The Washington Post - 10 01 2020

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House passes war
powers resolution
to curtail Trump
DEmOcRatS SEEK tO Limit actiON ON iRaN
Two Republicans support similar Senate measure
BY KAROUN DEMIRJIAN tion. eight Democrats opposed
the measure, which instructs
The House voted Thursday to Trump “to terminate the use of
prevent President Trump from United states Armed Forces to
taking additional military action engage in hostilities in or against
against Iran, an opening move in Iran or any part of its government
a Democratic-led campaign to or military” unless Congress de-
reassert congressional authority clares war or there is “an immi-
over the use of force abroad. nent armed attack upon the Unit-
The 224-to-194 vote, which ed states.”
came a day after the administra- The administration, with the
tion’s senior national security of- help of most Republicans, has
ficials briefed lawmakers about argued forcefully against the ef-
the strike that killed a top Iranian fort, asserting that Trump, as
commander, fell largely along commander in chief, had undis-
party lines, with three Republi- puted legal justification to kill
cans and a Republican-turned-in- Qasem soleimani in Baghdad
dependent endorsing the resolu- see wAr powers on A6
efrem luKAtsKy/AssocIAted Press
mourners stand thursday near a memorial at boryspil International Airport outside Kyiv for the 176 people killed on ukraine Tensions flare as Congress
International Airlines Flight 752. eleven ukrainians, including all nine crew members, died when the jet crashed wednesday in tehran.
chafes at its back-seat role
Western o∞cials: Iran shot down airliner
BY SEUNG MIN KIM “Like everyone else in Ameri-
ca, I’m worried about the separa-
The Trump administration’s tion of powers. This is like a
BY ISABELLE KHURSHUDYAN, “unintentional” act. also known as a Tor system. effort to minimize dissent and bedrock thing. I could not have
MISSY RYAN, They say intelligence In Washington, U.s. officials The U.s. officials, speaking on hold back information about the been more upset about that if
DAN LAMOTHE expressed “high confidence” that the condition of anonymity to president’s actions toward Iran they were insulting a member of
AND PAUL SONNE points to erroneous strike; the Boeing 737-800, bound for the discuss intelligence matters, of- has deepened tensions over the my family,” sen. Mike Lee (R-
Tehran dismisses claim Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, was fered no other details on the cir- role of Congress in a military Utah) said Thursday a day after
MOSCOW —
Western leaders targeted by air-defense systems cumstances that led to the possi- conflict. he angrily criticized top Trump
sketched out Thursday what they as Iranian forces were on high ble missile firing Wednesday, Concerns about the lack of administration officials follow-
say was the fate of Ukraine Inter- alert. President Trump said the which came about four hours af- specifics shared with lawmakers ing a briefing he characterized as
national Airlines Flight 752 — dismissals from Iran and suggest- downing of the aircraft was prob- ter Iran launched ballistic mis- continued to flare Thursday after see tensIon on A7
apparently downed by an Iranian ed deepening divides over the ably a “mistake.” siles into Iraq against U.s. targets a contentious classified briefing
missile, possibly fired by mistake, unfolding investigation of Trudeau’s comments — as his in retaliation for the killing of by President Trump’s national Iran’s retaliation: A general says
as the plane with 176 people Wednesday’s crash, which killed nation mourned 63 Canadians on Iranian military commander security team the day before, missiles were not aimed to kill. A5
aboard climbed above Tehran’s all aboard. the flight and dozens of others Qasem soleimani. leading some GoP lawmakers to
outskirts. In ottawa, Canadian Prime with links to the country — came Iran has repeatedly rejected join Democrats in warning that A favorite weapon: trump wields
The assessments — based on Minister Justin Trudeau said in- after U.s. officials said the plane theories of a missile strike. A the administration is failing to sanctions against friends, foes. A9
intelligence reports from the telligence analyses indicated that was apparently hit by an sA-15 military spokesman on Wednes- recognize the constitutional role
United states, Canada and else- a surface-to-air missile hit the surface-to-air missile, part of a day called it “ridiculous.” Iran’s Congress plays in decisions re- trump in toledo: supporters offer
where — were met with quick plane in what could have been an Russian-made air defense system see plAne on A15 garding the use of military force. firm backing for Iran strategy. A9
Justice Dept. to wrap up cAmpAIgn 2020 Trump move
Warren courts vanquished rivals
to accelerate
Clinton-related inquiry
work could
Charm offensive includes folding in fellow Democrats’ policy proposals
um one.
harm climate
Probe of FBI’s handling As a part of his review, Huber
examined documents and con- BY ANNIE LINSKEY
of charity, Uranium One ferred with federal law enforce- AND AMY B WANG
looks to come up empty ment officials in Little Rock who BY JULIET EILPERIN
were handling a meandering elizabeth Warren had just fin- AND BRADY DENNIS
probe into the Clinton Founda- ished hiking in Washington’s
tion, people familiar with the mat- north Cascades mountains in President Trump on Thursday
BY DEVLIN BARRETT ter said. Current and former offi- August when she dropped in for proposed fundamental changes
AND MATT ZAPOTOSKY cials said that Huber has largely lunch with the state’s Democratic to 50-year-old regulations in an
finished and found nothing worth governor, Jay Inslee, who had effort to speed up new mines,
A Justice Department inquiry pursuing — though the assign- recently left the presidential race pipelines and hundreds of other
launched more than two years ago ment has not formally ended and and whose endorsement she was projects around the country, in-
to mollify conservatives clamor- no official notice has been sent to seeking. cluding some that could harm the
ing for more investigations of Hil- the Justice Department or to law- After sen. Kirsten Gillibrand environment and accelerate cli-
lary Clinton has effectively ended makers, these people said. of new York dropped out in late mate change. The move also could
with no tangible results, and cur- The effective conclusion of his August, Warren talked to her prevent communities from hav-
rent and former law enforcement investigation, with no criminal about family leave issues over ing much say about what gets
officials said they never expected charges or other known impacts, tea. When sen. Kamala D. Harris built in their backyards.
the effort to produce much of any- is likely to roil some in the GoP of California ended her White Flanked by members of his
thing. who had hoped the prosecutor House bid in December, Warren Cabinet and labor leaders, as well
John Huber, the U.s. attorney in would vindicate their long-held was one of the first to call. And cArlo AllegrI/reuters as construction industry repre-
Utah, was tapped in november suspicions about a political rival. Warren became so close with Ju- sen. elizabeth warren (D-mass.) greets Julián Castro, a onetime sentatives in hard hats, Trump
2017 by then-Attorney General Jeff Trump, though, has largely shifted lián Castro that they chatted over Democratic presidential hopeful, at a campaign event tuesday in told reporters at the White House
sessions to look into concerns his focus to a different federal the holidays about a possible en- brooklyn. Castro backed warren after dropping out. that his proposal will allow high-
raised by President Trump and his prosecutor tapped to do a sepa- dorsement even before he offi- ways to be built in “a small frac-
allies in Congress that the FBI had rate, special investigation: U.s. at- cially bowed out of the race. fractured party whose dueling A raucous event Tuesday in tion of the time.”
not fully pursued cases of possible torney in Connecticut John Dur- Warren’s courtship of her one- wings are often represented by Brooklyn showed how Warren’s “We will not stop until our
corruption at the Clinton Founda- ham, whom Attorney General Wil- time rivals is more than just flat- two of her top rivals, sen. Bernie efforts can pay off. Castro, who nation’s gleaming new infrastruc-
tion and during Clinton’s time as liam P. Barr assigned last year to tery. It’s a quiet part of a strategy sanders (I-Vt.), a democratic so- endorsed her within days of ture has made America the envy
secretary of state, when the U.s. explore the origins of the FBI’s that’s becoming more urgent: to cialist, and former vice president dropping out of the race, told the of the world again,” Trump said.
government decided not to block 2016 probe into possible coordina- craft an image as a consensus Joe Biden, an establishment fix- crowd what the senator from “It used to be the envy of the
the sale of a company called Urani- see Huber on A4 candidate, one who can unite a ture. see wArren on A16 see enVIronment on A2
In the News Inside
tHe economY Confederate Gen. Rob-
Amid calls for signifi- ert E. Lee in Richmond
cant new limits on polit- offend many people. B1
tHe nAtIon tHe world ical advertising, Face- thomas V. mike Miller
weeKend
trump officials are go- officials and activists book will roll out minor Jr., Maryland’s first-ever drink your veggies
ing to Arizona to an- in Taiwan say Beijing is changes aimed at giving Senate president emeri-
green smoothies are a
nounce that 100 miles of actively using fake news users more control over tus, has stepped back
tasty and healthy way to
new barriers along the and disinformation the ads they see. A14 from power but remains
start 2020. five places in
U.S.-Mexico border campaigns to interfere Internal boeing files at center stage. B3
the d.c. area to get one.
have been completed. A3 in the island’s demo- show workers discuss- D.C. mayor Muriel E.
sponsors of a recently cratic process. A10 ing efforts to manipu- Bowser urged Virginia StYle
enacted law said a pope Francis listed the late regulators scrutiniz- lawmakers to pass gun ta-ta, tabloids
“drafting error” would world’s crises, from the ing the 737 Max. A16 measures to help curb Vicious media coverage
exclude many federal obscure to the existen- violence in the nation’s seems to be a big part of
workers from being eli- tial, saying 2020 is off to tHe regIon capital. B4 why meghan and Harry
gible for paid parental a rough start. A12 prince George’s Coun-
dAVId mArIuz/ePA-efe/sHutterstocK are stepping back. c1
leave. A4 Chinese researchers ty Executive Angela obItuArIeS
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mammals, birds and reptiles may have been reeling from another ous pneumonia out- fundraising ban unique created “Get Smart,”
natural disaster as Dem- break have discovered a to politicians in the was an Oscar-nominat- buSIneSS newS.......................A13 CONTENT © 2020
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A2 eZ re THE WASHINGTON POST .FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020
Trump moves to limit environmental scrutiny of projects
enVIronment from A1 The changes would mean that “Today’s proposal will involve
communities would have less changes to the way the law is
world, and now we’re like a third- control over some projects built in implemented, and it will be up to
world country. It’s really sad.” their neighborhoods. Environ- the federal courts to decide
Interior Secretary David Bern- mental groups, tribal activists whether those changes are faith-
hardt said the president was mak- and others have used the law to ful to the law,” Huber said.
ing the most significant regulato- delay or block a slew of infrastruc- The proposed changes would
ry rollback of his term. “Let me ture, mining, logging and drilling redefine what constitutes a “ma-
tell you, this is a really, really big projects since it was signed by jor federal action” to exclude pri-
proposal,” Bernhardt said, turn- President richard m. Nixon in vately financed projects that have
ing to Trump. “The proposal af- 1970. minimal government funding or
fects virtually every significant The White House proposal will involvement.
decision by the federal govern- almost certainly face legal chal- That interpretation of the law
ment that affects the environ- lenges. could make it much easier to
ment.” Notre Dame Law School Pro- build some pipelines, which have
The proposed rules would fessor Bruce Huber said in an become controversial as activists
narrow the scope of the National email that because the regula- have sought to block projects that
Environmental Policy Act tions do not alter the underlying extract, transport or burn fossil
(NEPA), which requires federal law, agencies are still required to fuels linked to climate change.
agencies to assess the impact of a report the environmental im- federal environmental reviews
major project before a spade of pacts of actions they take that of the Keystone XL and Dakota
dirt is turned and to include the significantly affect “the quality of Access pipelines dragged on for
public in the process. the human environment.” years during the obama adminis-
tration, but Trump has pushed to
accelerate the pipelines’ construc-
tion since taking office.
other aspects of the proposal
HAPPenIng todAy
would set deadlines and page lim-
its for environmental reviews so
for the latest updates all day, visit washingtonpost.com.
that, with rare exceptions, agen- JabIn botsford/tHe WasHIngton Post
cies would have to finish their Interior Secretary David Bernhardt called President trump’s proposal “ really, really big.” It “affects
All day | the supreme Court meets for a conference, and justices will most exhaustive reviews within virtually every significant decision by the federal government that affects the environment,” he said.
hear arguments on monday. for developments, visit washingtonpost.com/ two years. Currently, environ-
politics. mental impact statements for ma- The reality is that the needless red give better information in ad- as required by law. “I approved it;
jor projects can take three times tape has, over time, lowered the vance to decision-makers and the it’s ready to start.”
8:30 a.m. | Air Force Maj. gen. John shaw, combined force space that long to complete and can expectations of American excep- public. It appears that these on Thursday, a coalition of
component commander of the U.s. space command, speaks at a mitchell span hundreds of pages. tionalism and excellence. And changes are an effort to under- business and labor groups
Institute for aerospace studies event. Visit washingtonpost.com/national The proposal states that groups that is backwards.” mine both of those purposes of launched a new lobbying effort
for details. that fail to weigh in during the Jay Timmons, president and the statute,” Caputo said. “It aimed at backing the proposed
public comment period would chief executive of the National would basically make the federal overhaul.
8:30 a.m. | the Labor department releases its employment situation
forfeit any right to raise objec- Association of manufacturers, government become an ostrich, “We’re fully supportive and we
outlook for december, which is expected to come in with a 160,000
tions later in litigation. said his group had called for “ex- sticking its head in the ground look forward to the opportunities
estimate for non-farm payrolls, down from 266,000 in november. for
It would also limit the analysis actly” the changes proposed by rather than thinking about the to have thousands, hundreds of
developments, visit washingtonpost.com/business.
of a project’s full climate impact. the White House because his environmental impact of its ac- thousands, millions of people go
7 p.m. | the Washington Wizards host the atlanta Hawks at capital one “Effects should not be considered tions.” to work in the construction indus-
significant if they are remote in Although the 1970 law is not try once these reforms are fully in
arena. follow the game at postsports.com.
time, geographically remote, or “The Trump well known outside certain legal place,” said Sean mcGarvey, presi-
the product of a lengthy causal and policy circles, NEPA compels dent of the North America’s Build-
chain,” the proposal says. administration is doing agencies to analyze thousands of ing Trades Unions.
KLMNO Under that reasoning, accord- projects across the country each But Hilton Kelley, an activist in
CorreCtIons
ing to experts, policymakers vet- a serious injustice to year. These can range from a min- Port Arthur, Tex., who has spent
ting a proposed coal mine or oil- ing company applying for a per- decades combating pollution
neWsPAPer deLIVery
l A Jan. 5 Travel article about drilling operation would not have people living in mit to drain a wetland to an from the petrochemical industry
for home delivery comments
lesser-known alternatives to big to consider whether burning energy company seeking federal in his community, said weakening
or concerns contact us at
washingtonpost.com/subscriberservices or annual events incorrectly said those fossil fuels later on will industrial approval to conduct seismic test- the law would have serious real-
send us an email at that the New orleans Jazz and contribute to climate change. fed- ing offshore or to lay down ice world consequences.
[email protected] or call Heritage festival takes place in eral judges have ruled multiple communities.” roads to hunt for oil. “The Trump administration is
202-334-6100 or 800-477-4679 the french Quarter. It takes times that the government needs According to the White House, doing a serious injustice to people
place in mid-City. to account for both the construc- Hilton Kelley, an environmental each year agencies weighing proj- living in industrial communities,”
to sUBsCrIBe
800-753-Post (7678) tion of those operations and the activist in Port arthur, tex. ects prepare approximately 170 Kelley said in an interview of the
l A photo caption with a emissions that later result. environmental impact statements effort to scale back the bedrock
to AdVertIse Snapshot article about Bernhardt told reporters — detailed documents that can environmental policy. “It’s a mat-
washingtonpost.com/mediakit Colombia in the Jan. 5 Travel Thursday that the changes would members’ efforts “should be used run as long as 600 pages each — ter of life and death.”
classified: 202-334-6200
section incorrectly described a maintain the core aims of NEPA, for building the infrastructure and 10,000 environmental assess- Kelley said the law has long
display: 202-334-7642
structure in Cartagena as a while ending unnecessary delays Americans desperately need, not ments, which are less extensive. given residents near industrial
MAIn PHone nUMBer historic church in Plaza San for a broad range of infrastruc- wasted on mountains of paper- Trump has repeatedly railed facilities, pipelines and other
202-334-6000
Pedro Claver. The structure is the ture projects. work and endless delays.” against federal judges who have projects the right to have a say in
to reACH tHe neWsrooM Clock Tower gate, which sits “The consequences of the gov- Drew Caputo, vice president of delayed projects on the grounds what is built near their homes. He
metro: 202-334-7300; between Plaza de Independencia ernment being stuck in place are litigation for lands, wildlife and that officials have not conducted a said he fears the changes will take
[email protected] and Plaza de los Coches. far-ranging,” Bernhardt said, cit- oceans for the environmental thorough enough review under away that important tool and tip
national: 202-334-7410; ing the drawn-out process for ap- firm Earthjustice, said in an inter- NEPA. the scales in favor of corporations.
[email protected] proving new schools on Native view that the administration’s “I think it’s a disgrace,” he said “They don’t want due process,”
business: 202-334-7320; American reservations, upgrad- changes could be legally vulnera- after a federal judge blocked the he said of the administration. “We
[email protected] ing visitor centers at national ble because they would remove so Keystone XL pipeline in the fall of understand what we are dealing
sports: 202-334-7350; parks and giving ranchers ap- many projects from federal re- 2018, faulting the federal govern- with here.”
[email protected] proval for grazing on public lands. view. ment for failing to complete a [email protected]
the Washington Post is committed to
reader advocate: 202-334-7582; “The list goes on and on and on. “The whole idea of the law is to thorough environmental analysis [email protected]
correcting errors that appear in the
[email protected]
newspaper. those interested in
to reACH tHe oPInIon PAges contacting the paper for that purpose
Letters to the editor: can:
[email protected] or call email: [email protected]. dIgest
202-334-6215 Call: 202-334-6000, and ask to be
opinion: connected to the desk involved —
[email protected] national, foreign, metro, style, sports, neW yorK a magazine called “Jihad
Published daily (Issn 0190-8286). business or any of the weekly sections. Hate charges for man recollections.”
Postmaster: send address changes to comments can be directed to the The other woman charged in
the Washington Post, 1301 K st. nW, Washington, Post’s reader advocate, who can be in Hanukkah attack the case, Noelle Velentzas, also
d.c. 20071. reached at 202-334-7582 or
Periodicals postage paid in Washington, d.c., and of Queens, is scheduled to be
[email protected].
additional mailing office. A federal grand jury handed sentenced march 5.
up hate crime charges Thursday Siddiqui and Velentzas
INSULATION SALE against the man accused of discussed several prior terrorist
stabbing five people with a attacks with a counterterrorism
machete during a Hanukkah officer posing as a convert to
celebration north of New York Islam. The undercover agent
City. had been assigned to mingle
Keep The Heat! Being Cold Gets Old!
The indictment charges with young muslims around the
Grafton Thomas with five city and made recordings of the
Cold House? High Heating Bills? counts each of attempting to kill women discussing their plans.
victims based on their religion — Associated Press
Winter is here!
and obstructing the free
Installing Multilayer Foil Attic Insulation, Blown Insulation and exercise of religious beliefs by Epstein suicide-bid
attempting to kill with a
Air Sealing Can Have an Immediate Impact on Your Energy Bill!
dangerous weapon. JIm Watson/agence france-Presse/getty Images video lost, court told
Monthly payments Thomas, 37, also faces state Demonstrators dressed in Guantánamo Bay prisoner uniforms
charges in the Dec. 28 attack march past Capitol Hill on Thursday at the “No War with Iran” rally. Video footage of the area
as low as $59! inside the home of a rabbi in The event was one of hundreds of coordinated protests in several around Jeffrey Epstein’s jail cell
monsey, N.Y. He is being held cities, in reaction to conflict between Iran and the United States. on a day he survived an
with approved credit.
Minimum purchases without bail on the federal apparent suicide attempt “no
of $4,000. charges. longer exists,” federal
Offer expires
1-31-20 Thomas’s defense attorney, prosecutors told a judge
michael Sussman, has said journals containing anti-Semitic the machete attack remains in Thursday.
Thomas had a long history of references and recently used his serious condition. His family officials at the metropolitan
mental illness. He has requested phone to look up information has said he may have permanent Correctional Center in New York
that Thomas undergo a on Adolf Hitler and the location brain damage. said they thought t hey had
psychiatric evaluation. of synagogues. — Associated Press preserved footage of guards
Authorities have said they The Hanukkah stabbings finding Jeffrey Epstein after he
found a bloodstained 18-inch came amid a wave of anti- Woman sentenced to appeared to have attempted
machete in Thomas’s car, along Semitic attacks targeting suicide on July 23, but actually
with a knife smeared with dried orthodox Jewish communities 15 years in terror plot saved a video from a different
blood and hair. They also said in and around New York. part of the jail, prosecutors said.
Thomas had handwritten one of the men wounded in A federal judge sentenced a The fBI also has determined
New York woman to 15 years in that the footage does not exist
federal prison for studying how on the jail’s backup video
to make bombs for a terrorist system “as a result of technical
attack that prosecutors said errors,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys
WE BUY
FREE would have targeted law maurene Comey and Jason
enforcement in the United Swergold wrote in a court filing.
States. The revelation came despite
ALL BOOKS
Asia Siddiqui, 35, of Queens, assurances prosecutors made
a $300 value admitted in federal court in that jail officials were
Brooklyn that she and another preserving the footage at the
12-point Home Energy
woman looked online for request of a defense attorney for
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Prosecutors asked that Epstein later hanged himself
Frederick GAITHERSBURG Hagerstown
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an article that were published in — Associated Press
FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ re A3
Politics & the Nation
Trump o∞cials to announce completion of 100 miles of new border fencing
BY NICK MIROFF Border officials: Migrant seizures
Trump administration officials plateau following 7-month drop
plan to announce Friday that they
have completed 100 miles of new
barriers along the border with BY ABIGAIL HAUSLOHNER interceptions nationwide up
Mexico, but their benchmark un- 28 percent from this time last
derscores how far construction The number of migrants taken year. There has been a particular
crews still have to go to fulfill the into custody along the U.S.-Mexi- jump in fentanyl seizures, which
president’s pledge to finish co border has started to plateau have risen 80 percent.
450 miles by the end of 2020. after several straight months of The Trump administration has
Chad Wolf, the acting secretary decline, according to border en- attributed the lower number of
of the Department of Homeland forcement statistics released border crossers to several initia-
Security, is traveling to Yuma, Thursday by U.S. Customs and tives that have made it more
Ariz., to make the announcement, Border Protection. difficult for individuals and fami-
according to DHS officials. Senior The number of people appre- lies to seek asylum in the United
border officials and U.S. Sen. Mar- hended or deemed “inadmissi- States. Those have included a
tha McSally (R-Ariz.), who is fac- ble” by U.S. border authorities tightening of asylum qualifica-
ing a tough reelection bid and has along the southern border fell to tions and pilot programs that
been trailing in polls, are expected 40,620 last month, down 72 per- have expedited deportations or
to join Wolf there. cent from May, when the Trump forced tens of thousands of other
Trump’s border wall project is a administration declared it was at asylum seekers to wait in Mexico
central theme of his campaign for the height of a border crisis. while their asylum claims are
a second term, and the ambitious December marked the seventh adjudicated in U.S. immigration
construction targets have put con- straight month of decline in courts.
siderable pressure on Homeland border crossings, but the month- “This seven month decline is a
Security officials and the U.S. Army to-month differences have direct result of President Trump’s
Corps of Engineers, which over- shrunk significantly since Sep- network of policy initiatives and
sees the contractors building the tember. Border enforcement ac- our ability to effectively enforce
structure. tions last month were roughly on the law, enhance our border secu-
The administration’s push to par with December 2017. rity posture and properly care for
quickly erect border fencing ahead Although border crossings are those in custody,” CBP acting
of the November election received CAITlIn o’HArA for THe WAsHIngTon PosT leveling off, CBP said drug sei- commissioner Mark Morgan said
a boost this week when a federal The Trump administration has pledged to finish 450 miles of new border barriers by the end of 2020. zures along the border have con- in a statement Thursday.
appeals court in New Orleans lift- tinued to rise, with overall drug [email protected]
ed a lower court injunction that court’s ruling in a statement and Border Protection, told report- ing complexities of building a lin-
had frozen $3.6 billion the White Thursday, saying it “lifted an ille- ers last month that Trump’s goal ear structure along a sinuous river
House diverted for the project gitimate nationwide injunction” posts probably are out of range. and flood delta, the government
from military construction funds. and “in doing so has allowed vital “Our goal at the end of 2020 was needs to acquire private land from place smaller barriers that were same funding level Democrats
A district judge in El Paso ruled border wall construction to move 450 miles,” Morgan said. “It’s hard hundreds of property owners by designed to stop vehicles. Nearly agreed to last year but far less than
last month that the administration forward using military construc- right now to be able to say whether making aggressive use of its con- all of the 100 miles of new fencing the $5 billion the White House was
did not have the authority to spend tion funds.” we’re still going to be able to meet demnation authority. completed thus far is labeled “re- seeking.
money allocated by Congress for a “This is a victory for the rule of that goal, but I’m confident that Because the pace of construc- placement barrier” by CBP, but the Kushner and other administra-
different purpose. But the appeals law,” the statement said. “We are we’re going to be close.” tion has lagged in Texas, the ad- White House has asked the agency tion officials have discussed the
court ruled the administration can committed to keeping our borders Trump has designated Jared ministration has accelerated its to stop using that term because it possibility of diverting billions of
use the money — equal to about secure, and we will finish the wall.” Kushner, his son-in-law and se- efforts in western states, where sounds like less of an accomplish- dollars from military budgets
one third of the $11 billion the In recent weeks, Homeland Se- nior adviser, to oversee the proj- most of the land along the border ment. again this year, and the ruling by
administration has obtained so far curity officials have appeared to ect, with a particular focus on the is already under federal control. The 2020 budget approved by the appeals court opens a path for
for the border wall — while legal hedge against Trump’s construc- vexing challenges of building new In those areas, crews are install- Congress last month included an the White House to take that
challenges proceed. tion targets. Mark Morgan, the act- barriers along the Rio Grande in ing tall steel bollard fencing, roads additional $1.4 billion for border course.
The White House celebrated the ing commissioner of U.S. Customs Texas. In addition to the engineer- and surveillance technology to re- barrier construction. That is the [email protected]
Facing dissent in her ranks, Pelosi pledges to send impeachment articles ‘soon’
BY MIKE DEBONIS “I’m not holding them indefi- able for the speaker to try to asked. “They get to start it if they week without a resolution to the being deliberate, not rushing it, is
AND RACHAEL BADE nitely,” she added. “I’ll send them leverage that to try to get a better choose, but they do not get to standoff, Schumer repeated a absolutely the right thing to do.
over when I’m ready. And that will deal,” Smith said on CNN. “At this declare that it can never be fin- mantra of “witnesses and docu- And I think each day verifies the
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, probably be soon.” point it doesn’t look like that’s ished. They do not get to trap our ments” as he pressed for conces- wisdom.”
under increasing pressure from Pelosi spoke as Congress enters going to happen.” entire country into an unending sions from Republicans. Trump on Thursday appeared
her own party to transmit articles the fourth week of an impeach- Shortly before Pelosi addressed ‘Groundhog Day’ of impeachment “That has been Speaker Pelosi’s to dash some Democrats’ hopes
of impeachment against Presi- ment stalemate that began Dec. reporters, Smith walked his com- without resolution.” focus from the very beginning; that Bolton could soon appear at a
dent Trump, promised Thursday 18, when the House impeached ments back in a tweet, saying he Republican aides said divisions that has been my focus from the Senate trial, saying he would ob-
to deliver the charges to the Sen- Trump. Under the Constitution, “misspoke.” inside the Democratic ranks have very beginning: getting a fair trial ject to any effort to allow him to
ate “soon,” while moving to keep the Senate is now charged with “I completely support the only emboldened McConnell, that considers the facts and only testify about his presidential con-
splintering Democrats in line. holding a trial on his removal, but speaker’s effort,” he told reporters who has vowed to start the trial the facts,” he said. versations.
At her weekly news conference, Pelosi has not taken the separate later in the day. “She knows a heck without any deal to hear from But some Democrats have “We have to protect presiden-
Pelosi (D-Calif.) refused to detail step of naming managers and of a lot more than I do.” witnesses or obtain new docu- started openly questioning tial privilege,” he said. “When we
her timeline for picking impeach- sending the articles across the Other prominent members of ments that the Trump adminis- whether impeachment was still start allowing national security
ment trial managers and deliver- Capitol. the Democratic caucus who earli- tration repeatedly has refused to the focus of the country, especially advisers to just go up and say
ing charges alleging Trump Many senators expected er in the week had suggested it provide. in light of this month’s military whatever they want to say, we
abused his power and obstructed Trump’s trial to begin shortly. Mc- was time for the trial to get under- McConnell has also declined to exchange with Iran that included can’t do that.”
Congress. According to senior Connell predicted during a pri- way appeared to defend Pelosi on release the resolution that the the targeted killing of its most Rep. Jim Costa (Calif.), a mod-
Democratic lawmakers and aides, vate lunch Thursday that Pelosi Thursday. Sen. Angus King (I- Senate will vote on detailing the powerful military commander, erate Democrat, said his col-
she has kept even her closest allies could send the articles of im- Maine) said in a brief interview procedures for the trial, as Pelosi Qasem Soleimani. leagues trusted Pelosi but their
in the dark on her thinking, caus- peachment as soon as Friday — that he understood what Pelosi is has demanded. “After Soleimani, you don’t patience would not be infinite.
ing concern to spread inside her and told his colleagues to be ready doing in fighting for witnesses. “The wall has crumbled be- hear impeachment anymore. So “There’s just a whole lot of
ranks. The lawmakers and aides for a trial to begin as soon as next Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) neath her,” taunted the No. 3 Sen- that is not an issue that is on the reasons why it has to be sooner
spoke on the condition of ano- week. said her earlier comments had ate Republican, John Barrasso (R- forefront right now,” said Rep. than later,” he said. “You’ve got the
nymity to be frank. But Democratic aides said Pelo- been misunderstood and that she Wyo.). Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Md.), Senate Democrats who obviously
But Pelosi stood her ground, si will follow her own gut on the supported Pelosi’s strategy. said Pelosi “has zero leverage” and a former ranking Democrat on the understand their own timeline
bristling at the repeated ques- decision, and while some Demo- “She’s going to send it over “is trying to make the most out of House Intelligence Committee. and their circumstances that we
tions about when she plans to crats began questioning her strat- when she’s ready to send it over,” a very bad situation of her own Pelosi’s defenders praised her have to be mindful of — the fact
relent and arguing that Senate egy this week — such as moderate Feinstein said. creation.” move to hold the articles, arguing that you’ve got the presidential
Majority Leader Mitch McCon- Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah), Republicans, meanwhile, ap- Democrats on both sides of the that new revelations unearthed elections that are moving for-
nell (R-Ky.) has yet to provide who said Thursday the time had peared to revel in Pelosi’s predica- Capitol privately expressed con- during the holiday break vindicat- ward. . . . I just think there’s a shelf
sufficient detail on the trial pro- come to send the articles — there ment, repeatedly quoting those cern about Pelosi’s delay and the ed the tactic. Among the recent life to this.”
cess — leaving unaddressed the are also clear signs she largely Democrats who had broken with repercussions for swing-district developments: Former national A trial would keep the Demo-
criticism that has emerged among remained in control. her. McConnell, for his part, de- lawmakers such as McAdams as security adviser John Bolton sud- cratic senators running for the
Democrats. In one remarkable turnabout, a rided Pelosi’s “irresponsible Republicans blanket TV networks denly agreed Monday to testify if presidential nomination in Wash-
“You keep asking me the same senior House Democrat — Armed games” in a floor speech Thursday and radio talk shows accusing subpoenaed by the Senate after ington, limiting any campaigning
question, I keep giving you the Services Committee Chairman and showed no sign of bowing to Democrats of playing politics refusing to cooperate with the in Iowa ahead of the Feb. 3 cau-
same answer: We need to see the Adam Smith of Washington — her wish for a detailed blueprint with impeachment. Pelosi, mean- House investigation. cuses.
arena to which we are sending our called on Pelosi to transmit the of the trial. while, appeared to remain in sync “The drip, drip, drip of infor- [email protected]
managers. Is that too much to articles in a televised interview “Should future House majori- with Senate Minority Leader mation is fascinating,” said Rep. [email protected]
ask?” she said, referring to the Thursday morning, only to re- ties feel empowered to waste our Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.). Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), who
House “managers” who will pros- verse course within hours. time with junior varsity political Speaking hours before the sen- led a push for the hold-the-arti-  find a video about the Democratic
ecute the case in the Senate. “I think it was perfectly advis- hostage situations?” McConnell ators left Washington for the cles strategy last month. “I think rationales at wapo.st/Impeachment.
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A4 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST .FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020
‘Drafting error’ means some federal workers excluded from family leave law
BY ERIC YODER Certain occupations and even a paid parental leave policy, but
some entire agencies fall under “into the future, when it’s not
The enactment in late Decem- other sections of the law. The mandated in law, would they
ber of a law allowing paid paren- largest is the quasi-corporate U.S. keep it in place? The weight of
tal leave for federal workers was Postal Service, with 600,000-plus law is much stronger.”
hailed as an important new bene- employees. They were not added for example, she said, an agen-
fit for 2.1 million executive to the 2.1 million figure — the cy might try to use the benefit as a
branch employees. standard head count for the exec- bargaining chip in future negoti-
But upon further review, as a utive branch, apart from the ations with a union.
football referee might say, the USPS — because it was clear that Two agencies that have imple-
number is lower. How much low- the USPS was excluded. mented paid leave policies are
er, and whether it will remain Almost immediately, though, the Securities and Exchange
lower, is still to be determined. sponsors realized that the lan- Commission and the federal De-
The new law turns into paid guage as written would not cover posit Insurance Corporation,
time off the up to 12 weeks of some others. both of which provide for six
annual unpaid parental leave Those include the federal Avi- weeks of paid parental leave,
currently available to federal em- ation Administration, which is following recent bargaining with
ployees, among many other under a separate section of the the National Treasury Employees
American workers, under the law called Title 49, and many Union (NTEU).
family and medical Leave Act. It medical personnel of the Depart- Those programs remain in
will apply to births, adoptions ment of Veterans Affairs, who are place until the new 12-week pro-
and foster placements on or after under a section called Title 38. gram takes effect in october. “At
oct. 1. The Transportation Security that point the larger government-
The House initially passed the Administration also operates wide program kicks in, although
benefit in July as part of a defense mainly outside of Title 5; the new NTEU retains the option of nego-
spending bill. After the Senate law specifically includes TSA tiating over any differences that
narrowly defeated it, House- screeners but not other TSA em- may exist between the two pro-
Senate conferees included it in a ployees. KEVIN D. LILES FOR THE WASHINGTON POST grams,” Tony reardon, the
compromise that involved creat- The fAA has about 44,000 Travelers pass through security at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The language union’s president, said in an
ing a new military Space force, as employees. Tens of thousands of a new paid parental leave law specifically includes TSA screeners but not other TSA employees. email.
President Trump sought. more would be left out of the new for other agencies, the delay in
Just days after that agreement, benefit at VA and the TSA. gress, as is a separate House bill Patricia Gilbert, executive vice discretion to permit Title 38 em- the effective date until october
the House and the Senate passed Just before Congress recessed that would apply only to the fAA. president of the NATCA, said in a ployees to have the same benefits leaves time for Congress to act,
the bill and Trump signed it, in late December, Sen. Brian Neither is currently scheduled phone interview that technical as other VA employees. This is and “we urge Congress to use this
tweeting that the government “is Schatz (D-Hawaii) sought to use a for a vote. errors are “unfortunate but not what VA plans to do with the paid time to correct the technical
leading by example in changing shortcut procedure to correct According to an analysis by the uncommon” when legislation parental leave provision,” she oversight and ensure that all
the culture of how we support what he called a “technical and National Air Traffic Controllers moves quickly. But she said the said. federal employees are treated
working families.” drafting error” to broaden the Association (NATCA) — whose union is hopeful the law will be The office of Personnel man- equally under the law,” Everett
However, determining the ex- benefit to include those catego- members, as fAA employees, are broadened because “the intent of agement will issue regulations Kelley, secretary-treasurer of the
act impact of bill language in- ries as well as federal judges and among those excluded — U.S. the language was to cover the and guidance to implement the American federation of Govern-
volves slowing down and looking many political appointees, who Public Health Service officers entire federal workforce.” legislation, she said. After that, ment Employees, said in an
at it from many angles. also are excluded. However, that also are left out, as are financial Even if the law is not changed, VA will establish a policy for all email.
The language amends Title 5 of bid died when republicans regulatory agencies that operate VA intends to extend the benefit employees — including Title 38 The office of management and
the U.S. Code, the standard set of moved to pair it with an unrelat- under the financial Institutions to its Title 38 employees, spokes- employees — to use the benefit. Budget did not respond to a
civil service laws covering per- ed tax measure. reform, recovery and Enforce- woman Susan Carter said in an Gilbert said the fAA and other request for comment.
sonnel policies, including leave. Schatz’s bill is pending in Con- ment Act. email. “Per federal law, VA has the agencies could voluntarily begin [email protected]
Clinton-related probe once championed by Trump finds nothing to pursue
Huber from A1 require further resources or fur- Clinton and her family have rate from the ongoing investiga- tions, tried to push Huber to be from a multiagency board because
ther investigation, and whether been subjected to significant law tion overseen by Durham, and Jus- more aggressive in his work, but it involved giving a foreign gov-
tion between the Trump campaign any matters would merit the ap- enforcement and other scrutiny tice Department officials believe Huber felt he had looked at every- ernment control of an American
and russia. pointment of a Special Counsel,” over the years — though the vari- the Connecticut U.S. attorney’s thing he could and that there was business commodity with nation-
That fBI investigation was be- Sessions wrote. ous probes have mostly delivered work will be far more consequen- not much more to do, these people al security implications. The
ing supervised by special counsel A spokeswoman for Huber re- reputational blows, rather than tial. Durham is weighing whether said. Whitaker did not respond to board, called the Committee on
robert S. mueller III in late 2017, ferred questions to Justice Depart- legal ones. When she ran against to charge a former fBI lawyer for messages seeking comment. foreign Investment in the United
when Trump and his supporters ment headquarters, where a Trump in 2016, the fBI investigat- altering an internal email that After Barr was confirmed as States, or CfIUS, is composed of
were pressuring senior law en- spokeswoman declined to com- ed her use of a private email server misled other officials on a key fact attorney general early last year, representatives from nine agen-
forcement officials to appoint a ment. to determine whether she had related to surveillance applica- the department had still said cies, including the State Depart-
second special counsel to pursue Conservative lawmakers, par- mishandled classified informa- tions to the foreign Intelligence nothing publicly about the result ment. Clinton herself was never
Clinton. ticularly then-rep. Bob Goodlatte tion when she was secretary of Surveillance Court. He is also of Huber’s work, focusing instead on the CfIUS board.
“Everybody is asking why the (r-Va.), who was chairman of the state. officials ultimately deter- looking into other issues sur- on releasing mueller’s findings. In rare cases, CfIUS can decide
Justice Department (and fBI) House Judiciary Committee, and mined the case should be closed rounding fBI and CIA activities Barr, who served as attorney to intervene and block a corporate
isn’t looking into all of the dishon- members of the freedom Caucus, without charges. The State De- during the russia investigation, general during the George H.W. merger or acquisition if the board
esty going on with Crooked Hil- were initially encouraged by partment more recently conclud- according to people familiar with Bush administration as well, was feels the risk to U.S. national secu-
lary and the Dems,” the president Huber’s assignment, seeing it as a ed a multiyear probe of its own the matter. among the conservative voices in rity is too great.
tweeted at the time. sign that Clinton faced new legal into the matter but concluded Huber’s tasking was nebulous Washington who had previously Conservatives questioned
Sessions did not appoint a sec- jeopardy. Huber was a prosecutor there was no systemic or deliber- from the start. Some people in- suggested there was possible whether Clinton may have manip-
ond special counsel, but weeks with bipartisan credentials — hav- ate mishandling of classified in- volved in the matters he was said criminal wrongdoing in the Ura- ulated CfIUS to let the acquisition
later he sent a letter to Huber ing been named the U.S. attorney formation by employees. to be reviewing expressed surprise nium one matter, though he tem- proceed, but current and former
telling him to “review” a wide ar- first by President Barack obama The Clinton family foundation that they were not contacted by pered those comments during his officials have denied that, saying
ray of issues related to Clinton. before he was retained in the has separately faced investigation the U.S. attorney, and wondered confirmation. such a decision was handled well
They included the Clinton foun- Trump administration. over the years on vague corruption privately what he was doing. republicans questioned below the level of the secretary of
dation and Uranium one matters, But from the start, senior offi- allegations, though so far those Some in the Justice Depart- whether there was misconduct in state.
along with the fBI’s handling of cials inside the Justice Depart- probes have not produced any ment considered him more re- the U.S. government’s decision not Conservatives also demanded
the investigation into Hillary Clin- ment viewed Huber’s task as un- charges. viewer than investigator. He to block a 2010 acquisition in an aggressive investigation into
ton’s use of a private email server likely to lead to anything of signifi- Huber’s work has been distinct would get involved, people famil- which russia’s atomic energy whether wealthy individuals and
while she was secretary of state cance beyond appeasing those an- from a number of sensitive investi- iar with the matter said, only if agency, rosatom, acquired a con- governments may have made do-
and alleged leaks by former fBI gry lawmakers and the president. gations into politically fraught other cases were not being han- trolling stake in Uranium one, a nations to the Clinton foundation
director James B. Comey. At the “We didn’t expect much of it, cases, including Justice Depart- dled properly. Toronto-based company. The deal in the hopes of getting favors from
time, Sessions was facing persis- and neither did he,” said one per- ment Inspector General michael By the time mueller filed his meant that rosatom received the State Department. That inves-
tent public and private criticism son familiar with the matter, who Horowitz’s probes of the fBI’s lengthy report last spring, Huber’s rights to about 20 percent of the tigation became the subject of es-
from Trump, who was upset over like others spoke on the condition handling of the Trump campaign work was largely done, these peo- uranium extraction capacity in calating tensions within the fBI
his recusal from the russia probe. of anonymity because of persis- investigation, and the fBI investi- ple said. the United States. and Justice Department in 2016,
“Your recommendations tent political sensitivities con- gation into how Clinton used the When Trump pushed Sessions That transaction had a tenuous and was restarted after the elec-
should include whether any mat- nected to the 2016 election. “And private email server. Those two out of the Justice Department in connection to Clinton, who was tion, but has not gained traction,
ters not currently under investiga- as time went on, a lot of people just investigations resulted in lengthy November 2018, matthew G. Whi- running the State Department at according to people familiar with
tion warrants the opening of an forgot about it.” reports documenting fBI mis- taker became acting attorney gen- the time. the matter.
investigation, whether any mat- A spokesman for Sessions de- steps and failures. eral. Whitaker, according to peo- Under obscure government [email protected]
ters currently under investigation clined to comment. Huber’s assignment was sepa- ple familiar with the conversa- rules, the deal required approval [email protected]
Enjoy the Outdoors
Pardoned o∞cer is denied decoration
All Year!
BY DAN LAMOTHE Trident pin, a move that effec-
General’s refusal to tively would remove him from
An Army general has denied a the elite force. Trump responded
request by an officer pardoned in reinstate Special Forces angrily, blocking the move, a
an open murder case by Presi- tab could upset Trump decision that led to the ouster of
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The decoration for retired said. deny Golsteyn’s request because
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service said in a statement that it stan. Trump also decided to rein- dential Pardon.” He did not re-
will next have an administrative state the rank of a Navy SEAL, spond to a request for comment
Winter panel consider whether it should Chief Petty officer Edward Gal- Thursday evening.
reinstate the Special forces tab lagher, who was acquitted of The memorandum was includ-
and a Distinguished Service murder last year but convicted of ed in a notification Golsteyn
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Cross — the U.S. military’s posing for a photo with the received Thursday evening from
second-highest valor award — corpse of an Islamic State fighter Casey Wardynski, a civilian Army
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mand Golsteyn received in con- Golsteyn, reached for com- sues. He wrote that he had for-
BUY NOW AND nection with his case. ment Thursday evening, said he warded Golsteyn’s requests to the
Golsteyn was awaiting trial had not heard about the decision administrative board, called the
$1,250 this year in the alleged murder of until it was first reported by The Army Board for Correction of
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FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ re K A5
u.s. conflict with iran
‘We did not intend to kill,’ Iranian general says of strikes
BY KAREEM FAHIM be in store.”
AND SARAH DADOUCH Iran tried to counter the United
States on the diplomatic front
istanbul —
An Iranian military Thursday after Trump called on
commander said Thursday that Britain, Germany, France, Russia
missiles fired at bases used by U.S. and China to “break away from the
troops in Iraq were not intended remnants” of the 2015 nuclear deal
to inflict casualties, in the latest Iran struck with world powers.
sign that Iran was seeking to avoid Trump withdrew the United
further escalation of hostilities States from the deal in 2018.
with the United States. British Prime Minister Boris
After more than a dozen mis- Johnson, speaking with Iranian
siles slammed into the bases early President Hassan Rouhani on
Wednesday local time, both sides Thursday, “underlined the UK’s
for now appear to be stepping continued commitment to” the nu-
back from further conflict. clear deal and “ongoing dialogue
“We did not intend to kill,” said to avoid nuclear proliferation and
Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the reduce tensions,” according to a
head of the Revolutionary Guard’s British government statement.
Aerospace Force, according to Irani- The tensions have continued to
an state media. “We intended to hit affect the main mission of U.S.
the enemy’s military machinery.” forces in Iraq — fighting the Islam-
However, he repeated the gov- ic State. The coalition said in a
ernment’s claim that “tens of peo- statement Thursday that military
ple were killed or wounded.” U.S. operations against the extremist
and Iraqi officials said the strikes group in Iraq would remain
caused no casualties. “paused” while the coalition fo-
Iran and the United States had cuses on “protecting the Iraqi bas-
been on a war footing since Presi- es that host Coalition personnel.”
dent Trump approved the killing The conflict between the Unit-
last week of Maj. Gen. Qasem So- ed States and Iran sparked con-
leimani, the commander of the cern that operations against the
Revolutionary Guard’s elite expe- Islamic State, or ISIS, would be
ditionary Quds Force and Iran’s sidelined at a moment when the
most prominent military leader. extremists, driven from the vast
Iran retaliated with the missile swath of territory they once held,
strike. By Wednesday, Iranian offi- are trying to regroup in parts of
cials were suggesting that Iran did Iraq and Syria.
not intend any further attacks, and pHotos By offIce of tHe IrAnIAn supreme LeAder/Agence frAnce-presse/getty ImAges U.S. military officials first an-
Trump said he would not respond alarmed officials in Iraq, the main ABOVE: Iranian Supreme nounced the suspension of anti-Is-
militarily to the Iranian strikes. stage for the conflict between Teh- Leader Ayatollah Ali lamic State operations Sunday, as
Trump administration officials ran and Washington, and spooked Khamenei, right, greets Iranian the Trump administration braced
have offered conflicting justifica- governments throughout the re- President Hassan Rouhani at a for possible Iranian attacks on
tions for the killing of Soleimani, gion. ceremony Thursday in Tehran. military bases hosting U.S. troops
saying he was targeted to avert an Rocket attacks in Baghdad late LEFT: Brig. Gen. Ismail Qaani, in Iraq.
“imminent” threat and otherwise Wednesday showed that the risk center, the new commander of The same day, Iraq’s prime min-
to retaliate against Iranian aggres- of escalation remained. The the Quds Force, and Maj. Gen. ister urged parliament to take “ur-
sion more generally. Trump, strikes highlighted fears that Iraqi Hossein Salami, right, the head gent measures” to force the with-
speaking at the White House on militias, backed by Iran, could of the Islamic Revolutionary drawal of foreign forces after the
Thursday, said that “we did it be- pursue revenge for the killing of Guard Corps, also attended. killing of Soleimani.
cause they were looking to blow one of their leaders in the same The coalition’s statement
up our embassy.” attack that killed Soleimani. Thursday said it was awaiting
It was not clear whether he was Two rockets struck Baghdad’s And Tehran, she added, could “further clarification on the legal
referring to previously undis- Green Zone, which hosts the U.S. take further action. A tweet by nature and impact of the resolu-
closed intelligence or to the storm- Embassy and other foreign diplo- Iranian Foreign Minister Javad tion on foreign troops no longer
ing of the U.S. Embassy in Bagh- matic missions, but caused no in- Zarif that his government had being allowed to stay in Iraq.”
dad by supporters of an Iranian- juries, Iraqi authorities said. “concluded” its military response [email protected]
backed Iraqi militia a few days Jawad al-Talibawi, a spokesman “could mean a lot of things: It [email protected]
before Soleimani was killed. for the network of Iraqi militias hind the bombing to stop these on the maximum pressure cam- could mean that Iran is done for
“We did it for other reasons that known as the Hashd al-Shaabi, or actions that distort the reputation paign, which got us here to begin now, which is the interpretation dadouch reported from Beirut. Louisa
are very obvious,” Trump added, Popular Mobilization Forces, told of Hashd factions.” with,” she said, referring to U.S. many have chosen to embrace. But Loveluck and mustafa salim in
mentioning the killing of a U.S. the Iraqi News Agency that the The statement was part of the sanctions and other measures it could also mean that this specif- Baghdad and William Booth in London
contractor in a missile strike on network was not responsible for broader effort to de-escalate ten- aimed at isolating Iran. ic operation is done. Others may contributed to this report.
Dec. 27. the attack. sions, but “we should all take a
“We didn’t start it. They started “The bombing of the Green moment before popping the
it by killing one of our people and Zone might be an individual reac- champagne,” Rand Corporation
wounding badly other of our peo- tion, or an attempt by some parties political scientist Ariane M. Taba-
ple,” Trump said. “So that you call to distort the reputation of the tabai said in an email. Even as the
retribution.” Hashd and shuffle the cards,” he violence abated, the Trump ad-
The soaring tensions had said. “We are calling on those be- ministration was “doubling down
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S
A6 eZ re THE WASHINGTON POST .FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020
u.s. conflict with iran
Sanders offers measure to limit Trump on Iran, bolstering his antiwar stance
BY SEAN SULLIVAN military action against Iran with-
out Congress’s approval. Sen. Tim
Sen. Bernie Sanders on Thurs- Kaine (D-Va.) introduced a similar
day doubled down on presenting resolution that is expected to be
himself as the staunchest antiwar taken up next week.
candidate in the Democratic field, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-
unveiling legislation to block mass.), another 2020 candidate, is
President Trump from deploying a co-sponsor of the Sanders bill,
funding for military action but she did not appear with him
against Iran without the approval Thursday. Campaign representa-
of Congress. tives for former South Bend, Ind.,
flanked by seven Democratic mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) did not
colleagues from the Senate and respond to questions about
House in the U.S. Capitol, Sanders whether they support Sanders’s
(I-Vt.) compared the current crisis bill.
to the circumstances leading up to Biden has presented himself as
two of the most controversial con- an experienced hand with a long
flicts in U.S. history. résumé of dealing with sensitive
“Just as we were led into Viet- security matters from his days in
nam and Iraq by lies, the Trump the obama administration and as
administration is misleading us chairman of the Senate foreign
on Iran,” said Sanders. He said the relations Committee.
administration has produced “no The former vice president de-
evidence . . . not even in a classi- livered a speech in New York on
fied setting ” to back up its claim Tuesday warning against U.S. mil-
that Iranian commander maj. itary engagement, slamming
Gen. Qasem Soleimani, killed by a Trump as “dangerously incompe-
U.S. strike last week, had been tent” for his handling of the crisis
plotting an imminent attack with Iran and saying his “impul-
against Americans. sive decision” to order the killing
The tensions in the middle East of a top military official from that
have altered the course of the country put the United States at
Democratic primary less than a risk of greater international con-
month before the first nominating flict.
contest, sharpening the conflict Sanders has been one of the
between Sanders and former vice most vocal critics of Soleimani’s
president Joe Biden. The candi- killing in particular. He has fre-
dates’ frequent comments on the JOse LUIs MAgAnA/AssOCIATed Press quently called the U.S. strike an
U.S.-Iran standoff in recent days sen. Bernie sanders (I-Vt.) discusses his measure alongside Democratic reps. Barbara Lee (Calif.), middle, and Pramila Jayapal (wash.). “assassination” and accused
mark an abrupt turn from months Trump of bringing the United
of focus on domestic issues. to reassert its constitutional war who initially supported the Iraq away from the early Democratic who has teamed up with Sanders States to the brink of another
“Let’s be clear: Another war in powers authority. War. Biden delivered his own nominating states, where polls to introduce companion legisla- destructive fight. Biden has ad-
the middle East could cost, once Sanders’s highlighting of his comments on Iran this week, show he is among the leading tion in the House. opted a more nuanced stance.
again, countless lives and trillions opposition to the Vietnam and blasting Trump’s behavior as reck- candidates. The House on Thursday passed [email protected]
more dollars, more conflict, more Iraq wars is a way to emphasize less. Sanders was also flanked by a separate resolution from rep.
displacement and more misery,” his lifelong antiwar credentials, Thursday’s news conference rep. ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a na- Elissa Slotkin (D-mich.) that seeks Karoun demirjian contributed to this
said Sanders, who urged Congress an implicit contrast with Biden, was a rare appearance for Sanders tional co-chair of his campaign to limit Trump’s ability to take report.
After House vote, bid to curb Trump military action faces unclear path in Senate
wAr Powers from A1 republican Sens. mike Lee president will veto it — and that Congress. republicans, meanwhile, have middle of a conflict with the
(Utah) and rand Paul (Ky.) have Congress will not be able to mus- The administration insists it endorsed the administration’s ap- world’s largest state sponsor of
without Congress’s prior approv- committed to supporting Kaine’s ter enough votes to override that had a right to target Soleimani proach, arguing that “this Con- terrorism,” as House minority
al. But Democrats and a handful resolution, fuming to reporters veto. under the Congress’s 2002 autho- gress leaks like the Titanic,” as Whip rep. Steve Scalise (r-La.)
of republicans were so frustrated Wednesday that administration But Kaine sounded undeterred rization for use of military force Sen. John Neely Kennedy (r-La.) said Thursday.
by the administration’s resistance officials had failed to specify Thursday, arguing that Congress (AUmf) in Iraq and the presi- put it, and thus lawmakers could “How can you sit here and try
to fully involving Congress that when, if ever, they might seek could still influence Trump’s dent’s constitutional right to self- not always be trusted with the to apologize for the things that he
the belated effort to engage Capi- Congress’s approval for military thinking even if supporters can- defense of troops directly and most sensitive information. did by saying taking him out was
tol Hill largely backfired — fuel- strikes. not override his veto. As evidence, imminently in harm’s way. House Sen. Lindsey o. Graham wrong?” Scalise continued. “This
ing momentum for Thursday’s Lee complained that officials he pointed to when Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (r-S.C.) argued Thursday that the world is a safer place with Solei-
vote. had instead communicated that threatened to invoke its war pow- said Thursday that the House administration’s briefers had pro- mani gone.”
In the House, rep. matt Gaetz lawmakers “need to be good little ers to curtail U.S. support for the would vote to repeal the 2002 vided lawmakers all the informa- House Democrats have been
(r-fla.), a close Trump ally who boys and girls and run along and Saudi-led military campaign in AUmf “soon.” tion they needed to support the taking pains to condemn Solei-
has publicly defended last week’s not debate this in public.” He has Yemen. The war powers resolutions strike. mani as they complain that the
strike on Soleimani, worked with called that position “absolutely “He stopped doing what we going through Congress recog- “In terms of where there is an administration’s moves were ille-
Democrats after Wednesday’s insane” and “unacceptable.” were complaining about. It had nize an exception for an immi- imminent threat, General milley gal for having cut out Congress.
briefings to fine-tune the resolu- Kaine said Thursday that he is an impact,” Kaine said, noting nent threat, but Democrats do was compelling and chilling “Qasem Soleimani was a ma-
tion, ultimately crossing the aisle discussing his resolution with that the administration stopped not buy the Trump administra- about what was going to happen lign force responsible for the
on Thursday to support it. Sens. Susan Collins (r-maine) refueling Saudi jets. “President tion’s argument that one existed and what had happened,” Gra- death of many Americans,” House
“I support the president. Kill- and Todd C. Young (r-Ind.), in Trump may not care about Con- — and they are upset with the ham said, referring to Chairman Intelligence Committee Chair-
ing Soleimani was the right deci- addition to Lee and Paul, and gress, but he does care about the administration for withholding of the Joint Chiefs mark A. milley, man Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.)
sion. But engaging in another selectively changing the text — American public . . . and if he sees intelligence from lawmakers that who briefed lawmakers Wednes- said, adding that he nonetheless
forever war in the middle East such as removing language that a strong vote on this, and it goes could inform their determina- day, along with Secretary of State has “no confidence that there is
would be the wrong decision,” specifically addresses Trump by to him, it’s an expression not just tion. mike Pompeo, Defense Secretary some broad strategy at work, or
Gaetz said, announcing his yes name — in hopes that doing so of what we think but of what our “We deserve the respect from mark T. Esper and CIA director the policies of the president are
vote. will build enough support to se- constituents think.” the administration, and the Con- Gina Haspel. doing anything but increasing
But the critical forum is the cure Senate approval. At this point, however, repub- gress deserves by dint of the “I think a third-grader could the dangers to the American peo-
Senate, where Democrats are in Procedurally, it is likely that licans and Democrats remain bit- Constitution, the requirement of have believed there was an immi- ple.”
the minority and will need the the House will have to take up the terly divided over whether the Constitution, to consult Con- nent threat coming from the man He called the House’s vote the
help of at least four republicans Senate’s resolution, should it pass Trump’s strike was prudent and gress,” Pelosi said, arguing that that we killed,” Graham said. first step “of a broader reassertion
to pass a similar war powers in that chamber, in order to send justified, or illegal and reckless, the administration’s justification republicans are warning their of Congress’s war powers. . . . It is
resolution. Put forward by Sen. Trump a war powers resolution with the dispute coming down to for the strike should be redacted colleagues against voting for the past time for Congress to do our
Tim Kaine (D-Va.), the measure that has the weight of potential whether Soleimani posed such an and made available to the public, war powers resolutions, arguing job and not simply write the
could come up for a vote as early law. It is also extremely likely imminent threat to warrant going as there was “no reason for it to be they are “only intended to try to executive a blank check.”
as next week. that, should they succeed, the after him without the consent of classified.” undermine the president in the [email protected]
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FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST eZ sU A7
u.s. conflict with iran
Some GOP lawmakers register concern after security brief
tensIon from A1 “I left literal parts of my body could emerge over the next six to
in Iraq, where I was fighting nine months. other senators
insulting. terrorists. Donald Trump in the room said this was a
Lee, Sen. rand Paul (r-Ky.) spent months attacking an scenario that needed to be dis-
and Democratic senators said ACTUAL Gold Star family,” she cussed.
they were particularly upset by wrote on Twitter. “@repDoug- As Pompeo responded, the
suggestions from administration Collins should be ashamed of normally mild-mannered Lee
officials that a congressional de- himself for perpetuating this of- glanced over at the Democrats
bate over the president’s power fensive lie.” and threw up his hands in a
to take further action against While Lee and Paul have been gesture that signaled he was not
Iran would be harmful to the the most outspoken GoP critics satisfied with the administra-
morale of U.S. troops and said of the administration’s handling tion’s answers, said Sen. Kevin
that they interpreted these of tensions with Iran, some other Cramer (r-N.D.).
remarks as an attempt to si- republican lawmakers ex- But Lee, Paul and Young — to a
lence lawmakers. They were also pressed unease with the lack of certain extent — appeared to be
angered over what they de- information they have been pro- outliers among Senate republi-
scribed as a refusal to answer any vided. cans.
questions about when the ad- Sen. Todd C. Young (r-Ind.) Cramer, like many of his col-
ministration must get congres- said Thursday that there were leagues, said he was confident of
sional approval for military “certainly infirmities” with the the administration’s view that
strikes. administration’s presentation to Soleimani posed an imminent
“It was this attitude that we senators and said the legal analy- threat to Americans, as well as its
don’t have to tell Congress, we sis used to justify the strike that legal rationale to launch the
don’t have to include Congress,” killed Soleimani “could’ve been strike that killed the Iranian
said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). more rigorous.” military leader.
“They were being asked over and “I understand — as a former Senate Intelligence Commit-
over again, ‘okay, if you didn’t marine Corps intelligence officer tee Chairman richard Burr
have to come to us to get authori- — the real-world limitations to (N.C.), a republican member of
zation for the strike, what about and the sensitivities associated the “Gang of Eight” that is privy
this, what about that?’ They with sharing certain informa- to the most sensitive U.S. secrets,
would make no commitment to tion, even with members of Con- said in a brief interview that he
ever come to Congress. And that gress,” Young said. “But I left MATT MCClAIn/THe WAsHIngTon PosT did believe Soleimani was an
was infuriating.” there feeling as though it secretary of state Mike Pompeo, center, and Defense secretary Mark t. esper, right, leave a briefing on imminent threat. Sen. mitt
The clash between the legisla- would’ve been a lot more helpful Capitol Hill on Wednesday. the officials spoke with senators about Congress’s role in military conflict. romney (r-Utah), the party’s
tive and executive branches on had I gotten a little peek into 2012 presidential nominee,
military intervention abroad has some of the intel that informed vote fell mostly along partisan In response, Defense Secre- But inside the briefing, Esper’s said the Trump administration
only deepened since the Sept. 11, the operational decisions.” lines, Trump stalwart rep. matt tary mark T. Esper signaled con- explanations only emboldened gave a “largely effective presen-
2001, attacks, as Congress con- But top administration offi- Gaetz (r-fla.) voted for the reso- cern about any perception of Democrats eager to rebut the tation.”
tinuously ceded its war-making cials have suggested that some of lution, warning his colleagues disunity at a time when U.S. administration’s interpretation “I don’t really understand,”
powers to successive presidents the intelligence was too sensitive against the possibility of more troops were engaged abroad, of its executive powers when it Sen. John Cornyn (r-Tex.), a
who have relied on congressional to disclose to members of Con- “forever wars.” senators said. comes to military action. member of the Intelligence Com-
authorization nearly two de- gress — a notion that has infuri- “If our servicemembers have “Esper responded and said — After a handful of other sena- mittee, said of concerns from
cades old to justify military ac- ated Democrats who say law- the courage to fight and die in and I wish I had his exact words tors asked questions, Durbin re- other republicans. “Sounds like
tion abroad. makers have a right to know the these wars, as Congress we ought — basically said, ‘I think it would turned to the initial topic that ships passing in the night.”
But the debate under Trump underlying information that to have the courage to vote for or be unsettling to our troops and mcConnell raised and asked the At the White House earlier
has taken on a fresh intensity. would guide their votes and against them,” he said on the allies if it didn’t look like we were administration officials whether Thursday, Trump played down
Despite the notable complaints actions on the weighty issue of House floor. committed to this effort,’ ” re- they were saying Congress the contentious portions of the
from some key GoP lawmakers, war. The Senate is unlikely to pass counted Sen. richard J. Durbin should not debate what he told Iran briefing, saying “numerous
most republicans said they “The leadership in Congress the House resolution, but the (D-Ill.), who said he took issue them he believed it is required to senators and numerous con-
strongly back Trump’s moves and the House and Senate has fallout from Wednesday’s brief- with Esper’s view. debate under the Constitution gressmen and women” tele-
against Iran and they have ac- seen this intelligence. And, ing continues. The Pentagon’s chief spokes- for fear that it would be unset- phoned him to say it was the
cused Democrats of sympathiz- frankly, the most compelling in- The tensions during that ses- man, Jonathan Hoffman, said tling to our troops. “greatest presentation they’ve
ing with terrorists due to their telligence to support the fact that sion inside the classified facility Esper “indicated that he would Later in the briefing, Sen. ever had.”
questioning of the administra- there was an imminent attack in the basement of the Capitol be concerned about unintention- Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.) “mike and rand Paul dis-
tion’s decision to kill Iranian being developed by Qasem Solei- began early in the question-and- al messages to the force that posed a hypothetical to the na- agreed because they want
maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in mani is, frankly, too sensitive to answer portion, according to could result during an effort to tional security team: At what information that, honestly, I
Baghdad last week. share broadly,” Vice President four senators and a senior ad- repeal the 2002 AUmf at the point would the Trump adminis- think is very hard to get,” Trump
rep. Douglas A. Collins Pence said in a fox News inter- ministration official who were same time that American troops tration feel compelled to seek said. “It’s okay if the military
(r-Ga.) told fox News on view Thursday. “It would com- present for the 75-minute discus- are in harm’s way,” referring to congressional authorization on wants to give it, but they didn’t
Wednesday that Democrats promise what we call sources sion, some of whom spoke on the the law that authorized the war military action toward Iran? want to give it. And it really had
are “in love with terrorists, and methods.” condition of anonymity to de- in Iraq. Secretary of State mike to do with sources and informa-
we see that, they mourn Solei- The House passed legislation scribe the private briefing. Hoffman said Esper empha- Pompeo indicated that he would tion that we had that really
mani more than they mourn our Thursday that would limit Senate majority Leader mitch sized that he was not questioning not entertain hypothetical sce- should remain at a very high
Gold Star families who are the Trump’s ability to take military mcConnell (r-Ky.) asked Trump’s whether congressional debate narios, senators said, even after level.”
ones who suffered under Solei- action against Iran without con- national security team whether a over the use of military action Coons posed the question three [email protected]
mani” — comments that drew a gressional approval. The vote congressional debate about war was appropriate, “rather he stat- times. Coons insisted to the ad-
rebuke Thursday from Iraq War was 224 to 194 with three repub- powers and involvement in Iran ed a concern about how such a ministration that his question Dan lamothe, Josh Dawsey and
veteran Sen. Tammy Duckworth licans joining Democrats in sup- could damage morale among the debate would be interpreted by was not a hypothetical, rather, a elise Viebeck contributed to this
(D-Ill.). porting the legislation. While the U.S. forces abroad. the force.” predictable turn of events that report.
House Democrats unite in vote to limit Trump’s military actions against Iran
reps. Barbara Lee owes the American public a middle East would be the wrong republican or Democratic, with national security experts to step, as only about 25 percent of
@PKCapitol and Elissa Slotkin conversation,” Slotkin said decision,” Gaetz said in a floor many newcomers hailing from launch their first bids for office, the House members had
PAUL KANE are a generation during Thursday’s floor debate. speech minutes before the vote. conservative regions. helping propel Democrats back actually been in office in 2001
apart and Within three days of the U.S. His support for the Some of Pelosi’s most divisive into the House majority. Still, for and 2002.
politically reside drone strike that killed maj. nonbinding resolution falls in votes during her first stint as some, Thursday’s vote went too Slotkin saw it as a step toward
in very different wings of the Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the line with Sens. mike Lee (r- speaker came on bills to fund far — six of the eight Democrats remedying a long-overdue
Democratic Party. commander of Iran’s elite Quds Utah) and rand Paul (r-Ky.), the wars in Iraq and who opposed it were among the debate. “Congress has long
The 73-year-old Californian, force, House Speaker Nancy another pair with libertarian Afghanistan, splitting the freshman class, including two, abdicated its responsibility as
who hails from one of the 10 Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that instincts who are working with caucus as the GoP stood almost reps. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) and laid out in the Constitution to
most liberal districts, has been Slotkin would take the lead on a Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and entirely unified. max rose (D-N.Y.), with military make the hard decisions we owe
leading the antiwar movement war powers resolution meant to Senate Democrats on a more By 2018, after Trump’s victory, backgrounds. our troops,” she said.
for decades. The 43-year-old rebuke Trump’s handling of the forceful resolution that would Slotkin joined a group of Lee saw this debate as a first [email protected]
michigander, coming from a situation. limit Trump’s powers to escalate
district President Trump won Having taken a high-profile the conflict with Iran.
comfortably, spent almost 15 role supporting Trump’s But, for the most part, they
years working at the CIA, impeachment last month, remained outliers in the House
Pentagon and other national Slotkin had once again assumed and Senate GoP caucuses, Make “someday”
security posts, focused on a posture in a district where where national security hawks
middle East policy. rallying around the flag and the still reign. ONLY UNTIL
on Thursday, Lee and Slotkin president might be the safer And those republicans JAN. 31ST today.
helped lead the opposition to political bet. pinned the Democratic response
Trump’s military actions against on social media and in emails on national security to their
Iran over the last week, amid to her colleagues, particularly loathing of Trump, whose
fears that fallout from the U.S. many of the more than 60 impeachment trial in the Senate
drone strike in Baghdad could freshman Democrats, Slotkin remains stalled over an impasse
spark a third war in the region. reached into years of expertise about whether to call witnesses.
They knitted together a once in the middle East to explain “Not liking President Trump
unthinkable coalition that why she believed Trump’s is not an excuse for failing to see
stretched across almost the actions further destabilized the that this president and his
entire Democratic caucus, as region. administration have a sensible
just eight Democrats opposed on Tuesday, during the first — and deeply American —
the war powers resolution that votes of the new year, rep. strategy for dealing with Iran,”
passed one week after Trump Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) gave House minority Leader Kevin
ordered a lethal strike against Slotkin a hug on the House floor. mcCarthy (r-Calif.) said. 703-643-9261
an Iranian commander. Three “So I just thanked her for being The shift on national security
republicans and one so explicit and explanatory and has come over a long period
independent supported the vocal and spelling out what this since the Sept. 11 attacks, as two 301-985-2454
Democratic resolution. means and this is why, because different wars seemed to morph
Lee has come a long way since that is her area of expertise,” into one, and from that came
she cast the lone vote in Hayes explained later. several other fronts that left
Congress against the war After Iran responded with an most voters confused.
resolution passed after the Sept. overnight missile attack on “The public has really begun
11, 2001, terrorist attacks, at a bases housing U.S. soldiers, the to see the fact that these Call today to schedule a
time when everyone else rallied Democrats dug further in. authorizations serve as the
around a law that more than 18 During votes Wednesday foundation, the basis for endless FREE hearing screening and
years later would still be cited as afternoon, Slotkin worked the war, and the public is war-
the authorization for many House floor and courted both weary,” Lee said.
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only one who voted against the (r-fla.), a close Trump ally who power, a new member of Six hearing centers in the DC metro!
authorization to use force, a was with him at his mar-a-Lago Democratic leadership, Pelosi,
blank check,” Lee recalled in an resort the night of the drone rallied the opposition and got a
interview before Thursday’s strike. narrow majority of her caucus to
vote. While he’s close to Trump, oppose the resolution, a *Some restrictions apply. Must have hearing loss
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A8 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST .FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020
u.s. conflict with iran
Taunting on Twitter heightened tensions on battlefield
BY DAVID NAKAMURA ous in how he uses these images,”
said Jennifer Psaki, who served as
A day after President Trump White House communications di-
signaled he would not use mili- rector and a State Department
tary force to escalate a tense spokeswoman in the Obama ad-
standoff with Iran, that nation’s ministration.
supreme leader responded with a Psaki acknowledged that for-
message of his own: a doctored mer president Barack Obama’s
photo of Trump’s face imprinted team was perhaps “outdated and
with red welts from a slap to the mechanical” in its use of social
face. media. But, she said, Trump is
The creation on the official spreading “inaccurate informa-
website of Ayatollah Ali Khame- tion at a time when the public is
nei offered a trolling visual meme susceptible to that — some are
to echo his previous warning that fearful and some will believe
Tehran’s missile attack on two anything.”
Iraqi facilities housing U.S. U.S. social media companies
troops was only the first salvo in a have also been pressed by coun-
campaign to avenge the drone terterrorism experts and others
killing of Maj. Gen. Qasem Solei- to do more to crack down on the
mani. exploitation of their platforms by
The barb took on the juvenile authoritarian regimes, especially
tone found on Internet message those that impose Internet bans
boards of the unruly dark Web. on their citizens.
But it was a fitting coda in a In November, Brian Hook, the
geopolitical confrontation that U.S. special representative for
escalated rapidly in part through Iran, called on Facebook, Twitter
taunting on social media be- and Instagram to shut down the
tween a U.S. president more com- accounts of Khamenei, Zarif and
fortable issuing tweets than hold- Rouhani. Twitter has previously
ing news conferences and an suspended thousands of accounts
authoritarian regime that, ex- with ties to the Iranian govern-
perts said, employs Internet troll- ment but it has not acted against
ing as a cornerstone of a disinfor- the top leadership.
mation and propaganda cam- Trump and his top aides have
paign. also peddled in disinformation.
Through a two-week crisis that The president retweeted a promi-
brought the two countries to the nent alt-right conspiracy theorist
brink of a full-on war, Trump and who claimed that Soleimani
his rivals traded Twitter insults helped plan the attacks on U.S.
and threats — seeking to one-up facilities in Benghazi, Libya,
each other with clever rejoinders JABIN BOTSFORD/THE WASHINGTON POST which killed four Americans in
in the virtual world amid bloody President Trump walks to board Marine One on Thursday. Through a two-week crisis that brought the United States and Iran to the brink 2012. There is no evidence to
consequences in the real one. of a full-on war, Trump and his Iranian rivals had traded insults and threats via Twitter in hopes of one-upping one another. support such a claim.
In his first public statement Vice President Pence used a
after ordering the drone strike on “We’re at a unique point in gaged in mutual threats with Trump administration] is engag- shared images of Soleimani and tweet to suggest Soleimani
Soleimani, Trump posted a soli- time in which Iran’s senior lead- Iranian President Hassan Rou- ing in the targeted killing of former Islamic State leader Abu helped facilitate the travel of
tary image of an American flag — ership sees this as a more effec- hani, Soleimani shared on Insta- Soleimani?” Blazakis said. “We’re Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed al-Qaeda terrorists who carried
one that quickly went viral, gar- tive way to communicate a mes- gram a manipulated image of the not in the president’s head, but in a U.S. raid in Syria last fall, out the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in
nering more than 814,000 likes. sage to the president because the White House exploding. The im- given his use of social media, along with one of Trump winking New York, Virginia and Pennsyl-
Days later, after Iran’s missile president uses Twitter to message age appeared to have been taken maybe those things resonate.” at the camera. vania. The 9/11 Commission Re-
barrage, a senior adviser to policy and orchestrate threats,” from the 2013 film “Olympus Has From the time he announced On Twitter and Instagram, port concluded there was no evi-
Khamenei, Saeed Jalili, mocked said Jason Blazakis, a professor at Fallen,” and it was doctored so his presidential campaign, Trump shared a video from Sen- dence that the Iranian govern-
Trump by posting an image of the Middlebury Institute of Inter- that Soleimani appeared in front Trump has rewritten the rules of ate Republicans celebrating So- ment played a role and did not
Iran’s flag. Conservatives in the national Studies who served as a of the inferno with a walkie-talkie communication for U.S. political leimani’s death by announcing mention Soleimani.
United States, including promi- counterterrorism official at the in his hand. figures. Since taking office, he has that his “20-year span of terror is Such statements amount to
nent Trump supporters, swarmed State Department from 2008 to This week, a senior Iranian shown no compunction about finally over” — with a big red X outright propaganda, said Jenni-
to mock Jalili in the comments, 2018. adviser to Rouhani, Hesameddin mocking rivals, threatening for- over his name. fer Grygiel, an assistant professor
posting more images of American Blazakis said there have been Ashena, tweeted a link to a busi- eign leaders, disseminating false Trump’s tweets racked up of communications at Syracuse
flags. moments when the social mes- ness magazine profile about statements and misleading news some of the highest levels of University who specializes in so-
Experts called the display an sages might have helped de-esca- Trump’s private properties, in- stories and sharing memes or engagement from his supporters cial media. Grygiel called Trump’s
example of a new era in interna- late tensions, pointing to tweets cluding Mar-a-Lago in South retweeting accounts run by auto- of his tenure, suggesting that the tactics dangerous and said it was
tional diplomacy in which official from Iranian Foreign Minister Florida and Trump Tower in New mated bots or other unreliable president’s conservative base was an example of the need for social
letters, telephone hotlines and Javad Zarif and Trump after York, along with a quote from the sources. rallying behind his projection of media companies to employ
secure video conference calls Iran’s missile attacks that ap- late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomei- At times in the faceoff with Twitter toughness. But critics greater controls — including the
have been replaced, in some cas- peared to signal both sides would ni — a post some viewed as a Iran, Trump appeared to be free- faulted Trump for, like his adver- pre-screening and moderating of
es, by high-octane and instanta- be willing to halt overt military threat to those buildings. lancing official U.S. policy saries, using social media tools to tweets during a crisis.
neous social media messaging. action. Blazakis also emphasized “For somebody who makes de- through 280-character missives, spread disinformation and pro- “Tweets can’t be recalled,” Gry-
The shift has been accelerated by that there are significant risks to cisions on gut instincts or emo- threatening to attack Iranian cul- paganda of his own. giel said. “They’re like an instant
Trump, who has scrapped formal relying on a communication tion, we’re left to wonder: Is the tural sites even as his top defense “We can all give him credit for [news] wire. They can move stock
White House briefings in favor of model that is often aimed a pro- trolling from the Iranians factor- officials suggested doing so being politically astute about markets. Let’s not assume a tweet
a daily stream of boastful, belit- voking the other side. ing into the decision-making and would violate international law. what his base is looking for while could not start a war.”
tling and bellicose tweets. In July 2018, with Trump en- leading to a situation where [the He retweeted a post that also being diplomatically danger- [email protected]
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FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020 . THE WASHINGTON POST EZ SU A9
u.s. conflict with iran
At Ohio rally, supporters offer unwavering praise for president’s strategy
BY TOLUSE OLORUNNIPA took the stage at the start of Thurs-
AND ASHLEY PARKER day’s rally, he praised Trump for
the strike killing Soleimani, spark-
toledo —
As lawmakers from ing chants of “USA!”
both parties question President “President Trump took action,
Trump’s handling of tensions with and Qasem Soleimani is gone,”
Iran, his most fervent supporters Pence said.
continue to express confidence in Rick Briggle, a retired teacher
his ability to navigate the volatile who was attending the rally, said
region without starting a war, ac- that he did have some concerns
cording to interviews with attend- about the intelligence that Trump
ees at a campaign rally here Thurs- acted on, citing the flawed ratio-
day. nale for the war in Iraq. Still, he
Trump supporters said they said he ultimately trusted Trump
saw the president’s provocative to stop short of launching a war.
moves and rhetoric toward Iran as “I think he’s been antiwar all
an effort to keep the peace by along, and this is something new
showing strength, rather than as for him,” he said. “But what I like
escalating a move toward another about him most is what he says, he
war in the Middle East. At the does.”
same time, many of the rallygoers None of the people interviewed
reflected the country’s war-weari- supported a ground war with Iran
ness, indicating that the president or an escalated military conflict in
has limited leeway to pursue an the Middle East.
aggressive approach to counter “I think we need to bring our
Iran’s aggression. boys home,” said Ash Hampton, a
“We’ve been there a long time, Marine Corps veteran who drove
and we lost a lot of young men and to the rally from Michigan. Hamp-
women. I’d like to see us out of ton said he supported the strike on
there,” said Vicki Gongwer, of Syl- Soleimani but wanted Trump to
vania, Ohio. “Still, I think [Trump] make good on his promise to ex-
is trying to take care of this with- tract the country from the Middle
out going to war. I have to trust East.
what he says.” Speaking before the rally, Glo-
The opinions, shared in more ria Christian said that although
than 20 interviews in the hours BRITTANY GREESON/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES she had concerns about potential
before Trump’s evening rally, are President Trump’s supporters pray before a campaign rally Thursday. Several said they wanted the United States to withdraw its troops unintended consequences of
in line with a poll released this from the Middle East, but that they trusted the president to avoid a war. “What I like about him most is what he says, he does,” one said. sending troops into the Middle
week. In the HuffPost-YouGov sur- East, she felt Trump was doing
vey, conducted between Jan. 3 and ditional troops into the region attacked Democrats for criticizing informed Congress before carry- business what they’re doing.” what was necessary.
Jan. 5, 88 percent of Trump voters raised only limited concern his decision to authorize the strike ing out the strike against Solei- Trump, who campaigned on “If you're working with a bully,
approved of his handling of issues among the president’s strongest without consulting Congress. mani, specifically mocking Demo- getting the United States out of do you back down and cower, or do
related to Iran. supporters, some of whom voted “Soleimani spread death, de- cratic leaders. wars in the Middle East, has been you try to pluck up your feathers
But among the broader public, for him because he promised to struction and mayhem across the Trump argued that Democratic caught between supporters who and look larger?” she asked. “Is it
opinion was split largely among extract the United States from the Middle East and far beyond,” leaders in the Gang of Eight — the want to hold him to that promise perfect? No, but I don't really
partisan lines, with Democrats Middle East. Trump said. “He was a bad guy, he bipartisan group that traditional- and others who want him to make think he’s trying to do anything
mostly united in opposition to the “Sending the troops, it doesn't was a bloodthirsty terror, and he’s ly is read in on classified intelli- good on his threats of unparal- that’s harmful to the world or
president’s Iran policy. mean starting a war,” said Kaleena no longer a terror. He’s dead.” gence and military maters — leled strength and military might. country.”
Almost six in 10 voters believe Smola, who drove five hours from Support for Trump’s Iran strate- would leak secure information to Several said Trump’s decision to The crowd represented a subset
the drone strike that killed a top Illinois to attend the rally. “It gy is less solid in Congress, where the media if he notified them. send thousands of additional of some of the president’s most
Iranian commander, Maj. Gen. means showing that we are strong the Democratic-controlled House At the rally, some Trump sup- troops into the Middle East was ardent backers, and many waited
Qasem Soleimani, made military and no one will push us around.” on Thursday passed a resolution porters said they also had reserva- more preventive than provoca- in line for hours to attend the rally.
conflict more likely than before, After taking the stage, Trump ordering the president to with- tions about new tensions in the tive. During the rally, Trump men-
according to the poll. told the crowd that the killing of draw forces engaged in hostilities Middle East, and several high- Lucky Penn, of Toledo, said the tioned Abraham Lincoln, favor-
But inside the Huntington Cen- Soleimani showed that “if you with Iran. While Trump lobbied lighted the wars in Iraq and Af- troop deployments were “a securi- ably comparing himself to the Civ-
ter in Toledo, many of the presi- dare to threaten our citizens, you against the resolution and it ghanistan that have required a ty, just in case” and not to engage il War-era icon. The crowd jumped
dent’s supporters said they trust- do so at your own grave peril.” passed along largely partisan U.S. military presence for years. in another war. right in, chanting “Trump, Trump”
ed Trump to handle tensions with During his remarks — which lines, a few of the president’s Re- “I believe that really we should “It’s about time we get a person when the president asked which
Iran without sparking a ground were briefly interrupted by pro- publican supporters backed it. stop meddling in the affairs of that’s got guts, and he’s got guts,” president they preferred.
war with Tehran. Even Trump’s testers — Trump boasted at length Trump used his speech to ridi- people across seas,” said Aaron he said of Trump. [email protected]
decision to send thousands of ad- about the death of Soleimani and cule the idea that he should have Bostelman. “It’s really none of our When Vice President Pence [email protected]
Sanctions have become Trump’s favorite weapon against both friend and foe
President Trump diplomatic arsenal,” said on more terrorists and supporters these are words that make him generally and unfortunately begun drafting sanctions against
The
has deployed them Kellyanne Conway, counselor to of terrorism than in any other of and others feel as though he’s perceived to be costless,” the U.S. ally, although some in the
Debrief
against foreign the president. “The president’s the past 15 years, said Treasury issuing powerful and formidable Rosenberg said. “I don’t think administration remain skeptical
adversaries. He sanctions are not an end but a Deputy Secretary Justin G. threats — and he has used them, that they are costless.” Trump will actually implement
ASHLEY
PARKER has used them means to an end. It’s both carrot Muzinich. so they’re not empty.” Trump also appreciates the the punishment.
with publicly and stick. It’s a stick for “Treasury strategically deploys Since becoming president, unilateral nature of many But outside experts said merely
traded companies. punishment for reckless threats a broad range of economic Trump has mentioned sanctions. After backing away dangling the prospect of
And he has even, briefly, slapped or actions. It’s also an incentive, a authorities to combat terrorist “sanctions” in 34 tweets, pecking from the October sanctions sanctions epitomizes Trump’s
them on American allies. promise of possible economic financing, money laundering, out bite-sized warnings to a host against Turkey, Trump seemed to general approach to the tool.
So it was little surprise this development and improvement.” proliferation finance, human of countries — “highest-level relish his power to impose them “When Trump said [Sunday] he
week when — dismayed with Richard Nephew, the program rights abuses, drug trafficking, sanctions” (Cuba), “the most — and circumvent Congress if was going to use sanctions
Iraq’s recent parliamentary vote director at Columbia University’s corruption and other illicit biting sanctions ever imposed” necessary. against Iraq, he didn’t outline a
to expel U.S. troops from the Center on Global Energy Policy finance and national security (Iran), “maximum sanctions and “Well, sanctions won’t be theory of the case, and so it felt
country — Trump reached for one and the author of “The Art of threats,” Muzinich said in a pressure” (North Korea), and “Big necessary because Turkey is more like, ‘You can’t break up
of his favorite means of Sanctions,” added that the statement. sanctions” (Turkey). doing what they’re doing,” Trump with me; I’m breaking up with
retribution: sanctions. president is something of a The most active sanctions “Sanctions are appealing to the said. “I didn’t need Congress for you,’ ” Rosenberg said.
“We will charge them sanctions sanctions aficionado. programs, in order, are Iran, president because they appear to sanctions because I can do Said Smith: “Sanctions have
like they’ve never seen before “Trump has taken quite a shine Russia, North Korea, Venezuela him and to many others as a sanctions that are tougher than become a reflex. If you don’t like
ever,” Trump told the reporters to sanctions,” Nephew wrote in and counterterrorism, Muzinich policy option somewhere in the Congress. And I was prepared to what a country is doing, you
traveling with him on Air Force response to emailed questions. said. realm between talk diplomacy on do that.” threaten sanctions and maybe
One after the Iraq vote over the “He threatens them with gusto Adam Smith, a former the one hand and military force When it comes to Iraq, senior then impose them.”
weekend. “It’ll make Iranian and frequency.” sanctions official under President on the other, and because they are administration officials have [email protected]
sanctions look somewhat tame. If The reasons, Nephew added, Barack Obama who is now a
there’s any hostility, that they do are threefold. First, Trump, a partner at the law firm Gibson,
REFACE!
anything we think is former businessman, “sees Dunn & Crutcher, said that
inappropriate, we are going to put money as a universal source of according to statistics he and the
sanctions on Iraq — very big value” and appreciates that the firm have tracked, Trump is Don't Replace...
sanctions on Iraq.” direct ramifications of sanctions averaging more than 1,000 new
And just days later, on are financial. Second, sanctions designations per year, compared
Wednesday, Trump announced appeal to Trump’s general with about 500 under Obama and
unspecified additional sanctions aversion — albeit with certain about 430 under George W. Bush.
against Iran in response to that notable exceptions — to using Another difference, Smith said,
country’s missile strikes against force, allowing him to impose his is how personally invested
military bases housing U.S. forces will with what he views as Treasury Secretary Steven
in Iraq. minimal U.S. risk or investment. Mnuchin is in sanctions policy.
Three full years into Trump’s And third, sanctions satisfy his Mnuchin has said that he spends
presidency, sanctions have “ ‘do something’ impulse,” “probably over 50 percent” of his
emerged as one of his preferred especially when it comes to time on sanctions and national
diplomatic tools — used as both intractable foreign policy security issues, and Smith also
negotiating chips and problems. noted how frequently Mnuchin
punishment. His Treasury A senior administration official personally delivers sanctions
Department has designated or agreed, emphasizing that as a news. In his first year at Treasury,
imposed sanctions on more than former Manhattan real estate Mnuchin personally announced
2,800 individuals, entities, vessels developer, Trump understands sanctions about two dozen times,
and aircraft since his the power of financial penalties compared with just a handful of
inauguration, in a marked and withholding money. A second times for both of Obama’s Fast &
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using them aggressively if leverage that comes from “uniquely designed, and Remodel
haphazardly, as both unfulfilled presiding over the world’s largest unwittingly so, for someone of Mr.
threats and fully formed censure economy. Both also stressed that Trump’s background and
and often delivered with great Trump appreciates the governing style,” Smith said.
fanfare and bluster. nonkinetic nature of sanctions, “You have a president who Transform your Kitchen with the Look of New Cabinets
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A10 eZ sU THE WASHINGTON POST .FRIDAy, JANUARy 10, 2020
The World
Taiwan heads to
Israel hit
vote amid fears by deadly
floods amid
of disinformation
tensions
Officials and activists say China is actively trying
to interfere in Taiwan’s domestic politics In week of war threats,
waters kill 5, including
2 trapped in elevator
BY ANNA FIFIELD skepticism about Wang Liqiang’s
claims, some also ring true.
TAIPEI, TAIwAn — President Tsai
Ing-wen sat on the stage answer- A web of deception BY STEVE HENDRIX
ing young people’s questions, China has a record of meddling
from climate change and the min- in Taiwan, which it views as a JERUSALEM — Heavy rain this
imum wage to how to better repre- breakaway province, and has week has caused deadly flooding in
sent Taiwan’s indigenous commu- stepped up disinformation efforts Israel from the border with Leba-
nities in the school curriculum. in recent years. non to the Negev desert, increasing
Behind the scenes at the live- The objective is not only to tension in a week already filled
streamed candidate forum last undermine Tsai, who has a strong with threats of war.
month, an army of fact-checkers lead in opinion polls and whose With rains continuing Thurs-
was huddled around computers, reelection would entrench gener- day, rising waters had killed at least
assessing her every word. Alarms ational antipathy toward the five people, including a young cou-
rang on their screens when view- mainland. Beijing also aims to ple who drowned in an elevator
ers queried something said by sow division and political chaos and a man swept away as he tried to
Tsai, who is seeking reelection and thereby undermine the rescue a family stuck in a drifting
Saturday. democratic institutions that vehicle.
Then Josh Wang, from the distinguish Taiwan from the The fierce rainfall has shuttered
Watchout civic group, stepped up Communist-run mainland. schools and government offices in
to the microphone. “We’ve been The fruits of those efforts could some areas and submerged cars
fact-checking you as you spoke,” materialize in Taiwan’s parlia- and low-lying buildings. Some Is-
he said, “and we’ve found three ment, the Legislative Yuan, which raelis were forced from their
problems.” Tsai’s DPP controls. Party opera- homes, and others were asked not
Tsai, of the independence- tives say they are worried about a to leave them, even as they were
leaning Democratic Progressive repeat of local elections in 2018, bracing for potential spinoff at-
Party, smiled, then reiterated two when the Kuomintang won in a tacks from spiking violence be-
points and clarified a third. landslide. tween the United States and Iran.
The next night, Watchout’s That victory was partly due to Prime Minister Benjamin Ne-
crew scrutinized Han Kuo-yu, the China’s deluging Taiwan with fake tanyahu on Thursday beseeched
candidate for the China-friendly news favorable to the mainland citizens to take flood warnings as
Kuomintang, and found five areas and aggressively promoting that seriously as they do the sirens
of concern. The conservative Han, content, said Puma Shen, a profes- warning of imminent rocket fire
who is mayor of Kaohsiung, con- sor who runs DoubleThink Labs, that are a feature of life in many
ceded that he had overstated the which monitors the flow of disin- Israeli communities.
investment he had attracted to the formation. “They have content “I ask that you follow the in-
city by a factor of 100. farms that post articles to fan structions from the police and
Watchout, which began as a pages to make sure it’s dissemi- emergency agencies,” Netanyahu
congressional watchdog but has nated on Facebook and lots of said after touring an emergency
morphed into a crowdsourced co- people see it,” Shen said, adding response center in Beit Dagan. “If
hort of fact-checkers, is one of the that many Taiwanese who share you hear them, it is exactly like a
grass-roots groups tackling disin- the stories did not know they were missile attack. You know that if you
formation ahead of Saturday’s created by China. follow the instructions, in most
vote. These groups say they are This time, Shen said, Chinese cases . . . you will not be in danger.”
acting as “fake news detergent” to operatives have adopted a more Israeli media was filled with im-
scrub away the lies in Taiwan’s sophisticated approach, targeting ages of roadways turned to muddy
raucous political and media land- specific voter groups. “I think rivers and rescuers wading
scape. that’s more clever for them be- sAm yeH/AfP/getty ImAges through waist-deep water with
Fake news and disinformation cause if you want to affect the Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen stands in front of a portrait of Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Republic adults on their backs.
campaigns have become major election, then you only need to of China, at a graduation ceremony for Investigation Bureau agents in New Taipei City on Dec. 26. In the coastal city of Nahariya,
concerns in Western democracies, target, like, 10 or maybe 12 percent residents mourned 38-year-old
notably including Russia’s inter- of people in Taiwan,” he said. Chinese disinformation cam- criticized by the Kuomintang, that the Communist Party is be- Moti Ben Shabbat, who disap-
ference in the 2016 U.S. election. Fake news stories are particu- paigns. For instance, China pro- bans “hostile” foreign forces from hind these efforts. peared into the rushing flow as he
But analysts say they pale in com- larly rampant on Line, a messag- vides funds to media that adopt a campaigning and lobbying, fund- “It’s really difficult to track the tried to pull a woman and child
parison to China’s efforts to sow ing app where news is often more pro-Beijing line in their re- ing political candidates or the me- origin of this funding, to find a from their trapped vehicle. His
discord in Taiwan, a self-ruled shared in private groups with ports,” the Swedish report said. dia, and otherwise trying to inter- smoking gun,” said Ketty Chen, body was recovered downstream
island that Beijing has vowed to hundreds of members. Taiwan has more than 100 TV fere with Taiwan’s political and vice president of the Taiwan Foun- several hours later.
bring under its control. Stories that have gone viral in- stations, all hungry for content. social order. dation for Democracy think tank. The country was even more riv-
“China’s influence has pene- clude rumors about Tsai, includ- There is relatively little checking, “Democracies around the The money trail is obscured by eted, and outraged, by the deaths of
trated into every corner of this ing one that is the Taiwanese local analysts say, which leads to world are working to prevent in- shell companies, business inter- Dean Yaakov Shoshani and Stav
country,” said Wu Jieh-min, a soci- equivalent of birtherism: that she a social media-like atmosphere filtration from China, & today ests and public relations firms, Harari during the first of the flood-
ologist at Academia Sinica, Tai- does not have a PhD. The London even in traditional news sources. #Taiwan joined in this effort by she said. ing over the weekend. The pair had
wan’s national academy. “Politics, School of Economics has con- Scrutiny is particularly falling passing an anti-infiltration act to For now, authorities and civil entered an elevator in their Tel Aviv
the economy, society, culture and firmed that Tsai completed and on the CTiTV cable channel and defend our democracy,” Tsai society groups are trying to raise apartment building during the del-
religion.” was awarded her doctorate in law China Times newspaper, which tweeted last month. awareness and counteract disin- uge, only to have it become stuck at
Taiwan is subjected to more in 1984. are owned by the Want Want Asked to respond to allegations formation. After the local elec- a lower parking level, possibly be-
foreign disinformation from Chi- Other false reports have con- Group and are viewed as mouth- that China is interfering in Tai- tions in 2018, Tsai’s government cause of a power outage. As water
na and other governments than tended that the Tsai administra- pieces for China’s Communist wan’s elections, Ma Xiaoguang, set up fake-news task forces that rose in the garage, passersby who
any other place, V-Dem, a re- tion will retroactively take back Party. After the Financial Times director of the information bu- aimed to shoot down false asser- heard the pair banging on the ele-
search institute of Sweden’s Uni- people’s pensions, and that Josh- published a story quoting journal- reau of Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs tions within two hours of their vator and calling for help phoned
versity of Gothenburg, found in a ua Wong, the Hong Kong democ- ists at the two outlets describing Office, said such charges were appearance. fire and rescue services. The pair
study. “By circulating misleading racy activist, kicked an old man how Beijing influences coverage, plucked “completely out of thin Those working to counteract were eventually pulled from the
information on social media and during a visit to Taiwan. Want Want said it would sue. air and have ulterior motives.” Chinese influence voice optimism flooded shaft with help from div-
investing in Taiwanese media out- Facebook has removed scores China Times president Wang “We have always stayed out of that truth will prevail. “I’m posi- ers, according to the Haaretz news-
lets, China seeks to interfere in of pages and groups that violate Feng said the report was premised elections in Taiwan, and resolute- tive about the resilience of Tai- paper. One was pronounced dead
Taiwan’s domestic politics and to its standards, most backing the on a “baseless accusation.” ly oppose any actions and words wanese democracy,” said Chen. at the scene and the other after
engineer a complete unification,” Kuomintang’s Han, and has set up Tsai’s government has accused that frame and smear the main- “Taiwan is a young democracy, being transported to a hospital.
the report said. a round-the-clock “war room” in some local media outlets of work- land,” he said in a faxed response. only 30 years old, but our civic Officials have pledged to investi-
A man claiming to be a Chinese Taiwan. Google and Line are also ing with Beijing to spread its pro- organizations are very vibrant.” gate the incident after complaints
Following the money
operative and who is now seeking trying to root out disinformation. paganda. Her administration re- [email protected] about the response time of rescuers
political asylum in Australia said But traditional media outlets cently passed an anti-infiltration One problem for those trying to and the drainage capacity of the
he had been sent to interfere in are also ripe for exploitation. “Ob- measure designed to counteract counter China’s influence is pro- Alicia ying-yu Chen contributed to this building and neighborhood.
Taiwan’s elections. While there is servers report many examples of China’s influence. The legislation, ducing incontrovertible evidence report. [email protected]
DIGEST
BRITAIN in a 2016 referendum. But before base Thursday in Mali that secession from Spain in 2017. He
the Dec. 12 election, lawmakers wounded 20 people, including 18 was elected a member of the
House of Commons
repeatedly defeated attempts by peacekeepers from Chad. European Parliament while in
approves Brexit bill Johnson and predecessor Theresa — Danielle Paquette prison awaiting the verdict and
May to secure backing for their was unable to take his seat.
Britain passed a long-elusive Brexit blueprints. Record amount of coca fields Although the European Union’s
milestone on the road to Brexit Despite Johnson’s repeated razed, Colombia’s Duque says: highest court ruled last month
on Thursday when the House of promise to “get Brexit done” on Colombia, a top source of coca, that he was entitled to immunity
Commons approved a bill Jan. 31, the departure will mark the base ingredient in cocaine, as an MEP, the final say was left
authorizing the country’s only the start of the first stage of eradicated more than 247,000 to Spain’s Supreme Court.
departure from the European the country’s E.U. exit. Britain acres of the crop last year, said
Union at the end of the month. and the E.U. will then launch into President Iván Duque, calling the Suspect in Australian case fit
Lawmakers voted 330 to 231 to talks on their future relationship. figure a record. Colombia has for trial, Israeli panel says: An
pass the Withdrawal Agreement — Associated Press come under pressure from the Israeli psychiatric panel has
Bill, which sets the terms of United States, a key destination determined that a woman facing
Britain’s departure from the 28- NIGER for cocaine shipments, to reduce sex-abuse charges in Australia is
nation bloc. The majority won by coca cultivation. More than fit to stand trial for extradition,
Militant attack kills
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s 434 tons of cocaine were the Justice Ministry said. Malka
Conservatives in parliamentary at least 25 soldiers confiscated last year, Duque said, Leifer faces 74 counts of sexual
elections last month secured the ANItA PoUCHArd serrA/BloomBerg NeWs adding that his government has assault over accusations by three
bill’s passage despite the An attack by suspected Islamist A protester waves a red smoke flare in Republic Square in Paris boosted the number of sisters who say they were abused
opposition of smaller parties. militants killed at least 25 during a day of demonstrations and ongoing transport-worker strikes eradication units from 23 to over while she was a principal at their
After passing through soldiers Thursday in the West over French pension reform plans. Strikes against French President 150 in his 17 months in office. ultra-Orthodox religious school
Parliament’s unelected House of African nation of Niger. Emmanuel Macron’s pension plan entered their second month this in Melbourne. In 2008, as the
Lords — which can delay but not The clash unfolded in the week, the longest such action for state-owned railway company SNCF. Spain’s top court says jailed allegations surfaced, the Israeli-
overturn the result in the western village of Chinegodar separatist can’t be released: born Leifer returned to Israel.
Commons — the bill should near the border with Mali, Spain’s Supreme Court has ruled Leifer was put under house arrest
become law in time for the U.K. to according to Nigerien defense that an imprisoned Catalan in 2014 after Australia filed an
leave the E.U. as scheduled Jan. 31 officials, as fighters with ties to forces in recent memory. The The Thursday battle in Niger politician must remain behind extradition request, and an
and become the first nation to the Islamic State and al-Qaeda Islamic State West Africa also killed 63 “terrorists,” Col. bars despite a European court extradition process began. But
quit the bloc. look to seize territory. Province asserted responsibility Souleymane Gozobi, a defense ruling that his election to the that ended in 2016 when a
Thursday’s vote was a major The bloodshed came less than for that massacre two days later. spokesman, said on national TV. European Parliament gave him mental-health evaluation found
victory for Johnson, who has a month after gunmen ambushed Several extremist groups No group asserted immunity. Oriol Junqueras was her unfit to stand trial. She was
made delivering Brexit the key a Nigerien army post in another routinely carry out attacks across responsibility for the attack. sentenced to 13 years in prison rearrested in 2018 amid questions
aim of his premiership. Britain border town, killing 71 soldiers in the Sahel region, which lies south The Niger ambush followed a in October over his role in about her mental-illness claims.
voted narrowly to leave the E.U. the deadliest strike on Niger’s of the Sahara desert. rocket attack on a U.N. military Catalonia’s failed bid for — From news services