Donald Trump is riding high

President-elect Donald Trump is enjoying a honeymoon period in the wake of his election victory, largely staying out of the spotlight as positive developments have piled up. Trump has quickly put together a Cabinet for his incoming administration, has seen his legal problems dissolve and has benefited from a bump in polling since winning a second term earlier this month.

An Emerson College poll published Tuesday found Trump’s favorability rating had increased by 6 percentage points since the election, putting him at 54 percent.

The postelection period has not been entirely free of drama for Trump, however, as one of his Cabinet nominees, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, has already withdrawn, and another, Pete Hegseth, is facing allegations of sexual assault that cloud his chances of confirmation.

Here are five reasons Trump is riding high three weeks after Election Day.

Quick Cabinet assembly

Trump has rolled out new picks for his incoming administration almost daily in the past two weeks, wasting little time installing allies at top posts in the White House and nominating staunch loyalists to lead major government agencies.

Following his 2016 victory, Trump did not name his first Cabinet picks until 10 days after the election. This time around, he has named choices for nearly his entire Cabinet, plus several top White House positions, within three weeks of his victory.

Trump allies said the quick pace showed a more cohesive transition than eight years ago, reflected his team’s preparedness for victory this time around and underscored how Trump was ready to rely on those he knew rather than more establishment figures.

“The people that he is surrounding himself with now are all committed to advancing the agenda,” former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said.

The rapid pace of nominations has kept headlines moving from one pick to the next, but some of Trump’s choices are likely to face intense scrutiny as the confirmation process moves along. 

In particular, Hegseth, his choice for Defense secretary, is facing allegations of sexual assault, which he denies. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s choice for director of national intelligence, has faced criticism for parroting pro-Russian talking points. And Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the man tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has spread anti-vaccine rhetoric, among other controversial views.

End of legal cases

Trump and his legal team spent more than a year fighting to delay various legal cases against him in the hopes that a victory in the presidential election would effectively end his court battles.

This week proved that effort was a success when special counsel Jack Smith moved to dismiss both his election interference case and classified documents case against Trump, citing Department of Justice policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

The motion for the election interference case was approved by Judge Tanya Chutkan, bringing to a close the prosecutorial effort to hold Trump accountable for seeking to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that culminated with his supporters storming the Capitol.

In Trump’s Florida documents case, where he is facing charges for violating the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice, Smith also moved to dismiss an appeal to a motion tossing the case.

Trump was convicted earlier this year on 34 felony counts over a hush money scheme to keep an alleged affair quiet during the 2016 campaign. But his sentencing has been indefinitely adjourned, and Judge Juan Merchan now faces a choice of freezing the case in place until he leaves the White House or tossing it entirely.

Fewer signs of Democratic resistance

After Trump’s first victory in 2016, Democrats quickly rallied from the top down with vows to oppose and resist his agenda. 

The Women’s March took place one day after Trump was inaugurated, lawmakers planned for how to delay confirmation of Trump’s nominees and critics seized on questions about Russian influence in the 2016 election.

This time around, Democrats appear more focused on sorting out where their own party went wrong during the 2024 campaign than on forming an organized resistance to Trump’s plans. With President Biden on his way out of the White House and Vice President Harris defeated, there is no clear leader of the party.

Instead of vowing to oppose Trump’s Cabinet picks, senators like Sen. John Fetterman have openly talked about supporting nominees such as Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of State and even Dr. Mehmet Oz, who was nominated to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Fetterman defeated Oz in 2022 to win his Pennsylvania Senate seat.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis drew backlash when he expressed excitement over Trump’s choice of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

Some state-level leaders, particularly those with aspirations for 2028, have appeared keener to position themselves as a bulwark against Trump. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vowed to push back against certain Trump policies, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signaled he would fiercely protect his state’s rights.

Middle East peace deal

One major victory for Trump since the election came thanks to the work of the Biden administration, which announced Tuesday a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah.

President Biden made the announcement that Israel and Hezbollah agreed to pause their fighting in and around the border with Lebanon as of early Wednesday morning following months of fighting and airstrikes in the region. 

The terms of the deal include a 60-day truce during which Israel will gradually withdraw its forces from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah will withdraw its troops north of the Litani River in Lebanon.

Trump has not publicly commented on the announcement, but the Biden team briefed Trump transition officials twice in recent weeks about the ongoing push for a ceasefire.

The Washington Post reported earlier this month that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed to reach a ceasefire with Hezbollah as a gift to the incoming Trump administration.

While Trump must still contend with the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and Israel’s war with Hamas, which has decimated Gaza, the truce between Israeli forces and Hezbollah takes one foreign policy concern off the table.

Out of the public eye

Trump has largely been absent from the public eye in the roughly three weeks since he secured a second term.

He appeared in Washington DC, to meet with House Republicans and President Biden at the White House, and he made a trip to Texas to witness a SpaceX rocket launch alongside Elon Musk, the founder of the company.

But he has not held a press conference or delivered remarks on camera, making announcements largely through press releases from his transition team or on Truth Social.

Trump has in the past enjoyed some of his stronger political stretches when he has stayed out of the spotlight and avoided the kind of self-created controversies that come from his own on-camera remarks to the press or at rallies.

The question is how long he can keep it up. Some of his Cabinet picks are sure to come under growing scrutiny in the weeks ahead, his threat of tariffs against allies Mexico and Canada have rankled officials and could upend the economy, and there will be an even greater focus on Trump’s every move once he takes office in January.

Courtesy: The Hill

 

 

 

 

 

US to supply more arms to Israel

Just hours after a cease-fire between the Israeli government and Lebanese group Hezbollah took effect, the Financial Times revealed, "US President Joe Biden has provisionally approved a US$680 million weapons sale to Israel," which has also spent the past nearly 14 months decimating the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip.

Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, the British newspaper reported, "US officials recently briefed Congress on the plan to provide thousands of additional joint direct attack munition kits to Israel, known as JDAMS, as well as hundreds of small-diameter bombs."

The Biden administration's decision to advance the sale was subsequently confirmed by Reuters, which reported, "the package has been in the works for several months. It was first brought to the congressional committees in September then submitted for review in October."

Human rights advocate critical of Israel's assaults on Lebanon and Gaza—which has led to a genocide case at the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant—responded with alarm to the new reporting.

"If these reports are true, it's heartbreakingly devastating news," said Amnesty International USA. "These are the weapons that our research has shown were used to wipe out entire families, without any discernible military objective."

Amnesty highlighted a trio of resolutions from Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have halted some arms sales to Israel. Although they failed to pass the Senate last week, the group was among several that noted over the course of three votes, 17, 18, and 19 senators supported halting weapons sales, "sending a clear signal that US policy must change."

"Yet, the Biden administration seems to be ready and willing to keep piling more and more, despite Gaza descending into what President Biden just yesterday described as 'hell,'" Amnesty added Wednesday. "Sending more weapons that have been used to maim and kill with impunity doesn't just put in jeopardy Palestinian lives and the elusive cease-fire the president is seeking, but also President Biden's own legacy."

The Institute for Middle East Understanding Policy Project declared Wednesday, "President Biden is spending the final days of his presidency going against the will of most Americans, US law, and international law."

"The weapons included in this package have been used by Israel in numerous apparent war crimes," the organization noted. "On July 13, 2024, Israel attacked a so-called 'safe zone' in al-Mawasi, in which internally displaced Palestinians were sheltering, killing at least 90 people and injuring hundreds more. A CNN investigation found that Israel carried out this attack with at least one JDAM."

John Ramming Chappell, an adviser on legal and policy issues at the Center for Civilians in Conflict, similarly stressed, "these are the very same weapons that for months Israeli forces have used to kill Palestinian civilians and violate international humanitarian law."

"Continuing arms transfers risks making the United States and US officials complicit in war crimes," he said. "These arms sales are unlawful as a matter of both US and international law. They are immoral. The congressional committees of jurisdiction can and must place a hold on the sales."

Sarah Leah Whitson, executive director of Democracy for the Arab World Now, pointed out, "aiding and abetting war crimes and crimes against humanity is itself a crime for which US officials may (and should) face prosecution at the ICC."

Neither the US nor Israel is a state party to the Rome Statute of the ICC, though Palestine is. Both the Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trump's pick for national security adviser have attacked the warrants for Israeli leaders.

In a speech to Israelis on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that one of the reasons for the cease-fire in Lebanon "is to give our forces a breather and replenish stocks. And I say it openly, it is no secret that there have been big delays in weapons and munitions deliveries. These delays will be resolved soon. We will receive supplies of advanced weaponry that will keep our soldiers safe and give us more strike force to complete our mission."

The Times of Israel reported that Biden's State Department declined to confirm the advancement of the package but said that US support for Israel in the face of Iran-backed threats is "unwavering" and all weapon transfers are carried out in line with federal law.

"We have made clear that Israel must comply with international humanitarian law, has a moral obligation and strategic imperative to protect civilians, investigate allegations of any wrongdoing, and ensure accountability for any abuses or violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law," the State Department said.

 

Arrest warrants of Israeli leadership: Challenges for Trump

The recent decision of International Criminal Court (ICC) indicting Israeli leaders for war crimes in Gaza has reignited debates among Democrats regarding Israel’s actions in its conflict with Hamas. The Democratic Party is divided: staunch allies of Israel criticize the ICC for perceived pro-Palestinian bias, while liberal members welcome the scrutiny of Israel’s military actions.

This divide has intensified since Hamas’s October 07, 2023, attacks. While there is broad Democratic support for Israel’s right to self-defense, the severe Israeli response—which has led to over 44,000 Palestinian deaths—has caused a rift, with more liberal voices alleging human rights violations. This group applauds the ICC’s decision to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Some Democrats view the ICC’s actions as necessary for accountability, while others argue it undermines Israel’s right to defend itself. These divisions were heightened when the ICC also indicted Hamas leader Mohammed Deif, which did little to mollify Israel’s defenders, who see the court’s actions as creating false moral equivalencies. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) criticized the ICC’s indictments, while President Biden and other Democratic leaders called them “outrageous.”

Amid this controversy, some Democrats rejected Netanyahu’s accusations of antisemitism against the ICC, distinguishing between criticism of Israeli policy and broader prejudice. The debate has surfaced in internal Democratic discussions as they examine recent electoral setbacks, with some arguing that the party’s failure to more vocally defend Palestinian civilians hurt their prospects.

As the next Congress approaches, with Republicans controlling both houses and President-elect Trump in the White House, Democratic divisions over Israel will likely be exploited in legislative battles. Progressive leaders like Rep. Pramila Jayapal are pushing for adherence to laws that restrict US aid to countries violating human rights and argue that if another country behaved like Israel, the US would support international legal actions. This tension underscores the broader challenges facing Democratic leadership in navigating the complex Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

IRGC chief urges Muslim nations to sever ties with Israel

The commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps highlighted the offenses perpetrated by the Zionist regime in the region and urged Muslim nations to cut ties with Israel.

During a gathering of Basij members in Ahvaz City on Friday, Major General Hossein Salami urged Islamic nations to unite against this occupying regime and to obstruct any support until it is entirely dismantled. 

Salami warned that destruction looms over Israel, noting that the Zionist regime is experiencing a political crisis and profound isolation, which he described as a form of political death.

The IRGC chief asserted that Israel stands isolated within the international community and predicted the imminent downfall of this regime.

Salami emphasized, “The unity of Muslims will lead to the downfall of this corrupt regime, igniting the spirit of Islamic resistance and heralding further victories for the resistance coalition. Consequently, Muslim nations must sever their ties with this illegal regime.”

The IRGC official also pledged a decisive response to Israel’s October attack against Iran. “Israel's significant transgression of violating Iran's red line by launching an attack on our territory will not go unaddressed.”

Israeli warplanes fired missiles at Iranian military installations from Iraqi airspace on October 26th, martyring four Army military personnel and one civilian. 
The assault came in response to Iran’s Operation True Promise II, which struck multiple Israeli military bases inside the occupied territories on October 1 in retaliation for the regime’s assassination of several top Resistance figures.  Iran’s first direct attack against Israel happened in April. 

Iranian officials have said that the upcoming operation would be harsher than the first two. 

 

 

Pakistan: Parachi­nar killing big question mark

The death toll from Thursday’s attack on passenger vehicles in Khyber Pakhtun­khwa’s Kurram district area has surpassed 40. The district is located near Afghanistan border and has a history of sectarian violence.

The convoy of around 200 vehicles, carrying Shia passengers between Peshawar and Parachi­nar, came under heavy gunfire in the densely populated Bagan town.

The convoy was escorted by police when it came under attack. The incident has attracted condemnation and law enforcement agencies are being criticized for the negligence.

Thursday’s ambush is the latest in a series of sectarian clashes between Sunni and Shia tribes in Kurram. Previous clashes in July and September claimed dozens of lives.

The frequency of such incidents confirms the failure of the federal and provincial governments to protect the ordinary citizens.

Authorities have imposed curfew and suspended mobile service. Businesses, educational institutions and markets were closed.

ICC decision: Any difference for Palestinians?

In an unprecedented move, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued a decision that has sent shockwaves through the international community. The court's announcement, delivered on November 22, has sparked widespread discussion and debate about its implications and potential consequences. Does this really mean anything to the Palestinians? The answer is yes as well as no.

On one hand, further intensified pressure on Israel to end its war crimes in Gaza can be anticipated. This could yield short-term gains for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, including increased humanitarian aid to the Strip and even, from a very skeptical standpoint, a quicker end to the aggression than Israeli authorities have projected. In other words, in an ever-tightening world for the Israeli officials against the background of ICC’s warrant, continuing war on Gaza is a gamble with catastrophic international consequences for the government.

On the other hand, from a more realistic perspective, ICC’s arrest warrant for the two top Israeli figures is merely the beginning of a “Plan B” for Israel. This strategy, employed since the war’s outset alongside the initially stated objectives, aims to enable Israel to withstand an internal collapse.

Plan B, is not a twist in the story of Israel’s plot to expand territory and remove adversaries, but the predesigned next stage should the plan to achieve those objectives fail, the political life of an individual in exchange for the life of an entire, albeit unlawful, state.

In simple words, Netanyahu’s government was greenlighted to “do whatever it takes” to fulfill the purpose of this war since its outset and was warned that he would end up politically dead if the goals were not met. As the prospect of defeat looms, implementation of the “Hannibal Directive” has been initiated at the political level.

Since the start of the recent war on Gaza, which later expanded to Lebanon, this strategy has been the elephant in the room no one was willing to discuss publicly.

Many prominent political and public figures worldwide have relentlessly tried to reduce this war to include only “certain Israeli individuals” rather than the “Israel Project”, in part manifested in an illegitimate occupational state.

They keep accusing Benjamin Netanyahu, along with a handful of other political figures – mostly the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir as well as Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich – of fanning the flames of the war, committing genocide and other atrocities in Gaza and elsewhere, and other acts of political and military violence “that endanger the lives of Israelis” as if they were elected by non-Israelis.

That said, through employing the political Hannibal Directive, the continuation of the “Project Israel” is ensured, by assuring the global public opinion that the individuals responsible for the century’s most horrific crime against humanity have been removed from power.

Therefore, there are two versions – the day after the war with Netanyahu’s government, and the one without it. And the difference lies in the scope of the achievements. Therefore, it is safe to say that ICC’s recent move does not serve the interests of the Palestinians in the long run.

In fact, it makes next to no difference for Palestinians who are in the driver's seat of the Israeli government. Palestinians have endured life under the dominance of all Israeli political factions and classes with little to no practical distinction.

The only way to stop the aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing in Palestine, is to stop the occupation of the country. Political views may differ from one Israeli party to another, but their weapons are the same.

Courtesy: Tehran Times

 

 

Iran-China railway link via Afghanistan

The head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways (RAI), in a meeting with the head of Afghanistan Railway, said the country is eyeing to connect its railway network to China via Afghanistan.

“Due to the proximity of Iran, Afghanistan, and China, this route (Iran-Afghanistan-China) is the only route that can shorten the transit route and reduce the costs, therefore completing the Herat rail route based on the schedule is very important,” Jabar-Ali Zakeri said in the meeting with Mohammad Ishaq Sahibzadeh.

In this meeting, Zakari stated that Iran is determined to support the development of Afghanistan's railways, noting that the existence of a railway line in the northwest of Afghanistan and the proximity to the common border with Iran is a great opportunity for transit between the two countries.

Referring to the training courses held for Afghan railway employees in the past years, the RAI head emphasized, “According to Afghanistan's request, soon the third training course for Afghan railway employees will be held.”

According to Zakeri, many of the problems faced by the Iran-Afghanistan Railway Consortium have been resolved and, currently, three trains a week are running on the designated route between the two countries.

Further in this meeting, Sahibzadeh also pointed to the growing cooperation between the railways of Iran and Afghanistan, while appreciating the training programs for 96 employees of Afghanistan Railways by Iran Railways.

“Due to the successful holding of the first and second courses, we are now waiting for the third course,” he said.

Sahibzadeh stated that the Khaf-Herat railway project depicts the friendship between the two countries, adding, “We hope that with cooperation, we will see an increase in transit, and as a result, the growth and promotion of trade between the two countries.”