Iran's Foreign Minister: 'We Do Not Seek Escalation or War'

Plus: member of Congress say #NoWarWithIran, a Ukrainian plane crashed in Tehran, and more...

"All is well!" declared President Donald Trump on Tuesday night, after a barrage of Iranian missiles hit two U.S.-manned military bases in Iraq. Though some prominent Republicans immediately began banging the war drums last night, others fell in line with the president, asserting that the attack⁠—in retaliation for America's murder of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani⁠—was not that big of a deal and certainly not a sign that killing Soleimani was a bad plan.

Some downplayed the attack on bases in Ain al-Asad and Irbil, Iraq, on the grounds that no lives (American or Iraqi) were lost. Journalists and pundits have been running with that, too, suggesting that Iran hitting obvious and nearby targets that the U.S. had already cleared was a way to give the appearance of escalating while actually de-escalating.

This doesn't yet feel like a major escalation. The US military was anticipating an attack and personnel had taken cover. Iran can claim it took revenge. Feels more like an escalation to deescalate.

— Liz Sly (@LizSly) January 8, 2020

Others say that's ridiculously naive and this is just the start of Iran's revenge.

2. What makes me nervous is illustrated in the WSJ story. The Iranian government has always operated on its own timeline. If you think Iran lobbing missiles over the border is the kind of revenge they ultimately have in mind, you're wrong. https://t.co/qeL7jkzQhd

— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) January 8, 2020

It is soothing to think of the attack last night as the end of this frightening episode. Could Iran's no-casualty attack last night really be an attempt at de-escalation? Or was it only the beginning of the country's payback for Soleimani's death?

Iranian leaders have indicated both.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, said that last night's attack was but "a slap in the face" and "not sufficient. What is important is ending the corrupting presence of America in the region."

And here's a senior adviser to Iran's president:

@realDonaldTrump: You wanted a better deal with Iran. Looks like you are going to get a war instead. That's what happens when you listen to that clown, Pompeo.

Don't be the worst dealmaker in history!

— حسام الدین آشنا Hosamoddin Ashena (@hesamodin1) January 8, 2020

But Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said "We do not seek escalation or war."

Zarif told reporters in Tehran this morning that the attack highlighted how Iran was "not the United States" and did not want war. "It is up to the United States to now come to its senses and stop its adventurism in this region," he said.

President Trump is expected to speak today at 11 a.m.

President @realDonaldTrump will deliver remarks at 11AM ET today.

— The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) January 8, 2020

Shortly after the missile attack, a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane leaving the Tehran airport crashed, killing all 176 people onboard, and initially, many suspected the Ukraine International Airlines crash was related to hostilities between Iran and the U.S.

"At first I thought [the Americans] have hit here with missiles and went in the basement as a shelter," one man who lives near where the plane crashed told the Associated Press.

Iranian authorities, however, said the plane suffered from a mechanical issue. Ukrainian officials said an investigation will be conducted.

According to the Ukrainian foreign minister, those killed in the crash included mostly Iranian and Canadian passengers and no Americans. He said those on board included 82 people from Iran, 63 from Canada, 11 from Ukraine, 10 from Sweden, four from Afghanistan, three from Germany, and three from the U.K.

"The plane had been delayed from taking off from Imam Khomeini International Airport by almost an hour," AP reports. "It took off to the west, but never made it above 8,000 feet in the air, according to data from the flight-tracking website FlightRadar24."

---

FREE MINDS

Some anti-war responses from members of Congress:

#NoWarWithlran pic.twitter.com/zRDXwbvBXR

— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) January 8, 2020

#deescalate#NoWarWithlran https://t.co/ye688ZvGVB

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 8, 2020

#IranAttacks on U.S. troops today brought back a flood of memories from my 2005 deployment at the height of Iraq war. Constant rocket attacks. A daily reminder of the terrible cost of war. Unimaginable suffering awaits if this escalation continues. #NoWarWithlran #IranvsUSA pic.twitter.com/SvMUOHum2K

— Tulsi Gabbard ???? (@TulsiGabbard) January 8, 2020

Tulsi: "There is one person who is responsible for this, and that's President Trump. He has chosen to surround himself with neocons and warmongers." pic.twitter.com/0oui06Xn4Z

— Michael Tracey (@mtracey) January 8, 2020

Let's hope he finds it and stays off the war path ???????? https://t.co/wvNWkZGsj0

— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 8, 2020

We've been at war in the Middle East for almost 20 years and Republicans are repeating the same old Donald Rumsfeld talking points from the same old neocon playbook. https://t.co/qHKon6QfJV

— Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) January 7, 2020

The truth is the lies of administrations past are now putting our brave soldiers in harm's way. We must work towards a lasting peace and de-escalate conflicts. Tonight, I pray for peace. Tomorrow, I begin my journey to Lead With Truth. #PrayForOurTroops #PrayForPeace

— Lincoln Chafee (@LincolnChafee) January 8, 2020

And some reminders for President Trump:

Please pray for our troops who are in harm's way and for their families. The president has inherent authority to repel sudden attacks, but any military engagement beyond that requires approval from Congress under our Constitution. https://t.co/r2YOaMXQTk

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 8, 2020

In the meantime, the Administration needs to bring any discussion of war with Iran to the American people and their representatives in Congress, as the Constitution requires.

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 8, 2020

This escalation of violence was preventable. My amendment to prohibit funding for strikes on Iran or Iranian officials passed the House with 27 Republican votes. The Pentagon stripped it from the National Defense Authorization. We should have never passed the NDAA without it. https://t.co/ek1UVH2VK9

— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) January 8, 2020

---

FREE MARKETS

The Trump administration announced last week that flavored vaping products with pre-filled cartridges are to be banned, while exempting flavored nicotine liquids that customers can load into tanks themselves. The former are much more popular, and include all flavored vape pods from the market-dominant Juul. Here's Kat Timpf at National Review on the stupidity and frustrations of the new vaping restrictions:

Yes: I myself vape, and that's part of the reason why this news upsets me. What's more, as a vaper who has tried "open tank" systems—which the administration exempts from the ban—I find absolutely no solace in this fact, as I know from experience how fiddling with these sorts of systems often inevitably results in your hands and furniture and purses and life getting completely soaked with nicotine liquid.

My personal use, however, is far from the only reason that I am upset about this ban. In fact, the main reason I'm opposed to it is that it may, quite frankly, kill people.

See, President Trump insists that the purpose behind the ban is to "protect our families," but the truth is, anyone who is informed on the facts of the issue would understand how it will only have a negative impact. In case you yourself aren't informed, here are some of those facts.

More here.

---

QUICK HITS

• Last night, Pentagon officials were reportedly hard to reach when the attack started because they had been sent home in anticipation of bad weather in D.C. that never amounted to more than some non-sticking snowfall.
• A little good news for a change:

Na na na na na na na na Bat Change https://t.co/rSDZCKD7AS

— Fiddler (@cFidd) January 8, 2020

(Sorry, sorry.)

• OK for real on the good news this time:

https://twitter.com/frankiemiren/status/1214883164939866112

• And on to the bad and bizarre: Paul Petersen, Phoenix-area county assessor (an elected office), resigned yesterday "months after being charged with running a human smuggling operation that paid pregnant women from the Marshall Islands to give up their babies in the United States."
• Joe Biden "sometimes gets himself in trouble with flat declarations and evolving versions of the same story." The Washington Post checks out Biden's recent claims about Bin Laden.
• The Methodist Church might be breaking up over same-sex marriage:

"Most of our people say it's possible for us to see things differently and remain in one church," says @RevAdamHamilton.

We'll talk with him today about the split within the Methodists over same-sex marriage.https://t.co/l33qV59ckN

— 1A (@1a) January 8, 2020

• The Goldwater Institute is suing over Arizona's alleged mishandling of its school choice program:

We're suing the Arizona Department of Education so that kids get the education they're entitled to - and that they deserve. https://t.co/CppF9WyS8b @GoldwaterInst

— Christina Sandefur (@cmsandefur) January 8, 2020

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

But Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said "We do not seek escalation or war."

TRUMP WINS

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

'We Do Not Seek Escalation or War'

File under: 'No shit' and 'Things we saw from a mile away for $400 Alex'.

/releases clutched pearls. Straightens skirt.

[Jerryskids]

You know who else didn't seek an escalation of war?

(It's a trick question - the answer is "Everybody". War is so much easier if your enemy just rolls over and refuses to fight back. In fact, we don't even call it a fight when only one side is fighting - nobody talks about that time Abraham Lincoln battled with John Wilkes Booth or the time JFK fought with Lee Harvey Oswald.)

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

FATALITY

[loveconstitution1789]

Missile Strike Damage Appears Limited, but Iran May Not Be Done

In a short statement released on Wednesday morning, the Joint Command in Baghdad, which includes both Iraqi and international representatives, said that neither coalition nor Iraqi forces had “recorded any losses.”
Updates

Of the 22 missiles, the majority were aimed at Al-Asad, an air base in the desert of western Anbar, an entirely Sunni Muslim area. Of the 17 missiles aimed at the base, two fell outside it near the city of Hit, but did not explode, officials said.

Five of the missiles were aimed at an air base in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, and hit the headquarters building. Damage assessments were ongoing on Wednesday.

[loveconstitution1789]

Some of the diehard Propaganda outlets were claiming that Iran wanted to not directly hit the bases in order to avoid US casualties.

HAHAHAHA.

2 missiles failed to explode.

Plus, according to reports an HQ building took a direct hit which would challenge that Iranians were not trying to hit anything but "scare the Americans out of Iraq".

[loveconstitution1789]

US knew Iranian missiles were coming ahead of strike on Iraq bases housing American troops

The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, added that early-warning systems gave U.S. forces advance knowledge that missiles had been launched.

The warnings allowed troops and other personnel to scramble into hardened bunkers for safety. U.S. and coalition personnel in Iraq on the mission to combat ISIS have been practicing drills for missile attacks for some time, the official said.

“The early warning system worked,” the official said.

[loveconstitution1789]

Thanks, Iran, for letting us know where you launch missiles from too. If we didnt know already.

Even North Korea isn't that stupid to launch scary missiles from hidden bunkers on their side of the DMZ.

[darkflame]

Can't ballistic missiles be fired from mobile launchers? Although I do find the fact they had like an 11% fail rate hilarious.

[soldiermedic76]

They can but the accuracy goes way down. And the fail rate goes way up.

[darkflame]

*Looks at 11% failure rate*

hmmmmm

[JesseAz]

That's a huge fail rate for a ballistic projectile.

[darkflame]

True, but then again, if the purpose was to saber rattle and not actually cause casualties, maybe they picked older less reliable missiles rather than expensive newer ones. Why waste good weapons on a stunt?

[Commenter_XY]

It is more like a 25% failure rate, 4 fizzles /15 missiles = 26.7%.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Shortly after the missile attack, a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane leaving the Tehran airport crashed, killing all 176 people onboard, and initially, many suspected the Ukraine International Airlines crash was related to hostilities between Iran and the U.S.

Then they realized it was related to hostilities between Boeing and 737 passengers.

[loveconstitution1789]

Video appearing to show Ukrainian passenger jet crashing broadcast on Iran state TV

[loveconstitution1789]

Iran says will not give black box of Ukrainian plane to Boeing

Nothing fishy about that.

I feel for those dead but I would have ridden a mule over the mountains into Russia than get on a plane in Iran or Iraq in the last few weeks.

[Fist of Etiquette]

When are manufacturers going to get onboard with telemetric recorders?

[Hit and Run]

Did you not see Battlestar Galactica? That's a bad can of worms, opening up potential hacking.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Yes. You have to be one special kind of snowflake naif if you believe Iran wasn't capable of hitting non-military targets.

Not saying this was the case here as this is the first I hear of it. Sounds like a coincidence?

[Don't look at me!]

Be interesting to see how restrained Canada will be if it was intentional.

[Rufus The Monocled]

You don't want to see Canada mad.

[Earth Skeptic]

And then apologize for it.

[Echospinner]

Anyone who knows about the Canadians in WW2 should know that. Just saw something about that on one of those National Geographic specials.

[soldiermedic76]

"Iran, you are such a hoser, please don't do that again, eh? Or we will politely ask you again."

[Sevo]

Strongly-worded letter to follow!

[Hit and Run]

Seems fishy, but did they not have a passenger list?

[NittanyCougar]

That looks like a lot like a bolide or satellite reentry. Especially when pieces fall off at one point. Can anyone translate what the guy is saying?

[Jerryskids]

If only the American government had given Boeing a pallet of cash none of this would have had to happen.

Oh, wait. Never mind. Pretend you didn't hear that. Boeing's pallet of cash hasn't yet happened in this time line.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Last night, Pentagon officials were reportedly hard to reach when the attack started because they had been sent home in anticipation of bad weather in D.C. that never amounted to more than some non-sticking snowfall.

Good thing the president was there to handle everything on his own stable genius style.

[Conchfritters]

Iran's Foreign Minister: 'We Do Not Seek Escalation or War'

If true, let’s GTFO of there. I’m sure our boys and girls would love to stay for the tit-for-tat bombings and being a giant target over there, but let’s close shop and let those fuckers deal with the next Sunni uprising on their own.

[Don't look at me!]

Oh, sure. Abandon the Kurds or something.

[Conchfritters]

I’d sell the Kurds pretty much anything they wanted short of a nuclear bomb. They seem to be able to handle shit on their own fine.

[Commenter_XY]

I agree. They would be a major pain in the ass to Turkey, Iran and Iraq, though. Maybe not such a bad thing upon reflection...

[Rufus The Monocled]

Knowing the left, of the five factions of Kurds they'd align with the PKK. They failed to appreciate and realize that the 'much Kurds' angle showed just how unprincipled and cynically foolish they are since the PKK are considered terrorists by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.

[soldiermedic76]

No, they don't want to be targets. The other option would be to allow them to fight back. Because withdrawing because of a few inaccurate missiles will have no long term bad consequences. No other country or group would use that tactic. It isn't like Clinton's decision to withdraw from Somalia after the Battle of Mogadishu helped convinced Bin Laden that the US was unwilling to take casualties and therefore he could get away with three attacks on the US, two against the WTC and one against the USS Cole.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Na na na na na na na na Bat Change

Two bit? More like two bat.

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

Too late. Orange Hitler literally started World War 3. And all because he needed a distraction from impeachment.

#Resist
#Impeach

[Fist of Etiquette]

These women were charged with ~permitting each other~ to use a flat for prostitution. Police took their money and refused to give a receipt.

Half-and-half. One cop got half the money, his partner got the other half.

[mad.casual]

The good news is prostitution is becoming more socially acceptable. The bad news is we're talking about British Prostitutes.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Blimey.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...Paul Petersen, Phoenix-area county assessor (an elected office), resigned yesterday "months after being charged with running a human smuggling operation that paid pregnant women from the Marshall Islands to give up their babies in the United States."

I refuse to read any more about this story, lest I be disappointed.

[darkflame]

It is interesting how regular assholes like you and I can be arrested for breathing funny, but if they're in any sort of government role and especially lawenforcement, the headline is generally along the lines of "County Clerk resigns after being caught murder-raping random strangers, apologizes, says he didn't realize the pain he was causing people"

[loveconstitution1789]

Progressives play whack-a-Joe with Biden

A segment of how Lefties view their own.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

It's all about gearing up for the primary election. They will throw each other in the mud then say all is well and vote for the primary winner in the general election.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Joe Biden "sometimes gets himself in trouble with flat declarations and evolving versions of the same story."

But enough about his hairline.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Most of our people say it's possible for us to see things differently and remain in one church...

The majority can expect a list of grievances nailed to its door.

[Mickey Rat]

That does go against the whole flow of the Protestant movement

[soldiermedic76]

Hell, we Lutherans don't even agree with each other. If you have two Lutherans together you will have three different views.

[Commenter_XY]

Same with us Jews; three Jews, at least four opinions. But probably more. 🙂

[Echospinner]

Yes but is lab created meat parve? Is it even kosher?

If you are on the space station when does Shabbat start?

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

99 hashtags posted on Twitter/

[Conchfritters]

A little good news for a change:

When are they going to ditch the $1 and $5 bills and make a $1, $5, and $10 coin?

[Longtobefree]

When cash register drawers have slots for the new coins.
Just like the dollar coins and the $2.00 bills. No room in the register, they go under the organizer, and straight back to the bank.
To get the dollar coins into actual use, some other coin needs to be outlawed to make room. So outlaw the one dollar bill, and the two dollar bill has a home. Outlaw the nickel, (can't get rid of the penny; sales tax and all that jazz) and the dollar coin has a home. Both have to happen to really get the new regime in place.

[OpenBordersLiberal-tarian]

More bad economic news.

Charles Koch is already down $700,000,000 this year.

2020 is barely a week old and I can already tell it will be even worse than 2019.

#DrumpfRecession
#HowLongMustCharlesKochSuffer?

[Freddy the Jerk]

Your Koch posts are boring and not enlightening. Shut up.

[Commenter_XY]

Freddy is right. Your material is getting a little stale, OBL. New year, new wineskins. 😛

[Fist of Etiquette]

"There is one person who is responsible for this, and that's President Trump. He has chosen to surround himself with neocons and warmongers."

Sounds like the neocons and warmongers are off the hook.

[Mickey Rat]

I thought the criticism of Trump was going against the advise of people with foreign policy experience?

[Juice]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6fJU7ZLrGjI

[Sevo]

"Iran's Foreign Minister: 'We Do Not Seek Escalation or War'"

What "war"?

[Sevo]

Maybe the "war" they've declared on their population?

"Stampede kills 56 at funeral for Iranian general slain by US "
[...]
"TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — A stampede broke out Tuesday at a funeral for a top Iranian general killed in a U.S. airstrike, and at least 56 people were killed and more than 200 were injured as thousands thronged the procession, Iranian news reports said...."
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/stampede-kills-56-at-funeral-for-iranian-general-slain-by-us/ar-BBYIdjI?li=AAggbRN

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Iran's foreign minister is just trying to calm down all the Iran supporters in the US government.

[loveconstitution1789]

Texas facing 10,000 potential cybersecurity attacks from Iran per minute, Abbott says

I cant wait for the MSM and unreason Propagandists to keep saying that America is escalating tensions between the USA and Iran.

[Don't look at me!]

I doubt the internet connection in Iran is fast enough to support 10,000 attacks per minute.

[loveconstitution1789]

Its like the human waves they sent against Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War.

They can pack more childish attacks per bit.

[Jerryskids]

But I think you're confused about kinetic attacks, it can support a much greater number of potential attacks.

[soldiermedic76]

Iran couldn't defeat Iraq, which we walked over in 90 days.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Sure it is. 10,000 attacks per minute is defined as a single bot doing a dictionary attack on an exchange account. Very little bandwidth needed for 10,000 hits a minute on that. Also, I'm surprised the Iranian government would be dumb enough to attack "texas" without modifying their geolocation information.

Therefore, with my distrust in the deep state, this attack could be coming from Virginia, via VPN geolocated in Iran.

[loveconstitution1789]

Fears of Sanders win growing among Democratic establishment

Do YOU feel the Bern?

Bernie Sanders did pretty well against Hillary until the Super Delegates squashed his hopes. Then Trump squashed Hillary's hopes.

Bernie has a chance to win the Democrat nomination and then will lose to Trump.

[Jerryskids]

The fact that Bernie Sanders is a US Senator and a serious contender for President rather than dangling off the side of a bridge by a short length of piano wire is about all the evidence you need that it really doesn't matter any more.

[chemjeff radical individualist]

If this entire thing ends without a major war, then that's great news. The crisis will have been averted and we should count our blessings that President Bone Spurs didn't bumble us into war.

[Don't look at me!]

How long do we have to wait before you let him off the hook? 1, 10, or 100 years?

[Sevo]

"...President Bone Spurs..."

Lefty fucking ignoramuses stay up all night inventing 'clever' nick-names for Trump.
Which should and do embarrass 1st-grade kids.

[Jerryskids]

LOL

Let's see if Crooked Hillary, Little Marco, Lying Ted, Pocahontas, Sleepy Joe, Low-energy Jeb!, Little Rocket Man, Crazy Bernie, Shifty Schiff, Alfred E. Neumann et al agree with your assessment of what should embarrass a first-grader.

If you had any shame, you'd be embarrassed to even have brought the subject of name-calling up. Or you'd apologize to Jeff and admit he's pretty fucking presidential in his comment.

[Nardz]

LOL

Sir Jerryskids, here to rescue the psychotic damsel in distress, while maintaining a complete lack of self awareness

[JesseAz]

Those were off the cuff. Jeff has spent months.

[Rufus The Monocled]

There never was going to be a war Jeff.

[JesseAz]

And privately he is disappointed over that fact. Well, and publicly, just not on this comment.

[Fist of Etiquette]

...any military engagement beyond that requires approval from Congress under our Constitution.

I can see Congress asserting that responsibility by offloading it to a bureaucratic agency. Wait, they already did that.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Let the experts handle complex stuff like environmental regulations and war.

[Rufus The Monocled]

I'm almost certain those people holding up pictures of deceased political figures are ordered to do so.

Heck, I'm so twisted, tortured and cynical, it wouldn't surprise me if they go out and get the families who were murdered by people like Salami, force them to attend the funeral and in one final act of humiliation give them a picture demanding they hold it up as they smirk.

[Conchfritters]

You left out the obligatory stampede at the funeral with 70+ people being killed.

[Rufus The Monocled]

And people falling off buildings and cliffs*.

*Who happen to be gays.

Live footage. 'In this clip, you can clearly see the end of a gun barrel nudging the victim along. Nonetheless, there's no reason to believe they were killed but were in fact expressing their profound sadness for the death of 'X''.

[mad.casual]

Live footage. ‘In this clip, you can clearly see the end of a gun barrel nudging the victim along. Nonetheless, there’s no reason to believe they were killed but were in fact expressing their profound sadness for the death of ‘X”.

The gunfire in the background is celebratory.

[Sevo]

CA has a bum problem, so lets solve it by opening up taxpayer-owned land to any and all. I'm sure there's some nice water-front spaces available:

"‘A Real Emergency’: Newsom Issues Executive Order To Use State Land, Travel Trailers, Hospitals For California Homeless Crisis"
[...]
"Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on Wednesday that would fast-track the use of government land near highways, travel trailers and vacant state hospitals to urgently get people off of California’s streets...."
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2020/01/08/a-real-emergency-newsom-issues-executive-order-to-use-state-land-travel-trailers-hospitals-for-california-homeless-crisis/

He's probably not worse than AOC, except for that gooey shit he rubs in his hair.

[Conchfritters]

If you were homeless is there any other place you would rather be? He may as well roll out the welcome mat and have a tent pitched in Golden Gate Park waiting for them.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Iranian government has always operated on its own timeline.

Unlike the current United States president, the Iranians are rogues.

[loveconstitution1789]

U.S. Cancer Death Rate Drops by Largest Amount on Record

I am sure Medicare and Medicaid will pay more taxpayer money to cover the losses in new cancer patients.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Those sex workers don't look like sex workers. They look like cashiers.

[sarcasmic]

You'd fuck 'em anyway... Or at least John would. He'll fuck anything with two X chromosomes.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Looks at the pic again. If God put a knife to my neck and said pick one asshole, maybe the 4th one. Maybe.

[sarcasmic]

"Here's ten words you'll never hear a man say: Stop sucking my dick or I will call the police."

-George Carlin

[Commenter_XY]

So true. LOL. 🙂

[mad.casual]

They look like cashiers.

Yeah, not that they should be arrested, but they aren't sex workers, they're British hookers.

[Brian]

You know who else said “All is well”?

[NittanyCougar]

Kevin Bacon

[Ra's al Gore]

Hairstylist named Kevin Bacon killed, eaten by Grindr date from hell: cops
New York Post

[NittanyCougar]

I didn't know about that. Fucking terrible.

[sarcasmic]

The town crier in Wizard of Id?

[Jerryskids]

I know King Abdullah used to complain about her all the time until Trump removed her as ambassador.

[Dillinger]

Baby Jessica?

[Ra's al Gore]

Since Reason keeps hiding my links:

Investigators Reveal Hunter Biden Used His Dead Brother's Identity to Hide His Whereabouts

Over the last few months, Hunter Biden has been involved in a child support case with Luden Roberts after a DNA test confirmed he is the father of her child. Roberts worked at Mpire Gentlemen's Club in Washington, D.C., where Biden frequented. That's how the two allegedly met. Roberts has, understandably, gone after Biden for child support, health care and legal fees.

Throughout the course of the entire saga, Biden has done everything in his power to shield his financial documents and his employment with Ukrainian gas company Burisma. We know that he made anywhere between $50,000 and $83,000 per month to sit on Burisma's board, despite having no natural energy experience.

“Stolen identities were used to check defendant Robert Hunter Biden into an Arizona facility and providing false statements to the Prescott Police Department,” the document states. “These stolen identities include his deceased brother Joseph R. Beau Biden III, and Joseph McGee.”

[loveconstitution1789]

Investigator says Hunter Biden used identity of dead brother Beau to hide location

Democrats like to abort babies. If you have a baby of an important Democrat Party crook, you're on your own.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Why would Reason hide that?

[Ra's al Gore]

My posts with links are held "awaiting moderation" until the thread is dead and then disappear.

[JesseAz]

keyword is links. One per post.

[mad.casual]

Over the last few months, Hunter Biden has been involved in a child support case with Luden Roberts after a DNA test confirmed he is the father of her child. Roberts worked at Mpire Gentlemen’s Club in Washington, D.C., where Biden frequented. That’s how the two allegedly met. Roberts has, understandably, gone after Biden for child support, health care and legal fees.

ROFLMAO! The Democrats' best answer to Trump is someone that's a straight ticket, full punch card, stacked deck, double-fisted Lowlife (by even Kid Rock's standards).

[mad.casual]

OK, it's not Hunter who's actually running but the one person Joe had the most control over.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

LMAO--what a useless deadbeat. Yeah, let's not investigate exactly why this True and Honest Son of an American Hero was able to land a cushy board position with a Ukrainian gas corporation.

Hope that butt-sniffing interview you conducted with him in the fall was worth it, ABC. I'm sure it got you a few more DNC party invites, you fucking shills.

[Commenter_XY]

Creepy Joe is done. He is toast. I only want him to get enough DNC delegates to force a nasty, brutal and debilitating battle at the DNC convention.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Iran wants to be the dominating force in the ME. If we go to war we will bomb their military might back to the stone age and it will set them back. War with the US does not advance Iranian goals.

[creech]

Yeah it is pretty obvious they don't want to mess with the biggest baddest hornet nest in town when it is in charge of a crazy mofo.

[Ra's al Gore]

Documents Show Senior Kerry Aide Used Private Email to Send Steele Reports to State Department Colleagues.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Isn't private email the only kind the State Dept knows?

[Longtobefree]

For those who are perplexed by military things - - - -
In military terminology, a demonstration is an attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sough

[Echospinner]

That is good to know.

A way to intimidate or show your capabilities then?

Seems like an apt description.

[Ra's al Gore]

NY Times: Why Are Young Americans Killing Themselves?
Suicide is now their second-leading cause of death.

[Longtobefree]

Because they look at a future ruled by democrats?

[Jerryskids]

Vaping still #1 cause of death.

[Echospinner]

Good question .

Suicide clusters have also been described as the Werther effect have been talked about. Yet those tend to be short lived. It is easy to blame social media, video games and more isolated activity among young people. From what I can find it is not so clear.

On a positive note cancer deaths are on the decline. News article here with links to American Cancer Society published data.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/08/health/cancer-death-rate-largest-decline-year-us-study/index.html

[Dillinger]

>>Could Iran's no-casualty attack last night really be an attempt at de-escalation?

you never told us you were a gymnast.

[Geraje Guzba]

For the past 72 hours, every left wing jackass with a pulse ceaselessly assured me that we were on a straight path to WORLD WAR III !!!!

Instead, we have a dead Iranian general, some scorched dirt in the dessert masquerading as a retaliatory strike, and complete capitulation from the Iranian regime with respect to prospect of a war.

It's almost like Trump knew what the fuck he was doing ... imagine that.

[mad.casual]

For the past 72 hours, every left wing jackass with a pulse ceaselessly assured me that we were on a straight path to WORLD WAR III !!!!

I think we should all take a minute and recall an "incident" a few months ago where Trump tweeted he was meeting with top military brass... *7 min. pause* ...to discuss trannies in the military (or whatever) and, for like 7 min. every reporter on Twitter (including several here at Reason) was sure we were going to war.

I'm pretty sure many members of the media get war coverage boners that would put many Congressional war boners to shame.

[Longtobefree]

I think you overestimate their endowments - - - - - - -

[Jerryskids]

Or underestimate the amount of testosterone shots it would require for the former and Viagra pills for the latter.

[Mickey Rat]

Scorched dirt in the dessert sounds awful.

[darkflame]

It's almost like that time we bombed the Russian 'mercenaries' in Syria, or when Trump dared to talk shit to North Korea. Everyone on the left starts screaming "WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE" and runs around panicking.

[Geraje Guzba]

And, when it all works out fine, the fake notch mark on the tally of "Trump's foibles" nevertheless remains as an example, for future reference, of his impetuous and incoherent methods of governing.

"Remember that time Trump almost started WW3? I do."

They're just fucking liars, and they know it. And so does everyone else.

[darkflame]

I have a guy I'm still connected with on Facebook from when I worked with him over a decade ago at a movie theater (I was in high school, he wasn't). Guy likes to pretend he's the academic liberal type, that he's a writer. I don't believe he's ever had anything published, and he works as a friggin pizza delivery man to pay the bills now, but he still thinks he's worth listening to when it comes to what we should do about Trump and national policy.

I stay connected because it's amusing reading the drivel he and his friends post.

[Geraje Guzba]

I have lost many friends for simply suggesting that Trump is not as horrible as he is constantly made out to be.

"Can we at least agree that Trump is not literally Hitler?"
"No. Get the fuck out of my house."

People have lost their minds, and its disconcerting. Even some very intelligent people I used to know have checked their brains at the door and have never looked back.

[darkflame]

if they're willing to go that far, they weren't your friends, they were acquaintences. I can agree to disagree about how bad he might be, I know he isn't in any way perfect, and I can understand why some of what he does might alarm some folks to a greater degree, especially if they aren't following politics as closely as I do. I know plenty of folks who consider themselves liberal but fall closer to libertarian when it comes to government taxing and the amount of power politicians should have.

All that said, if you stop functioning as an intelligent adult because Orange Man Bad, you deserve what you get.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Ten years after college and he's still delivering pizzas? Shameful.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

They've been doing that shit since Goldwater.

[bs]

No WWIII. Reason hardest hit.

[darkflame]

Anyone catch Trump's speech? Guess it's official and not even the leftist idiots can pretend anymore, no war. Someone really needs to teach them the difference between wanting a war and backing up your promises when a warned party crosses a line. The first is a stupid thing to do, and the second is mandatory if you want people to take you seriously at any negotiating table.

[Geraje Guzba]

"Uh, ugh ... but it could have happened, so ..."

[Jerryskids]

I'm sure Micheal Moore and Rob Reiner and those sorts are even now preparing gushing messages of praise and gratitude to the Ayatollahs for their mercy and forbearance in holding back on their righteous vengeance.

[darkflame]

It is interesting to see which politicians are more supportive of religious terrorists than their actual fucking country.

[Echospinner]

Hey Ron Reiner is a god.

Princess Bride

Spinal Tap

He can say any crap he wants.

[Conchfritters]

I loved the part where the Selective Service website crashed.