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Corker Says Obama “Playing Footsie With Russia,” as Sens Call on President to Help Ukraine Up Russian Body Count

The number of Russian military casualties in Eastern Ukraine took center stage on Tuesday at a Congressional hearing, as a high-ranking State Department official revealed US intelligence on the matter and a bipartisan coalition of Senators called on the administration to help Kiev increase Moscow’s body count—a move that some Russian dissidents have said could backfire in the country’s court of public opinion. About four or five hundred Russian soldiers have been killed in action in Ukraine according to American intelligence, Assistant Secretary of State Victoria… Keep Reading

In Sanctioning Venezuela, U.S. Ties to Notorious Human Rights Abusers Come Under Scruity

On the same day that President Obama declared Venezuela a “national security threat, ” and sanctioned seven officials of the country over the alleged jailing of opposition figures, his State Department is renewing commitments to the authoritarian military dictatorship in Egypt. State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki announced that Secretary of State John Kerry would travel to Sharm el-Sheik this week to attend the Egypt Economic Development Conference. “The United States is committed to strengthening its long-term strategic and economic partnership with Egypt,” Psaki told reporters… Keep Reading

Dems’ Lack of Ethics Rule Fuels Speculation about Menendez Musical Chairs

Confusion reigns over whether Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) will step down from his role as top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, should he be indicted on federal corruption charges. The move could, potentially, alleviate the White House of heartache as it reaches a critical juncture in negotiations with Iran. But chances are, it would merely lead to a game of musical chairs, with the winner essentially no different from Menendez. It is unclear what will happen in the event of a perp walk, with… Keep Reading

GOP Senators Attempt to Subvert Iranian Nuke Deal, Make Embarrassing Error

In what appears to be an egregious overstep of constitutional powers, Senate Republicans sent a letter to the Iranian government with the intent to kill any potential nuclear deal between Iran and the Obama administration – a move that makes war between Iran and the US more likely. Forty-seven GOP Senators signed on to the “Open Letter to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” informing the government that “while the president negotiates international agreements, Congress plays the significant role of ratifying them,” and… Keep Reading

U.S., India Hold Talks Next Week on Outer Space Defense Cooperation, Despite Differences on Weaponization

The US and India are set to hold discussions in New Delhi next week about deepened cooperation on outer space defense issues, despite differences in opinion between the two countries on weaponization. Frank Rose, assistant secretary of arms control, verification and compliance was in the Indian capital on Thursday, where he recognized daylight between the two countries in the policy arena, but called on the US and India “to identify areas of concrete collaboration” during talks. In citing the need to work together, Rose singled… Keep Reading

Administration Says Nuclear Talks Won’t Lead to Iran Normalization, In Debate Over French Word

The Obama administration on Wednesday put a damper on hopes that the thaw in relations between Iran and the United States will lead to a normalization of ties between the two countries. State Department spokesperson Marie Harf said that the the multilateral talks are aimed only at international oversight of Iran’s nuclear program, in a back-and-forth with reporters that started with an exchange between Harf and a French journalist. “No one’s talking about a rapprochement with Iran,” Harf said. “Even as we negotiate, this does… Keep Reading

Bob Corker, Influential Republican on Foreign Relations, Supported Bergdahl-Taliban Prisoner Swap

Last Summer’s prisoner swap that freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was met with outrage by a number of Republican lawmakers who claimed President Obama broke the law, and compromised national security in freeing five Taliban prisoners that had been detained at Guantanamo Bay. But there was one powerful conservative who remained silent while his cohorts attacked, and newly released documents provide an explanation as to why. According to documents made public through a Freedom of Information Act request filed by investigative journalist Jason Leopold, on… Keep Reading

Pelosi “Near Tears” During Netanyahu Speech; Calls It An “Insult to the Intelligence of the United States”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) blasted Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday address to Congress, accusing the right-wing Israeli Prime Minister of delivering an “insult to the intelligence of the United States.” Pelosi, in particular, took visceral exception to the way Netanyahu said that the ongoing nuclear negotiations between the permanent members of the UN Security Council and Tehran “paves Iran’s path to the bomb.” “That is why, as one who values the US–Israel relationship, and loves Israel, I was near tears throughout the Prime Minister’s speech,” she said.… Keep Reading

Declassified Data Reveals Afghan Army Fighting Attrition, Pentagon Dodging Accountability

More than 40,000 Afghan soldiers have dropped out of their national fighting force in the last year, according to previously classified data released by the Defense Department after a public spat with a government watchdog. The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, John Sopko, released a supplemental report on Tuesday containing information about the US effort to support Afghanistan’s government in Kabul – roughly a month after the information was stripped out of a separate SIGAR report by DOD officials. The new data shows an… Keep Reading

As Netanyahu Set Piece Approaches, Sabre-Rattling Senate Inches Closer to Overriding Iran Diplomacy

While the world waits to see how much of Congress actually shows up Tuesday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s joint address on the Iranian nuclear program, support is reaching critical mass for legislation that could change the dynamics of the ongoing multilateral negotiations between Tehran and Washington and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council. Freshman Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) announced Monday that he is co-sponsoring a bill that would either trigger sanctions against Iran if talks collapse, or mandate intense… Keep Reading

State Dept. Rules Out Iran “Secret Nuclear Facility” Lavizan-3 Allegations Pushed By Congressmen–Claims Appear Fabricated By M.E.K.

The State Department said Friday that controversial claims made earlier this week by a often-criticized dissident group about a “secret nuclear facility” in Iran will not affect ongoing multilateral negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program. The allegations–established about a facility called “Lavizan-3” by a group tied to the Mujahhedin-e-Khalq (MEK), an organization that used to be considered terrorists by the US government–were definitively called baseless by the State Department, days after Congressmen grilled Secretary of State John Kerry about the accusations. “We have seen these claims… Keep Reading

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