Bluffing our way into a catastrophe. https://t.co/Dl4nQLTCuB
— Slate (@Slate) May 16, 2019
Six years ago, I told you all that John Bolton believed the ONLY effective course of action in Iran was war. That's because he said it outright. https://t.co/giScv89fwz
— David Corn (@DavidCornDC) May 15, 2019
Former CIA deputy director @JMcLaughlinSAIS is always worth reading. Additional proof:
“I am struggling to understand the Trump administration’s policy toward Iran…. But looking carefully at the White House’s approach so far, I just don’t get it.”
https://t.co/wWMdiGFKj7— David Priess (@DavidPriess) May 15, 2019
British general contradicts U.S. claims of escalating Iran threat @barbarastarrcnn reports @TheLeadCNN https://t.co/Kr9Y5ckUO5 pic.twitter.com/rHmfQHiwxh
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 15, 2019
"It’s not popular in Europe to go die for Donald Trump.” My colleagues @laraseligman and @RobbieGramer report on U.S. allies getting nervous about Trump's saber rattling at Iran. https://t.co/UijXHELJwk
— Elias Groll (@EliasGroll) May 15, 2019
Thursday's Times
"Britain and US in spat over threat from Iran"#tomorrowspaperstoday#bbcpapers
(via @AllieHBNews) pic.twitter.com/P4L292uEhD— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) May 15, 2019
Cool the Iran war talk https://t.co/syR8kYf1zZ
— David Frum (@davidfrum) May 15, 2019
Sen. Graham after State Dept. orders personnel to leave Iraq posts: "I would urge the State Dept. and DoD to come down here and explain to us what's going on" with alleged threats from Iran. "We need to understand what we're doing."https://t.co/sE3cURbALx pic.twitter.com/vhRDcdMLSz
— NBC Politics (@NBCPolitics) May 15, 2019
So two days later is there any further corroboration of the "initial" intel assessment from a **single anonymous official** that Iran was responsible for damage to Saudi oil tankers?
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) May 15, 2019
The notion that we are "drifting" to war with Iran rather neatly absolves everyone of responsibility, doesn't it? What's happening is a cabal of lunatics are pushing for war & American people & institutions are standing by gaping & occasionally whining. Just. Like. Last. Time.
— David Roberts (@drvox) May 15, 2019
U.S. pulls staff from Iraq, says Iran gave 'blessing' for tanker attacks https://t.co/oK1H7ZRiF6 pic.twitter.com/HQfKj9TzFU
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 16, 2019
To add on to this excellent thread: in 33 years of USG service, I don’t recall an ordered departure before for what appears to be signaling purposes. Threats in Iraq are continuous, but we didn’t draw down in 2014-15. Why now? https://t.co/xUsTrUQckV
— Barbara A. Leaf (@SafiraLeaf) May 16, 2019
People on Baghdad’s streets and in its halls of power maintain that the prospect of war is remote, despite eerie parallels to the 2003 invasion of Iraq https://t.co/VYEWoYCYPa
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 15, 2019
Senator @TomCottonAR tells Firing Line if it comes to war with Iran, he is confident the United States would win, and would win swiftly. “Two strikes, the first strike and the last strike,” says the Senator. pic.twitter.com/twTdrFTwHu
— Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (@FiringLineShow) May 14, 2019
Iran will defeat the American and Israeli alliance: Iranian defence minister https://t.co/5pHPVMFTgc pic.twitter.com/GKsHC7uGJp
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 15, 2019
Analysis: The United States meant to isolate Iran. It looks increasingly isolated itself. https://t.co/zP3jzEu6uI
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 15, 2019
If you're too young to remember how the Iraq war began, or have a short memory, it was a steaming pile of lies. And in the fevered post-9/11 world, both parties lacked moral courage to oppose it. You're watching a cheap remake by a POTUS desperate to take the focus off his deeds. https://t.co/fPfvYWwWvy
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) May 15, 2019
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ELSEWHERE IN TRUMPWORLD
Abused 12-Year-Old Alabama Girl Doesn’t Think She Can Handle Being A Mom On Top Of Everything Else https://t.co/qoofzFadnJ pic.twitter.com/mHweOtFKOG
— The Onion (@TheOnion) May 15, 2019
#BREAKING: Gov. Kay Ivey signs most restrictive abortion ban in the nation into lawhttps://t.co/qhywOxKedS pic.twitter.com/u2TNUNmX8s
— NBC 15 News (@mynbc15) May 15, 2019
Alabama abortion ban seems destined for Supreme Court @DianneG reports @TheLeadCNN https://t.co/M9VOgMwue7 pic.twitter.com/EBh9J1xnST
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 15, 2019
“[Trump] deeply understands… this is a political issue. This is one of the reasons he chose VP Pence… People on both sides of the debate will say a moral issue… human rights, reproductive issue. It is, at its core, a political issue” – @AshleyRParker w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/jOFvOtlYX6
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) May 15, 2019
How republicans built a presidency above the law and handed it to Trump https://t.co/fFT8IqJyRS
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) May 15, 2019
Attorney General Barr Teases Pelosi at Capitol: "Did You Bring Your Handcuffs?"
He won't be the last to laugh, I assure you. https://t.co/p3M3QYzJfI
— The Hummingbird 🐦 (@SaysHummingbird) May 15, 2019
me: “Bill Cohen, young GOP Congressman during Nixon impeachment, says Trump is worse. you agree?”
House Judiciary Chair Nadler: “yeah, i do. Nixon never posed existential challenge to separation of powers and limited government that Trump does”https://t.co/tjlIMbCo02
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 15, 2019
Trump pardons billionaire friend Conrad Black, who wrote a glowing book about him https://t.co/5vDeJIC02Q
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) May 16, 2019
Former Florida senator's claims that Russia hacked local voting databases were widely ridiculed. Now it looks like he was right: https://t.co/xX3cZFPDPV pic.twitter.com/LaGnDcuMCM
— SpeedReads (@SpeedReads) May 14, 2019
No schadenfreude here, just a thought: One thing that might tilt 45 away from wanting to become 46 could be a shift in his $$ calculus: If even his illegal emoluments don’t offset losses like these, maybe, just maybe, he’d rather exit with a Pence pardon?https://t.co/YDQZOhxZ0q
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) May 15, 2019
***
BREXITSHAMBLES BRITAIN
Rebels hope to kill off May's Brexit deal in 'last-chance' vote https://t.co/1gXaY5dVIc pic.twitter.com/T62JFr65rk
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) May 15, 2019
The PM didn’t want to talk about it earlier – but – if Brexit bill falls, does she go to? One Cabinet member tells me ‘there is no question’ – blog up in a bit https://t.co/uwscPTrSaT
— Laura Kuenssberg (@bbclaurak) May 15, 2019
The #BrexitParty’s 26% is far less than they hoped.
They thought they’d pick up the UKIP vote (27% in last #EuropeanElections) plus half the Tory vote (23%) to reach 40% – but they failed.
And 74% are NOT supporting them & their no-deal worst kind of #Brexit#newsnight https://t.co/UgjLofDRiq
— Richard Corbett (@RCorbettMEP) May 14, 2019
Wow. Another important story about Farage’s funding from @Turloughc. A traffic analysis of Brexit Party’s website shows just 1,200 visitors on day Farage said it got 16,000 PayPal donations. How?? Probably a simple explanation right, @nigel_farage?https://t.co/u1DVPI9bP7
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) May 15, 2019
VLAD THE IMPOSTER:
Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party website lets literally anyone sign up and donate cash – and there’s no way of tracing where the money is from.https://t.co/XDuXXBBjSe pic.twitter.com/fX1hPkG5lS
— Mikey Smith (@mikeysmith) May 15, 2019
“Labour’s refusal to oppose Brexit is killing it on the doorstep. It should quit the talks.” And this is Paul Mason. PAUL MASON. https://t.co/0FiKO2ip8U
— Remainiacs Podcast (@RemainiacsCast) May 15, 2019
Still unsure what the Irish backstop is, or why it was negotiated? Read our explainer by @DPhinnemore and @hayward_katy on how and why the backstop was nagotiated, and why it has proved such a sticking point in the #Brexit process. https://t.co/MRuTD5Fg7l pic.twitter.com/7y08qUKEz0
— The UK in a Changing Europe (@UKandEU) May 15, 2019
***
WORLD
This is an opportunity for the climate AND the economy.
100% renewables is just the start, let's continue to 800%, and beyond!https://t.co/sCQKLIKPNg— Aaron Hammond – Science Party Candidate for Sydney (@AaronHammondSP) May 15, 2019
Well-known Canadian weather expert tackles climate change and eco-anxiety https://t.co/RdyIAZwRKt via @torontostar
— Kenneth Johnson (@cryofront) May 15, 2019
Today San Francisco banned facial recognition technology. It will not be allowed to be used by local agencies, like the transport authority, or law enforcement.
Britain needs a serious debate about #AI #tech #humanrights #discrimination. Instead, we’re still talking Brexit. https://t.co/LGi23uwsFJ
— Schona Jolly QC (@WomaninHavana) May 15, 2019
The Overnight Note 