to give up its nuclear stockpiles and that Iran is not, for now, taking steps necessary to make a bomb, directly contradicting the rationale of two of President Trump’s foreign policy initiatives.
Those conclusions are part of an annual “Worldwide Threat Assessment” released on Tuesday that also stressed the growing cyberthreat from Russia and China, which it said were now “more aligned than at any point since the mid-1950s.”
Trump’s answer was to attack the U.S. Intelligence community today using language like “passive” and “naive,” and then closing with, “Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!”
Note the wrong use of ‘There economy’ in his tweet as he says others should go back to school.
The Intelligence people seem to be extremely passive and naive when it comes to the dangers of Iran. They are wrong! When I became President Iran was making trouble all over the Middle East, and beyond. Since ending the terrible Iran Nuclear Deal, they are MUCH different, but….— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
….a source of potential danger and conflict. They are testing Rockets (last week) and more, and are coming very close to the edge. There economy is now crashing, which is the only thing holding them back. Be careful of Iran. Perhaps Intelligence should go back to school!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2019
Let’s check in with the Twitterverse, shall we? Starting with former CIA Director John Brennan:
Your refusal to accept the unanimous assessment of U.S. Intelligence on Iran, No. Korea, ISIS, Russia, & so much more shows the extent of your intellectual bankruptcy. All Americans, especially members of Congress, need to understand the danger you pose to our national security. https://t.co/9iV3BTKiEv— John O. Brennan (@JohnBrennan) January 30, 2019
It is a credit to our intelligence agencies that they continue to provide rigorous and realistic analyses of the threats we face.It’s deeply dangerous that the White House isn’t listening. https://t.co/rCKywL0ETK
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 30, 2019
The man who praises Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un calls our intelligence professionals “naive.” https://t.co/crhuwtxqtF— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) January 30, 2019
After US intelligence chiefs disagreed w/ @realDonaldTrump on national security issues, he tweeted today perhaps they “should go back to school.” In 2015, he said: “I know more about ISIS than the generals. Believe me.” He’s also said: “I know more about technology than anybody.”— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) January 30, 2019
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| North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho |
North Korea’s Foreign Minister announced today at the United Nations that it will not disarm itself of nuclear weapons while sanctions remain in place on his country.
From NBC News:
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told the United Nations on Saturday that continued sanctions on Pyongyang were deepening its mistrust in the United States.
“Without any trust in the U.S. there will be no confidence in our national security and under such circumstances there is no way we will unilaterally disarm ourselves first,” Ri told the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations.
The comments come as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo prepares to travel to Pyongyang next month for his fourth trip to North Korea, his third as secretary of state. Discussions of a second summit between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are already underway.
China and Russia have said the U.N. Security Council should reward Pyongyang for steps taken after U.S. Trump and Kim met in June and Kim pledged to work toward denuclearization.
“The perception that sanctions can bring us on our knees is a pipe-dream of the people who are ignorant about us. But the problem is that the continued sanctions are deepening our mistrust,” Ri said.
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| North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump |
According to five U.S. officials, North Korea has been stepping up its production of enriched uranium for nuclear weapons, even though the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un told Donald Trump at the recent summit he would “work toward” denuclearization.
Taking Kim at his word, Trump cancelled the U.S. military training exercises on the Korean peninsula.
U.S. intelligence agencies believe that North Korea has increased its production of fuel for nuclear weapons at multiple secret sites in recent months — and that Kim Jong Un may try to hide those facilities as he seeks more concessions in nuclear talks with the Trump administration, U.S. officials told NBC News.
The intelligence assessment, which has not previously been reported, seems to counter the sentiments expressed by President Donald Trump, who tweeted after his historic June 12 summit with Kim that “there was no longer a nuclear threat from North Korea.”
Analysts at the CIA and other intelligence agencies don’t see it that way, according to more than a dozen American officials who are familiar with their assessments and spoke on the condition of anonymity. They see a regime positioning itself to extract every concession it can from the Trump administration — while clinging to nuclear weapons it believes are essential to survival.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
There’s also evidence that North Korea has made substantial improvements to its nuclear research facilities.
But, remember, Trump says he trusts Kim Jong Un and the nuclear threat is “no longer.”
Before taking office people were assuming that we were going to War with North Korea. President Obama said that North Korea was our biggest and most dangerous problem. No longer – sleep well tonight!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
I never fall for scams. I am the only person who immediately walked out of my ‘Ali G’ interview— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2012
This can’t be true!!! President Trump told us “North Korea is no longer a nuclear threat”. He said he took care of it. https://t.co/DiKOx4p2Oc— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 30, 2018
trump weeks ago: There is no further nuclear threat from North Korea.North Korea: Continues nuclear production at secret sites.
MAGA.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) June 30, 2018
Breaking news: In a stunning announcement, South Korea’s national security adviser just announced that President Trump has accepted Kim Jung Un’s invitation to meet by May and discuss denuclearization.
Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached. Meeting being planned!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2018
Back in October of 2017, Trump tweeted he thought negotiating with North Korea was a waste of time:
I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man…— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2017
Will be interesting to watch the same people who criticized President Obama for his willingness to meet with North Korea and for signing a deal to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons suddenly praise Trump for willing to meet with Kim Jong Un over North Korean nuclear weapons.— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) March 9, 2018
Senior admin official telling reporters that the Kim Jong Un offer to Trump was actually an oral offer.. not a letter.— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 9, 2018
Stormy Daniels made the same offer https://t.co/F7NfTc0OHY— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) March 9, 2018
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| Donald Trump |
NBC News reports:
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used his New Year’s Day address to warn the U.S. not to test him while striking a softer tone with South Korea, including the possibility of sending a delegation to next month’s Winter Olympics.
“The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat,” Kim said in the annual address. “This year, we should focus on mass-producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment. These weapons will be used only if our society is threatened.”
So, of course, Donald Trump had to whip out his Twitter account and slap back tweeting:
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018
And the crowd goes wild:
“A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. The only value in our two nations possessing nuclear weapons is to make sure they will never be used. But then would it not be better to do away with them entirely?”
Ronald Reagan, 1984 State of the Union— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 3, 2018
Trump just tweeted that he has a bigger nuclear weapon button than North Korea. We might just be doomed. He’s tweeting about nuclear war like it’s a PlayStation Game.— deray (@deray) January 3, 2018
— 💙ANGEL💙 (@Kismetangel1) January 3, 2018
At least we now know when Trump tries to launch nukes he’ll push the button and it won’t work and he’ll say “this never happens”— Josh Barro (@jbarro) January 3, 2018
It only looks bigger because of your small hands, Donnie.— Brian Indolfi (@BrianIndolfi) January 3, 2018
Seriously, @realDonaldTrump, just whip your dick out already. I’m sick of this shit. Let’s get it over with.
Hey, I don’t want to see that withered bastard any more than you do, but if we’re going to measure dicks, let’s just fucking do it.— Noah Antwiler (@TheSpoonyOne) January 3, 2018
Hello 2014,Sammy here, from the future.
In this timeline Donald Trump (from The Apprentice) is president of the United States.
This is a tweet (they’re 280 characters now) he sent about how his nuclear button is bigger than North Korea’s.
Please step on some butterflies. https://t.co/8QPkIRqE89
— Sammy Paul (@ICOEPR) January 3, 2018
During his first address to the United Nations General Assembly this morning, Donald Trump warned Kim Jong Un of North Korea (who Trump has now nicknamed “Rocket Man”) that the United States will “totally destroy North Korea” should the rogue nation continues to threaten the U.S.
From the Washington Post:
The president warned of growing threats from North Korea and Iran, and he said, “The scourge of our planet is a group of rogue regimes.”
He praised the U.N. for enacting economic sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear and ballistic missile tests. But he emphasized that if Kim Jong Un’s regime continued to threaten the United States and to destabilize East Asia, his administration would be prepared to defend the country and its allies.
“We will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” Trump said, before calling Kim by a nickname he gave the dictator on Twitter over the weekend. “Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself.”
Please note that this is the president of the United States using a childish nickname to discuss avoiding a nuclear war with world leaders.
Trump also called the UN-backed Iran nuclear deal “one of the worst and most one-sided transactions the United States has ever entered into.”
RT NBCNightlyNews: BREAKING: Pres. Trump: US “will have no choice but to totally destroy” NKorea if forced to defe… https://t.co/An2llesVRj— Amanda Clark (@Amanda_Clark84) September 19, 2017
USA's most embarrassing day in history of the UN.— Lawrence O'Donnell (@Lawrence) September 19, 2017
Reminder: threatening to kill 25 million North Koreans because you don’t like their leader is threatening to commit genocide.— Carlos Maza (@gaywonk) September 19, 2017
No one is flying the planehttps://t.co/iB5Mzf3gDv— Sam Thielman (@samthielman) September 19, 2017
No one is flying the planehttps://t.co/iB5Mzf3gDv— Sam Thielman (@samthielman) September 19, 2017
That speech was what Trump voters wanted. Someone not afraid to say what needed to be said. Someone who projects strength without nuance. 1/— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) September 19, 2017
2/ someone willing to horrify the establishment.— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) September 19, 2017
Donald Trump began his day sending more saber-rattling and bluster directed at North Korea as he tweeted to the world that his “first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before…”
The problem is that every executive order given by the president is made public.
Not only has Trump not taken any action on the U.S. nuclear arsenal, but it’s actually President Obama who began the years-long process of updating our nuclear weaponry.
You can’t “renovate and modernize” nuclear weapons in 6 months.
And we all know it.
Well, all but one of us.
Trump’s empty boasts come in the aftermath of news reports saying North Korea had developed technology sufficient to arm a miniturized nuclear device on an intercontinental ballistic missile.
In a knee-jerk reaction, Trump told the world he was ready to unleash “fire and fury” on North Korea should they continue their current path.
This blind, boastful approach may work in a board room, but it’s an amateur approach to world diplomacy.
My first order as President was to renovate and modernize our nuclear arsenal. It is now far stronger and more powerful than ever before….— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017
…Hopefully we will never have to use this power, but there will never be a time that we are not the most powerful nation in the world!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 9, 2017
The Twitterverse was quick to fact-check the president:
If you think the entire US strategic arsenal has been renovated in 8 months, you might be a Trump supporter.— Angry WH Staffer (@AngrierWHStaff) August 9, 2017
His first order, actually, was “aimed at reversing the Affordable Care Act.” https://t.co/cry0OdbaGW https://t.co/6dfWbWsXwr— David Gura (@davidgura) August 9, 2017
During his first 100 days, President Trump took no executive action(s) on the U.S. nuclear arsenal: https://t.co/GMkyhmZS8J. https://t.co/L9IuRG5v6x— David Gura (@davidgura) August 9, 2017
On a more serious note, Trump did not modernize our nuclear arsenal. Obama authorized that process to begin, and it takes decades.— Eric Geller (@ericgeller) August 9, 2017
You don’t modernize a nuclear arsenal in a matter of months. It was Obama who began this work. https://t.co/eUg6xtrKRP https://t.co/rOZ7GqzRTQ— Josh Greenman (@joshgreenman) August 9, 2017
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| Sen. John McCain |
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said he “takes exception” to President Trump’s “fire and fury” remarks made after the news reported that North Korea has apparently produced a nuclear warhead small enough to launch on an intercontinental missile.
“I don’t know what he’s saying and I’ve long ago given up trying to interpret what he says,” McCain said of Trump during an interview with a local Arizona radio station first reported by NBC.
“That kind of rhetoric, I’m not sure how it helps.”
McCain said the U.S. risks getting into a serious confrontation with North Korea, and invoked former President Teddy Roosevelt’s famous “big stick” policy.
“In other words, the old walk softly but carry a big stick, Teddy Roosevelt’s saying, which I think is something that should’ve applied because all it’s going to do is bring us closer to a serious confrontation,” McCain warned. “I think this is very, very, very serious.”
Trump warned North Korea not to make any threats to the United States on Tuesday after The Washington Post reported that North Korea has produced a nuclear warhead small enough to place on a missile.
“North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States,” Trump told reporters Tuesday.
“He has been very threatening beyond a normal state, and as I said they will be met with fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.”
McCain said he “takes exception” to Trump’s remarks.
“I take exception to the president’s words because you got to be sure you can do what you say you’re going to do,” said McCain, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
It goes without saying McCain (served in Air Force, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee) has a vastly more educated depth of understanding than Trump (five deferments for Vietnam for “bone spurs”) when it comes to military action.
A new CBS News poll shows 61% of Americans feel “uneasy” about Trump’s ability to handle a North Korean nuclear situation.
