Mercredi 21 juin 2017, réalisation: Joanna Bosse-Platière

Strokes : The EU Is Alive and Well, But the FRANCE - EUROPE ...... 3 Referendums Are Coming ...... 12 Marine Le Pen will have few friends in France’s new Editors : Europe's Unserious Plan for Greece ...... 12 Parliament ...... 3 Ukraine’s Poroshenko Meets With Trump...... 13 EN LIGNE - 2 Ministers Allied With Emmanuel Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met with U.S. Macron Resign in France ...... 3 Vice President Mike Pence and then, briefly, enjoyed a Ethics probes hijack Macron’s ‘moralizing’ presidency . 4 “drop-in” visit with President Donald Trump on Ross : Emmanuel Macron Is Facing the ‘Mother of All Tuesday...... 13 Battles’ ...... 4 Vladimir Putin’s man in the Balkans ...... 14 French Growth Picking Up as Macron Pursues Change . 5 Terrorism in Britain: How do you build bridges when 'enough is enough'? ...... 6 INTERNATIONAL ...... 15 Moghul : Trump's silence after attack on Muslims American Warplane Shoots Down Iranian-Made Drone speaks volumes ...... 7 Over Syria ...... 15 The Political Kindling of the Grenfell Fire ...... 7 U.S. Military Shoots Down 'Hostile' Drone in Syria ....15 Editorial : More Doubts Are Raised Over Mrs. May’s Podesta & Katulis : Trump’s silent surge in the Middle Leadership ...... 8 East — and the slippery slope to war ...... 15 O’Sullivan : Theresa May's Troubles and 'The Saudi King Names Son Crown Prince, Upending Troubles' ...... 9 Royal Succession ...... 16 Britain’s path to hard Brexit revealed in queen’s Saudi King Salman Ousts Nephew as Crown Prince, speech...... 9 Installs Son ...... 16 Merkel Signals Openness to Eurozone Reforms...... 10 Al-Shabaab Kills 15 in Latest Car Bomb Attack ...... 17 Douglas Murray Book Excerpt: The Roots of the UNE - After Otto Warmbier’s death, tourism to North European Crisis ...... 11 Korea comes under scrutiny ...... 17

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 1

UNE - China Falls Short on Curbing North Korea, Psaki: Democrats, don't lose your cool over Georgia Trump Says ...... 18 vote ...... 29 Trump signals shifting approach to North Korea after Bruni : After Georgia Election, Democrats Are death of U.S. student ...... 19 Demoralized, Again ...... 29 Lewis : North Korea Would Not Hesitate to Kill You . 20 Jon Ossoff's Loss in Georgia Is a Gut Punch for North Korea & Otto Warmbier -- Brutal Murder Democrats ...... 30 Deserves U.S. Response ...... 20 Murphy : Jon Ossoff's $23 Million Loss Shows Dems High Noon in North Korea: Is Trump Ready for War? 21 Have No Idea How to Win in the Age of Trump ...... 31 Why Trump’s Foreign Policy Can’t Be Stopped ...... 22 Shapiro : Apocalyptic Politics’ Dangerous Appeal, Left & Right ...... 31 Senate GOP leaders will present health bill this week, ETATS-UNIS ...... 23 even as divisions flare ...... 32 UNE - Karen Handel Wins Georgia Special Election, Editorial : The Health Care of Millions Depends on a Fending Off Upstart Democrat ...... 24 Few Senators ...... 33 UNE - GOP’s Karen Handel Beats Democrat Jon Editorial : GOP's secret Trumpcare bill will impact a Ossoff in Georgia ...... 24 sixth of the U.S. economy. What could possibly go Republican Karen Handel defeats Democrat Jon wrong? ...... 34 Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District ...... 26 Republicans Will Continue to Stick With Secrecy as Rubin : In Georgia’s 6th District, is Handel’s victory Long as It Works ...... 34 of great consequence — or none at all? ...... 27 Editorial : The U.S. government is still spying on Handel Georgia Victory, Ossoff Defeat Disrupts Anti Americans. Here are some fixes for that ...... 35 Trump Narrative ...... 27 O’Brien : Trump, Russia, and Those Shadowy Sater Trump spikes the ball after Georgia election win ...... 28 Deals at Bayrock ...... 36 Klaas : The Donald Trump hiring crisis means America's got no talent ...... 39

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 2

FRANCE - EUROPE

Marine Le Pen will have few friends in France’s new Parliament By James While her father, the convicted the Le Pen family — pointing the In interviews with The Washington McAuley Holocaust denier Jean-Marie finger at one another in public. Post during the presidential Le Pen, and her niece, Marion campaign this spring, both Jean- Maréchal-Le Pen, have both served After that debacle, there were those Marie Le Pen and Marion Maréchal- — even among the party’s PARIS — A little more than a month in France’s Parliament, she never Le Pen, 27, emphasized that has. supporters — who said that the regardless of election outcomes, a ago, France’s far right seemed on National Front would perhaps be the cusp of power. majority of French voters agreed For political analysts, her victory better served by a total with their program. “We won the But the populist fervor that swept strengthened her personal brand transformation, including a new battle of ideas,” Maréchal-Le Pen Britain and the United States never and her chances of remaining party name and a leader from outside the said in April. reached the same pitch in France, leader. The National Front’s total Le Pen family. and the National Front fell into number of parliamentary seats also But election results would suggest rose from two to eight — an Her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, otherwise. disarray when Emmanuel Macron minced no words Tuesday when he crushed Marine Le Pen in May’s expansion but far short of what the party had expected. insisted that his daughter should Marine Le Pen, in her victory presidential election. Now, the party step down as party leader following speech, suggested that the National is facing the reality that it will have “The victory of Marine Le Pen is an the disappointing parliamentary Front represented a silent majority minimal representation in important thing for her personal results. “You outlive your usefulness of voters, if not any kind of Parliament. image,” said Jean-Yves Camus, a when you start harming your party significant parliamentary presence. leading expert on the radical right. “If by your policy stances or your While Le Pen had hoped that her “It is scandalous that our party — party might serve as the principal her leadership is contested, she can stubbornness,” the elder Le Pen told say she was very comfortably reporters, having been locked out of which won 7.6 million votes in the opposition to Macron’s majority, the first round of the presidential National Front earned only eight of elected.” a party meeting at National Front headquarters outside Paris. election and 3 million more in the the 577 parliamentary seats, The National Front had approached second round — cannot obtain a according to totals from Sunday’s the presidential election in a The party’s co-founder, now 89, was group at the assembly,” she said second round of voting. The result confident mood, with polls showing expelled from his party in 2015 after Sunday. was particularly stunning given that Le Pen at No. 2 in a crowded field of reiterating, in an interview, his view the party had gotten more than one- aspirants. She had vowed to “de- that the Nazi gas chambers were a A “group” in France’s Parliament third of the votes cast in the final demonize” the party, long “detail of history,” and is nominally requires at least 15 seats. Such round of the presidential election. associated with anti-Semitism and estranged from his daughter. But the groups help set the parliamentary agenda and are entitled to certain There was, however, a silver lining: xenophobia. elder Le Pen retains an honorary title, and the organization he resources, such as extra office a seat for Le Pen herself, a small But during the campaign, she space and larger shares of public but symbolic victory that some said controls contributed significantly to denied France’s complicity in an his daughter’s 2017 campaign. funds. Initially, pollsters had said Le would enshrine the far-right leader in infamous World War II roundup of Pen could win as many as 50 seats France’s political establishment. Jews and named as an interim party Yet with Marine Le Pen’s ascent to in the legislative elections. In her victory speech, Le Pen, head a man who once reportedly Parliament, any such challenged the fact that Zyklon B “transformation” is unlikely to come In the end, she received about one- elected in the northern, industrial sixth of that number. constituency of Hénin-Beaumont, was used in the Nazi gas chambers. anytime soon, Camus said. She also performed poorly in a insisted that her party retained an “It gives the party a new voice in the But if the political prospects of the important role. “Facing a bloc that critical pre-election debate, and National Front remain unclear, the proved incapable of capturing the National Assembly,” said Camus, represents the interests of the referring to the Parliament’s lower party will have at least some kind of oligarchy, we kind of anti-establishment zeal that future, Camus noted, especially with contributed to the election of house. He said that the party leader are the only force of resistance,” she “has been playing a long game for Le Pen in Parliament. said. President Trump and Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. victory.” As he put it: “It’s a party that’s going Le Pen has been a presence in Le Pen had unsuccessfully tried four to last for a while.” French political life for decades, Her crushing defeat by Macron led to a crisis in the National Front, with previous times to win a although she has never held a major parliamentary seat. office in the national government. party aides — and even members of

EN LIGNE - 2 Ministers Allied With Emmanuel Macron Resign in France Aurelien Breeden and 2014, but has recently The MoDem has come under Mr. Macron, who was elected on and Benoît distanced herself from the party. investigation about allegations that it May 7, promised to run an honest Morenne used European Union funds to pay and transparent government. Mr. Mr. Macron’s party, the Republic on aides who were actually doing work Bayrou had made ambitious ethics the Move, and the MoDem won 350 for the party. In 2009, six of its changes a condition to his alliance of 577 seats in the elections for the Mr. Bayrou and Ms. de Sarnez are members were elected or re-elected with Mr. Macron, and he had National Assembly, securing a to the European Parliament, recently been tasked with designing cornerstones of the MoDem, or strong mandate to enact the Democratic Movement, a centrist including Ms. de Sarnez and Ms. a sweeping ethics bill. president’s planned overhaul. Goulard. party led by Mr. Bayrou that aligned Georges Fenech, a top official with with Mr. Macron during the Because his party won more than Mr. Bayrou and other members of the center-right Republican Party, presidential campaign. Ms. Goulard 289 seats, an absolute majority, Mr. the MoDem have denied any now the main opposition group in was elected to the European Macron will not need to rely on his wrongdoing. the National Assembly, said in a Parliament with the MoDem in 2009 centrist allies for votes. statement that the resignations showed that Mr. Macron had “played

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 3 for time” and had “fooled the opened an investigation on June 9. MoDem. He said he was acting as a Mr. Ferrand, a former Socialist who electorate” by waiting to let the The National Front is under “citizen” exercising his right to was re-elected on Sunday, was ministers go until after the elections. investigation over similar criticize the media, but many said asked to leave the cabinet to take allegations. the move was inappropriate. the helm of the new pro-Macron bloc “It is a rude awakening for the in Parliament. French, who had hoped for a new According to the newspaper Another member of Mr. Macron’s era in politics,” Mr. Fenech said. Libération, as many as 11 MoDem cabinet, Richard Ferrand, who was Ms. de Sarnez, who also won a seat employees were being paid with minister for territorial cohesion, on in the National Assembly last week, Mr. Bayrou’s integrity and that of his European funds as local aides to the Monday. Mr. Ferrand, an early is expected to preside over the party allies first came under fire last party’s European lawmakers. One of Macron ally, has been under MoDem group of lawmakers. Mr. month, after a member of the far- them worked as Mr. Bayrou’s investigation over claims he favored Bayrou remains a mayor, and Ms. right National Front party sent a personal secretary. his wife in a lucrative real estate Goulard will continue as a member letter to prosecutors hinting that deal while he was the head of a of the European Parliament. parliamentary aides of MoDem Mr. Bayrou was also criticized for mutual health fund, before becoming lawmakers at the European calling the head of the investigative a lawmaker. Parliament had actually been team at a French radio station to working for their party. Prosecutors complain about its work on the

Ethics probes hijack Macron’s ‘moralizing’ presidency Pierre Briançon demonstrate good faith and all the headed a small mutual insurance originally wanted to call a bill on work [she] did” as an MEP. She is company in the Brittany region. “moralizing politics.” It’s hard to see contesting allegations that she, like now how he could have the authority Safe haven PARIS — In what looks like others, had her parliamentary to defend the bill as justice minister. assistant work for Modem in Paris, becoming the first crisis of Although Philippe denied that The second problem for Macron is Emmanuel Macron’s presidency, which could amount to misuse of Ferrand’s move to the parliamentary MEP funds. that it suggests the aloof “Jupiterian” Defense Minister Sylvie Goulard position was a demotion, it could stance he has adopted as president said she had “asked” not to be part It was unclear whether the short- help contain the consequences of a has its limits. He can be accused of of the cabinet due to be re- lived minister resigned of her own political crisis. Ferrand could have being either disconnected or appointed Wednesday in what was volition or pre-empted being ousted been forced out of the cabinet in calculating. In the first interpretation, supposed to be a post-election from Macron’s second cabinet. coming months if investigative he failed to understand that the formality. judges decide there are sufficient ethics problem wouldn’t go away, As is the custom after a new grounds to put him under formal Goulard, a former member of the and failed to act swiftly. In the parliament is elected, Prime Minister probe (mise en examen) as second, he cynically waited until European Parliament, is one of the Édouard Philippe handed in the opposed to just a preliminary one. four ministers facing allegations of after the second round of the government’s collective resignation election to act, in order not to lose unethical behavior who have been to the president on Monday. Philippe Macron has always pledged that any put under a “preliminary probe” by minister placed under formal probe too many votes due to the nascent was immediately re-appointed by scandal. French prosecutors. Macron, who asked him to appoint a would have to go. Due to the new team. separation of powers, he obviously Bayrou told Le Monde on Tuesday On Monday, Richard Ferrand, a can’t make the same promise former Socialist MP appointed to the that Goulard’s decision was “strictly What was meant to be a simple, regarding heads of parliamentary personal” and he wasn’t considering helm of the big Regions ministry technical move quickly followed by groups or committees. barely a month ago, learned from doing the same thing. But one of the the re-appointment of ministers is newly-elected MPs from the Macron Macron that he would leave the turning into a headache for Macron The new safe-haven status of government and be sent to head the parliamentary group leaders party said he and a few other because the allegations against his colleagues would like to see Bayrou parliamentary group of the ministers don’t fit well with the new seemed to be confirmed by de president’s party, La République En Sarnez on Tuesday, when she said go. “It would nicely clean the slate, president’s promise to “moralize” and we can move forward from now Marche. French politics. her immediate options were open and that she would either remain a on with the legislative agenda That leaves two ministers still under Macron’s party won a resounding minister or chair the Modem group without interference,” he said. a cloud: François Bayrou, the majority in the National Assembly on in the National Assembly. Philippe, for his part, said Bayrou justice minister and head of centrist June 18, with 308 seats in the 577- party Modem, whose support helped The ethics scandal comes at the had a “vocation to remain” in the strong lower house of parliament. Its cabinet. The centrist leader may Macron clinch the presidency; and ally, Modem, won another 48 seats. worst possible time for the French his close ally Marielle de Sarnez, the president for two reasons. The first then have remembered that Philippe European affairs minister. Whether Ferrand, who is one of Macron’s is that Bayrou, the most visible used the exact same expression to they will remain in the new cabinet is oldest allies, is the target of a figure to be hit by the allegations, talk about Ferrand’s political anyone’s guess. preliminary probe into allegations of was about to defend a parliamentary prospects two weeks ago. nepotism during the years he bill on “restoring confidence” in the Goulard said in a statement political process, which he had Tuesday she wanted “to be free to

Ross : Emmanuel Macron Is Facing the ‘Mother of All Battles’ yet knows whether Macron’s political commitment will be tested. Some of permanent. Their regulations touch virtuosity in elections will be the country’s militant, risk-taking on almost every aspect of French France is transferrable to policymaking — and labor unions — which have working life, from collective currently marveling at the successes his next battle promises to be his managed to stymie major attempts bargaining to working conditions and of President Emmanuel Macron. So most difficult to date. at labor law reform in the past — hours to vacations, contracts, and it should. Relatively unknown not may be bracing for a fight. grievance procedures to which long ago, Macron’s centrist At the center of Macron’s agenda is institutions can represent workers. presidential campaign took off like a vow to immediately focus on France’s labor laws were written They have fit less well in the post- wildfire, and shortly thereafter his reforming France’s labor laws, not mainly in the years of postwar industrial era. As long-term, well- brand-new “Republic on the Move” just to revitalize France but the reconstruction and rapid industrial protected jobs have declined and party dominated parliamentary listless European Union as well. He growth and reflect both the country’s less secure service jobs have elections. But the country would be will no doubt seek to rally his voters deep statism and firm beliefs that expanded, the labor market has wise to reserve judgment: Nobody behind him, but the depth of their the age of manufacturing would be

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 4 become segmented between a surrender gently. Also at play are sweeping changes to public alienating too many citizens by diminishing number of workers with the deep divisions and rivalries pensions and the co-managed mounting all-out resistance. stable contracts and an expanding within French organized labor, organization of other social policies, group in more precarious situations, which, historically, have tended to CGT troops shut down Paris and But should the CGT decide to pull a trend accentuated by lower growth push some unions toward great much of the rest of the country for the trigger, it could push for public and higher unemployment. Union militancy to gain the upper hand in several weeks. Juppé’s reforms sector strikes, particularly in membership has declined from the competition for members, were defeated, and Chirac’s party transportation, to try to bring France nearly 30 percent of the workforce in funding, and bargaining power. was crushed in legislative elections to a halt. It can anticipate at least the 1970s to 11 percent today — two years later; the 2015-2016 some public support for this. France and much of that is concentrated in Chronic divisions among the major clashes were less spectacular but remains France: The country’s the public sector. Strikes, for which French union confederations have played out similarly. militant, left-leaning, and protest- France was once notorious, have been around as long as French prone subculture still exists, ready to declined in parallel. capitalism. During earlier postwar Macron knows that this history could be stimulated by labor action. La decades, the pro-communist CGT threaten his reform plans. To make France Insoumise (France The labor code still stands, however, (Confédération Générale du Travail) it difficult for unions to protest, he Unbowed), a coalition of radical left- despite multiple efforts by Macron’s dominated but had to compete with has thus decided to reform by wing groups led by Jean-Luc predecessors to reform it — a the stodgy social Catholic CFTC decrees (though the specific new Mélenchon, who won just under 20 testament to the fact that, when they (Confédération Française des rules will still eventually have to be percent in the first round of the want to, French unions can still Travailleurs Chrétiens) and the anti- approved by Parliament before they presidential election — about the strike with paralyzing effect. Macron communist FO (Force Ouvrière). become law). Further, he wants to same number that the now-eclipsed learned this during the most recent Each had its particular strongholds, move immediately, to place unions French Communist Party won in the attempt at major labor reforms in but their rivalries were deeply at a disadvantage. Not much but 1970s — did reasonably well in the 2015-2016, when he was finance motivated by Cold War politics: The vacationing happens over summer parliamentary vote and has talked of minister under the François CGT, a descendant of earlier in France, and the French do not new resistance. Hollande presidency, in which anarcho-syndicalist movements, take kindly to strikes disrupting their ambitious proposals were watered- tended to pull out all the militant holidays. Macron’s goal is to The stakes of this effort to change down versions because of union stops against anything it saw as pro- complete the reforms by the time labor law are high, not just for mobilization. American. The FO, nurtured by citizens have resumed their post- France but for Europe as a whole. American unions and intelligence vacation routines in late September. Reforming the country’s labor code Macron now seeks to bring France services, resisted the CGT almost The procedure requires that is necessary, according to the new closer to a Scandinavian-style no matter what it did, while the France’s “social partners” — unions president, for new economic system of “flexi-security.” This will CFTC drew its support from and employers — be “consulted,” so flexibility, greater economic growth, eventually include helping those out practicing Catholics and anti- 48 consultation sessions have been lower unemployment, and increased of work to transition between jobs communist, anti-class conflict scheduled until July 21. In these competitiveness. But it might be less painfully through revamped church doctrine. These dynamics talks, Macron hopes further to divide even more necessary for re- unemployment insurance plans and have shifted over the years: The the unions by seducing the more energizing the EU, Macron’s other more effective worker training CGT has remained rebellious, but its compliant CFDT, now slightly larger urgent goal. Macron hopes to programs: a gradual shift toward main rival is now the energetic, than the CGT, to cooperate in restore the Franco-German “engine” protecting workers rather than reformist CFDT (Confédération exchange for some influence over to soften Germany’s overdriven protecting jobs. But his initial Française Démocratique du Travail), the reforms’ contents. The CFDT devotion to austerity, its opposition measures are aimed at giving which split from the CFTC in the has already announced conditional to a more federal eurozone companies more flexibility in dealing mid-1960s; the FO, meanwhile, has willingness to accept decentralized “economic government” with a with employees. Tough slowly abandoned its visceral anti- bargaining but opposes new legal budget, finance minister, and requirements for dismissing workers communism. limits on penalties for abusive firing. parliament, and its rejection of new will be streamlined by capping forms of European financial severance costs and lightening legal Still, over the decades these CGT and FO union leaders, by solidarity. But for France to re- procedures. Working-time divisions have fed patterns of contrast, have made their skepticism establish its EU influence, Angela regulations will be loosened, conflict, in which unions often clear during these initial Merkel’s Germany will first have to allowing much more flexible targeted their rivals as energetically consultations, though they have be persuaded that Macron can scheduling, albeit without completely as they did employers or the state. been at pains to maintain a succeed at his domestic reforms. abandoning France’s present 35- respectful and polite tone with a Merkel and her team have long seen hour workweek. In theory, such And in these interunion fights, the popular president at the height of his France as an ineffective, debt- changes, by making it easier to fire CGT’s aggressive militancy has post-victory honeymoon. The CGT’s prone, and politically and workers and to adjust their proved an especially rewarding tough general secretary, Philippe economically stalemated neighbor. schedules to fit business needs, will tactic; it tends to spark conflicts that Martinez, has announced that Macron sees labor reform as a large also make it easier to hire them. The other confederations, in turn, feel “weakening the rights and protection first step toward changing this multiple institutions that currently obliged to join. In the past, the CGT of wage earners is … the equivalent perception. On its cover, the French represent workers — on shop floors, initiated crippling strikes in the public of authorizing social dumping.” The weekly Le Point recently worried in labor tribunals, and in social sector — on Parisian public FO leader has added that “social that Macron’s initiatives could programs — are also to be transport and the railroads in policies should not be adjustment provoke “the mother of all battles” consolidated, probably into one. particular — which have helped variables tied to economic dogma.” and that Macron might be “betting Most controversially, collective block change and, in some cases, Both are contemplating opposition his presidential term.” But labor bargaining will be decentralized from had lasting political consequences. but haven’t committed yet. What reform is at the very center of his the sectoral to firm level. These The strikes of 1995, in particular, follows will depend on the reforms’ plans, and he can hardly back off measures, depending upon their stand out. After new President final details and on whether in a pro- now. details, could weaken existing union Jacques Chirac’s first prime Macron political climate they risk confederations; they are unlikely to minister, Alain Juppé, proposed

French Growth Picking Up as Macron Pursues Change William Horobin Tuesday, giving President the clip recorded at the start of the Unemployment will continue Emmanuel Macron a boost as he year, according to Insee’s forecasts. declining and reach 9.4% by the end sets out to shake up the economy. Shocks that held back the economy of the year, compared with 10% at in 2016—a poor harvest, weak the end of 2016, the forecasts show. PARIS—French economic output is The eurozone’s second-largest improving and will record its fastest exports and a tourist season economy will expand by 1.6% this disrupted by terror attacks—should The French growth rate will growth in six years in 2017, national year, the highest rate since 2011, as therefore be closer to that of the statistics agency Insee said no longer do so in 2017, the growth continues at slightly above statistics agency said. eurozone as a whole, after lagging

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 5 behind its neighbors for the past To meet his goals, the French Economists have raised their growth In agriculture, cereal and wine three years, the statistics agency president will seek parliamentary estimates for the French economy in harvests should recover in 2017 said. approval next month to change labor recent weeks. The Bank of France after poor weather conditions sank laws by decree, a move that raises earlier this month raised its growth output last summer, Insee said. And Recent signs of a firming economy the possibility of a showdown with forecasts slightly to 1.4% this year the construction sector should are a boon for Mr. Macron, less than labor unions. and 1.6% in 2018. accelerate sharply after stagnating two months after he came to power last year following two years of promising an overhaul of the Stronger growth could help the 39- In its report Tuesday, Insee said decline. economic policies of his year-old leader smooth the business confidence has risen since predecessor and mentor François introduction of potentially disruptive the end of 2016, especially in French consumer-spending growth Hollande. changes to labor laws that could industry, where managers are will recover after a standstill in the give companies greater latitude to bullish about activity as their order first quarter, although it is unlikely to Mr. Macron says Mr. Hollande’s pro- work around national rules, such as books fill up and foreign demand expand as much as in 2016 due to business overhauls didn’t go far the 35-hour workweek. Stronger improves. Corporate investment will higher inflation, Insee said. enough and France needs to further French growth could also help Mr. increase sharply again in 2017, loosen the restrictions of its complex Macron deliver on promises to although Insee expects a jolt in the labor code to encourage hiring and contain France’s budget deficit while second quarter when a tax-incentive catch up with more buoyant cutting taxes for businesses and program comes to an end. European economies. households.

Terrorism in Britain: How do you build bridges when 'enough is enough'? The Christian Science Monitor steps of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Nida Mumith, a teen volunteer with must all admit the problem before London and ended at the East British nonprofit Muslim Aid, which we can attempt to challenge it.” London Mosque. “The more we sponsored the sunset walk, says meet, the more we have dialogue she and her friends are frightened Meanwhile, Muhammad Manwar Ali, June 20, 2017 London—When a former jihadist fighter who now British Prime Minister Theresa May and events together, it’s an by such statistics. “It creates this opportunity to understand each sense of not being comfortable in combats Islamic extremism through responded to the London Bridge his organization JIMAS, tweeted in terrorist attack this month with the other,” he says. “It breaks the your own area – wherever you go barriers of fear, of the unknown.” you’ll hear about someone being support of the British government’s words “enough is enough,” it wasn’t controversial anti-radicalization just campaign rhetoric. beaten up because they’re Muslim, Standing beside the imam was or [about] hateful comments thrown program, PREVENT. Jonathan Baker, the Bishop of It sums up a wearing down of at them,” she says. Grassroots or state-led efforts? patience across Western Europe, Fulham. “It’s hugely important that which has born witness to over a we all witness the fact that we stand Taking part in the sunset walk, Still, many fear such programs are dozen major terrorist attacks in 30 together as citizens of the one city,” which was initially organized to raise counterproductive to trust. months. he says. “We all want to live in funds in support of Syrian refugees peace, in safety, in mutual respect but expanded to condemn extreme "Basically the state is asking people Britain had been spared the with one another.” religious violence in Britain and to spy on each other, and that’s barrage, much of it inspired by the around the world, is her way of really not conducive to an so-called Islamic State, until it 'Not comfortable in your own helping to counter intolerance. atmosphere of trust”, says Amina shifted to the British stage this area' “We’re all here to show unity. Yaqin, a senior lecturer in spring, with four attacks since That can seem a lofty goal these Everyone is sympathetic to each postcolonial Studies at SOAS- March. The first three were days, with mistrust running high other’s beliefs and differences,” she University of London. “It also gives perpetrated by Islamist extremists in between communities across many says. groups like ISIS a real opportunity to the name of religion, taking the lives quarters of Europe. say, ‘Look, you’re mistrusted of innocent victims commuting from Tensions in Britain are high, but the anyway, so come over to our side.'" work, out walking, dancing at The suspect of Sunday’s attack near strains are felt everywhere. As concerts, or celebrating. The the Finsbury Park Mosque was London was reeling Monday, a car She says interfaith and grassroots youngest was just 8 years old. The named as Darren Osborne, a crashed into a police vehicle on initiatives are generally more latest was carried out Sunday night resident of Wales who allegedly said Paris’s Champs-Elysees, what effective than state-led programs in against Muslims worshiping at a at the scene that he wished to “kill authorities call a probable terrorist fostering the kind of mutual mosque during the holy month of all Muslims” as he drove a van into a attack. Such incidents barely vulnerability that engenders Ramadan, confirming the dread that crowd. One person was killed. It dominate the news anymore – after cooperation – the kind on view as many have felt amid a fraying of immediately generated more shrill three major attacks in France have the two-mile sunset walk ends at the nerves: that “enough is enough” will reaction, with some right-wing left 231 dead and hundreds injured East London Mosque on a recent give way to the most violent forms of extremists calling it revenge for since the first on the offices of the Saturday. Here the evening meal, or Islamophobia. jihadi violence, while Islamic satirical Charlie Hebdo in Paris in iftar, to break the fast of Ramadan, extremists called for a “wake up” in January 2015. is distributed in yellow styrofoam In the middle stand community the Muslim community. The attack containers. But first a group of groups and faith leaders, who are Muslim groups have shown the speakers reflects on the challenges was all the more contentious amid same degree of exasperation over trying to foster dialogue and counter media reports that the mosque, ahead, even more important after the hotheadedness that threatens to what are starting to feel like the attack Sunday on the Finsbury once the stage of radical cleric Abu incessant strikes. The London- roll back years of work on co- Hamza al-Masri, had recently been Park Mosque, just a few miles away. existence. “In the current climate of based Quilliam Foundation released recognized for its efforts to fight a stern statement following the early “How do we respond to bombs and the world we live in, there’s a need extremism. for more understanding,” says Imam June attacks in the British capital, murder in Tehran, Syria, Yunus Dudhwala, the head of It comes as hate crimes are on the seeming to align with Ms. May’s Manchester, London? By refusing chaplaincy at Barts Health NHS rise. In the week following the sentiment. the fragmentation and the fear that Trust, a group of hospitals serving London Bridge rampage, reported these killers wish to instill into our “Enough is enough – we need action open society,” says the Rev. Alan East London. attacks against Muslims increased now and not tip-toeing around the by fivefold, according to figures Green, rector of St. John Church on He was speaking at a recent “sunset issue,” Quilliam Foundation CEO Bethnal Green and chair of the released by London Mayor Sadiq Haras Rafiq said. “The [terrorists’] walk” – after the London Bridge Khan. Tower Heights Interfaith Forum. “In incident and before the latest attack ideology has its roots in Islamist- the face of fear, murder, and – that started on the sun-dappled inspired Salafi Jihadism and we ignorance, we continue to proclaim

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 6 that we are better together and have to divide us – we do it simply by no place for hate…. In the end, the talking and listening.” way we will defeat those who seek

Moghul : Trump's silence after attack on Muslims speaks volumes For a long time, and colleagues thought I was a little themselves neo-Nazis, well then it's long time. I know a lot of people a lot of Muslims different, my name slightly harder to crickets. don't like to hear this. It's easier to had their heads in the sand when it pronounce, but I never encountered imagine that someone else, far came to jihadist violence. They overt hostility. These kids, though, After a mass shooting at a mosque away, and very different from preferred to pretend as if it did not they're growing up in a different in Quebec, nothing. After a man in ourselves, is exclusively to blame. exist, or that foreign policy was world. Portland stabbed to death two solely to blame. others on a train who were trying to People often ask me what we can Shortly before I took the stage, I defend a woman from his anti- do to stop terrorism, and sometimes We've come a long way. We've heard about an attack in London. A Muslim epithets -- nothing. And now they're looking for easy answers, learned that radicalization is a thing, van, mowing down pedestrians. after London -- nothing. which absolve them of any and that we have a responsibility -- if responsibility. They're fine we love our religion and our ISIS, I thought. Again, I despaired. Trump's silence is all the more demanding that Muslims, abstractly, communities -- to think about what disappointing since even his do something, and sometimes they But soon the details filtered out. The daughter, Ivanka, has spoken out. we can do to produce a different attack had happened outside a seem to believe that Muslims aren't future for Islam and for Muslims. To mosque. I have long feared that But she is not the President, and her condemning terrorism (which we change how our religion is taught in years of attacks by jihadists in the words cannot carry the same are), and if they were, terrorism some spaces and some places. West, coupled with a media that at weight. would stop. But what happens if we best dismisses Islamophobia and, at turn the question around? Donald Trump and his supporters Terrorism -- against civilians for are going to have to make the same worst -- and especially, but not I told those young Muslims Sunday exclusively, on the right -- fans the political purposes -- has many journey. They've excused, or even causes. Some of it is clearly rooted night that they have to find their own encouraged, extremist language and flames of bigotry, intolerance and relationship to Islam. They have to anti-Muslim extremism, would lead in religious ideology, but is twisted, rhetoric for a long time now, and, in a willful perversion of sacred text, find something that connects them well, here we are today, with a us to this outcome. Something like to their religion, something that tit-for-tat violence. to encourage and celebrate brutality. President who pretends that That ideology has to be addressed, doesn't come from their parents or violence against Muslims doesn't Horrified denunciations of the attack and is being addressed, by their teachers. I told them that it's matter. rolled out across social media. countless Muslims all across the going to be hard to do that when there's so much hate out there. On Sunday night, I was delivering a world. (Muslims are the greatest President Trump? He had nothing to victims of jihadist terror.) book reading at a Muslim cultural say. Had the news been of an attack Hate by some Muslims -- against center in Florida and was asked to by Muslims, he has by now made But some of it has to do with political other Muslims and against the speak directly to the young Muslims clear, he would have boldly taken to policies, choices made by men and world. And hate against Muslims, in the room, to share my own Twitter, no matter the hour, and women in power, whether they be to too. They're growing up in a different experiences and struggles growing used an instance of outrageous funnel weapons to regimes or America. up as an American Muslim. violence to justify his policies. But movements guilty of crimes against It's an America in which the The truth is, my experiences and when it's violence against Muslims, humanity, or to pursue enormities, President doesn't appear to care if theirs are very different. When I was and especially by terrorists who such as the Iraq war, whose terrible things happen to people just growing up, Islamophobia wasn't share sympathies with white consequences will likely and like them. They can choose to fall to much of a thing. Maybe my friends supremacists, if they are not unfortunately be with us for a very his level, or rise to the occasion.

The Political Kindling of the Grenfell Fire Samuel Earle economies, none rely as heavily on is the wealthiest constituency in is banned in several countries, one area as the U.K. does: London’s Britain, and one of its most unequal. including the United States and per capita GDP is almost two and a Within its 12 square kilometers, Germany. The £8.7-million, it During last year’s Brexit campaign, half times Britain’s national average. Kensington Palace—the royal seems, could not stretch so far as to both the Leave and Remain camps But London’s enviable self- residence of Dukes, Duchesses, afford a sprinkler-system for the tried to use Britain’s economic confidence, its robust financial Princes, and Princesses—and block, functioning fire alarms in the health to bolster their respective services sector, and glittering Kensington Park Gardens, London’s rooms and corridors, or ventilation causes. Remain argued that the facade, obscure the devastating most expensive street, sit just a systems in the stairwells. inequality that plagues the U.K. short walk from Grenfell Tower and country’s economy, the world’s fifth- In the aftermath of the fire, at least largest, was proof it should remain While the city is Britain’s lone its surroundings, which are some of representative among the 10 richest the most deprived areas in England. two of the firms responsible for the in the European Union, so refurbishment have seemingly prosperous had the past few regions in northern Europe, the country also includes a stunning While the full human cost of the removed reference to their specific decades been; Leave took it as Grenfell fire has yet to emerge, the roles from their websites. The final, evidence that membership was nine of northern Europe’s 10 poorest regions. facts we do know are horrific and fatal result turned Grenfell Tower unnecessary, and ultimately won the damning. Last year, Kensington and into a “death trap,” as the front page day. The fire that ripped through Grenfell Chelsea Tenant Management of the Evening Standard raged the Since Leave’s victory, Britain has Tower in west London was a horrific Organization (KCTMO), the non- following day. The death toll slipped to sixth in the economic reminder of the violent profit group that manages the estate currently stands at 79; it is expected rankings. Yet either position, fifth or contradictions on which this city and on behalf of RBKC’s council, to rise even higher. country rest. Before being reduced completed an £8.7-million sixth, is misleading: Broadly Many residents and local members speaking, Britain is an economically to a cindered skeleton in the early refurbishment of the building. It hours of June 14, Grenfell Tower, involved covering the exterior in of the community sounded the alarm average country, with one about the building long before the exceptionally rich region—London, which opened in 1974, was home to cladding to improve its insulation hundreds. The 24-floor building of and appearance. The cheap, fire. A blog post from 2016 by which is reportedly home to more Grenfell Action Group, an advocacy multimillionaires and billionaires 120 one- and two-bedroom flats flammable material used, it is now stood in the northwestern quarter of known, was £2-cheaper per square association for residents, hammered than any other city in the world, and home this point: serves as the country’s economic the Royal Borough of Kensington meter than the fire-resistant engine. Of the EU’s 15 strongest and Chelsea (RBKC). This borough alternative. Its use on tower blocks

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It is a truly terrifying thought but the slowness with which its causes Consequently, the local authorities’ with arm-bands on,” he quipped. In Grenfell Action Group firmly believe stacked up. The tragedy of Grenfell spending has been reduced by 37 a January 2012 speech, Cameron that only a catastrophic event will Tower goes beyond cladding, the percent since 2010, and is expected then revealed his government’s new expose the ineptitude and contempt of the KCTMO, or the to fall even further over the coming year’s resolution “to kill off the health incompetence of our landlord, Conservative-run council. The years. Housing-service budgets and safety culture for good.” He KCTMO, and bring an end to the ultimate responsibility lies with the partly pay for property-inspection to argued that it had become an dangerous living conditions and British state, a succession of ensure homes meet basic “albatross around the neck of British neglect of health and safety governing bodies that, over time, standards—and they have been business,” a “health and safety legislation that they inflict upon their have imposed a political system that slashed by a quarter over the same monster” that contributed to tenants and leaseholders…. readily entrusts the safety of citizens period. In 2012, a telling pamphlet “pointless time-wasting.” He wrote to market mechanisms. was distributed to local councils by an article in the Evening Standard, Not only were many warnings from the department for communities and opining on how it “saps personal residents ignored; officials This ideology, maintained to various local government. Entitled “50 Ways responsibility and drains enterprise” threatened them with legal action (in degrees over the past few decades, to Save: Examples of sensible and is “smothering” Britain’s “real 2012, cuts introduced by the places austerity above all else. savings in local governments,” its pioneering, risk-taking spirit.” “We Conservative-led coalition Many local authorities now view it as helpful suggestions for councils need to realize … that some government to legal aid almost their duty to spend as little as highlight the pressures placed on accidents are inevitable,” he wrote. ended financial support for housing possible on their residents, and in them. The suggestions include: cases entirely). The author of the many cases have no choice. The “claw back money from benefit This desire to de-regulate industry blog post, which has gone viral borough of RBKC may fall more cheats,” “sell services,” “stop was not for the sake of the public— since the fire, was accused of easily into the former bracket, with translating documents into foreign it was simply the other side of “harassment” by the Conservative- reports claiming it holds a £274 languages,” “earn more from private austerity: The more rules there are run council. “ALL OUR WARNINGS million contingency fund. But it did advertising,” and do not “routinely to impose, the more government FELL ON DEAF EARS,” one of the not come to embrace such spend time and money on Equality must be there to impose them. Take top blog post of Grenfell Action parsimony on its own: It was Impact Assessments.” away the rules, take away the need Group’s site now reads. endorsed by the highest echelons of for government; let business run Britain’s political class, Conservative Meanwhile, the Conservative Party’s free. Boris Johnson (another While this fire could have happened and Labour alike. long-standing and deep-rooted Kensington resident) also wrote in almost anywhere in Britain, it seems opbposition to state-imposed fire 2009 that “health and safety fears that it could not have happened to Between 1979 and 1990, Margaret and safety regulations is also likely are making Britain a safe place for anyone: Only the most-vulnerable Thatcher spearheaded reductions in to have laid the ground for the extremely stupid people.” As the members of British society could be council funding and encouraged the Grenfell Fire. For decades, mayor of London between 2008 and treated with such contempt. Nor is it outsourcing of local services like no Conservatives have harbored a 2015, he would then go on to close a coincidence that so many of the one else before her. Tony Travers, unique disdain for so-called 10 fire stations in the capital, cutting residents were of ethnic minority the British academic and journalist, government “red tape” that 27 fire engines and around 600 groups; many were Muslim. has called it an “11-year war” on supposedly stands in the way of firefighter posts, with “savings of According to The Guardian, Danny local government. The New Labour British businesses. Whereas the over £28-million.” In 2014, Dorling, a professor of geography at years that followed, between 1997 Labour Party was complicit in Conservative MP Brandon Lewis, Oxford, “has shown that black and and 2010, did not surrender any hollowing out council funding and the housing minister at the time, minority-ethnic people in social ground: “We are all Thatcherites outsourcing public services to neatly summed up the Tory stance: housing are disproportionately now,” Peter Mandelson, Tony Blair’s private companies, on this particular “It is the responsibility of the fire housed in flats.” trusted adviser, famously declared score—the state’s failure to ensure industry, rather than the in 2002. Regulations and that bare-minimum safety standards government, to market fire sprinkler On Friday, Jeremy Corbyn, leader of responsibilities traded hands, and by the Labour Party, aptly labeled the were met—the Conservative Party systems effectively and to the 2000s, 85 percent of local will stand all but alone in the encourage their wider installation.” Grenfell story as “a tale of two government expenditures were cities”—a Dickensian tragedy played interrogation booth. Now we know where such blind faith being determined by the central in the market can lead. out in the 21st century, with all the government, up from 60 percent in Cameron’s government sought to modern flourishes: high-definition the 1970s. Then, from 2010 on, loosen the regulations and Grenfell Tower is a scar on footage of the fire live-streamed, Conservative prime minister David formalities private firms must comply London’s skyline, and it will not fade minute-by-minute media updates, Cameron (a Kensington resident) with, on the premise that this would even when the building is finally occasional Facebook statuses from took on the task with particular liberate private developers to build brought down. It is a reminder that those trapped inside, and then relish. Slashing the deficit became more housing, an area where the the wealth of any city or nation is no crowd-funding initiatives set up to the overarching priority of his two country and the capital suffer a protection for the safety of its deal with the fall-out. New props for governments, with local authorities chronic shortage. Cameron made citizens, whether it is fifth, sixth, or very old problems: poverty and charged with implementing the this ambition clear wherever he first in the rankings. Whatever the inequality. policy. could. Speaking at the Conservative immediate causes of the fire, a Indeed, the speed of the fire—within Party conference in October 2011, bundle of government policies lay Grenfell Tower is a scar on he declared that the “shadow of buried within its walls, so much minutes, it had spread from the London’s skyline, and it will not fade fourth floor to the top of the building, health and safety” was “one of the tinder and fuel for the flames to take even when the building is finally biggest things holding people back. light. engulfing the entire structure in just brought down. a few hours—belied the creeping … Britannia didn't rule the waves

Editorial : More Doubts Are Raised Over Mrs. May’s Leadership The Editorial Alas, politicians usually long for a could spell more trouble. John least 79 lives unleashed furious Board respite at times when they are least Major, the former Conservative criticism at the government over likely to deserve one. prime minister, went so far as to what survivors and others perceived publicly warn that such an alliance as the government’s longstanding Mrs. May and her party have had could undermine the delicate indifference to obvious safety “What the country needs now is a two terrible weeks, largely through period of calm while we get on with sectarian peace in Northern Ireland, hazards — including, lamentably, their own doing. After losing her while other Tories voiced concern the absence of sprinkler systems in the job at hand,” said Britain’s parliamentary majority in an entirely chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip about the D.U.P.’s opposition to older public housing — as well as its unnecessary election she called for abortion and same-sex marriage. failure to invest in better living Hammond, no doubt reflecting what in April, she was left trying to form a was on the mind of the prime conditions generally. The prime governing coalition with a hard-line Mrs. May’s standing was further minister’s slow and seemingly minister, Theresa May, and many a Protestant Northern Ireland party, eroded when a horrific blaze in a fellow Conservative politician. the Democratic Unionist Party, that public housing tower that took at

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 8 uncaring response did nothing to The one benefit to be found in this objective of many who wanted to continued fealty to the prime improve her standing. mess is that Mrs. May must now leave the union — and make trade minister. take into account a broader range of deals free of the jurisdiction of the Mrs. May is severely handicapped ideas on what sort of divorce to seek European Court of Justice. The Grenfell Tower tragedy should as she opens formal talks on Brexit with the European Union. also impress on Mrs. May that she with the European Union this week But proponents of a softer exit — cannot hope to gain the political and presents an extensive Mrs. May has indicated in the past like Mr. Hammond, who would credibility she needs for a legislative program — much of it that she wants a “hard” exit that will prefer that Britain remain at least in successful Brexit negotiation without required to withdraw from the union take Britain out of the bloc’s single the customs union in order to protect simultaneously pursuing a domestic — when the newly elected market and customs union. That British jobs and trade — are likely to agenda that addresses Britain’s Parliament holds its first session on way, she argued, she can control ask for a stronger voice as well as domestic inequalities. Wednesday. British immigration policy — a major concessions in exchange for

O’Sullivan : Theresa May's Troubles and 'The Troubles' dissipated and political parties from A Tory-DUP agreement could have Northern Ireland, James different sides of the conflict have other effects as well. On the positive Brokenshire, may believe they can On Monday, the newly elected successfully shared power for much side of the ledger, it would increase remain honest brokers -- and it is Prime Minister of Ireland, Leo of the last two decades. But it would the chances of a “softer” Brexit, Brokenshire who is trying to Varadkar, emerged from his meeting be incorrect to think that tensions particularly as it relates to Northern negotiate the agreement at with his British counterpart, Theresa are gone and that there is no risk of Ireland, something the DUP has Stormont right now. But it is very May, promising good news. a return to fraught times. advocated. What exactly this would tough to see how a U.K. government Varadkar said he was satisfied May entail is not yet clear, and May dependent on the DUP for its would not jeopardize the peace Longtime U.S. diplomat Richard would obviously be unable to survival can be perceived as agreement in Northern Ireland in her Haass and I learned this firsthand in guarantee any particular outcome of unbiased in its efforts to forge efforts to secure the support of that 2013 when, at the request of the a long negotiation with the European compromises between the DUP and province’s Democratic Unionist government of Northern Ireland, we Union that just began this week. But other local parties. Party for her government. sought -- unsuccessfully -- to help almost certainly, the DUP -- as well broker a deal to resolve many as other parties in Northern Ireland May should not dismiss these Yet even if this is true, it is issues that continue to be the legitimate concerns about her unrealistic to hope that a deal and the Dublin government -- hope source of tension between to preserve free flow of goods and government’s role in Northern between the Tories and the DUP will communities: Republicans and Ireland’s politics going forward. But have no impact on the politics of people across the land border Unionists, Catholics and between Northern Ireland and in and of themselves, they are Northern Ireland. And if Varadkar is Protestants. probably not sufficient to argue wrong, we could be headed toward Ireland, a welcome development since the Good Friday Agreement. against a confidence and supply a political stalemate or worse, and a If not handled deftly, the region -- arrangement with the DUP. possible economic crisis in that already unsettled by Brexit -- could After all, the Good Friday corner of the United Kingdom. become a much bigger headache Agreement was predicated on the Clear thinking from leading voices in for London. Earlier this year, the business, economics, politics, May needs the DUP, which is idea that, over time, borders leading Republican Party, Sinn Fein, between countries would become foreign affairs, culture, and more. dedicated to keeping Northern suspended its participation in the Ireland part of the U.K., to join in a less important, not more. For those Share the View power-sharing government, leading who yearned to reunite the island of “confidence and supply” to its collapse. Since then, the arrangement, in which its Ireland, they could take satisfaction Instead, May should talk with all British government, with support that the border between Northern parties involved about inviting an representatives in Westminster from Dublin, has been trying to would vote with her Conservatives Ireland and the southern republic independent outsider -- perhaps a broker an agreement between the would become less and less former senior British official now out on votes of no-confidence or other DUP, Sinn Fein and other parties to key matters such as the budget. significant, even if the status of the of government -- to take the lead in restart the power-sharing region as part of the U.K. never arbitrating political issues in This would give the DUP outsized arrangements at Stormont, Northern influence, which some worry might changed. In any case, all parties Northern Ireland. There is, of Ireland’s parliament. A deadline of today want to avoid a “hard” Brexit course, a long history of such be used to put off a referendum on the end of this month has been set. whether the province should remain that reimposes a strong border and independent negotiators, with former part of U.K or join Ireland, which The prospect of the DUP becoming endangers trade links, which would U.S. Senator George Mitchell being was allowed for under certain the key partner in a Tory likely cause both economic hardship the most notable. As Haass and I circumstances by the 1998 Good government has already slowed and political agitation. can attest, this is no cushy job. But if an independent mediator has the Friday Agreement that ended the down these talks and added a layer A Tory-DUP deal could, however, “The Troubles.” Varadkar says he’s of complexity to them. Some active support of both the U.K. and also adversely affect the politics of Irish governments, he or she may be confident May will not yield to any speculate that Sinn Fein would Northern Ireland, even if May makes DUP request to put off the vote. prefer to wait to see whether May able not only to help restore the no promises about staving off a government at Stormont, but to get will face a leadership challenge or if referendum. The Good Friday Most Americans probably believe new British elections will be called, all parties to finally address the that the conflict in Northern Ireland Agreement requires both the U.K. issues, such as reckoning with the rather than to come to any power- and Irish governments to be was resolved years ago and that the sharing agreement with the DUP past, that continue to divide region is now a poster child for “rigorously impartial” in its Northern Ireland. now, given that it perceives the party implementation. Ten Downing Street successful peacemaking. In some to have the upper hand. ways this is accurate -- violence has and its Secretary of State for

Britain’s path to hard Brexit revealed in queen’s speech Tom McTague of both the single market and the 2019, covering the period of Britain’s The government will also seek to and Annabelle customs union, was confirmed negotiated departure from the EU, pass legislation on agriculture and Dickson Wednesday in a queen’s speech the prime minister will aim to pass fisheries — both of which will be containing eight separate pieces of bills repatriating powers over both overseen by the new Environment Brexit legislation which clears the trade and customs, ending freedom Secretary Michael Gove, one of the LONDON — A hard Brexit it is then. way for Britain’s eventual departure of movement and ensuring Britain leading Brexiteers — and push from the bloc in March 2019. can strike its own free-trade deals ahead with a “Repeal Bill,” which U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May’s outside the EU. downloads EU law onto the U.K. plan for a clean break from the Over a special two-year statute book, ensuring there isn’t a European Union, taking Britain out parliamentary session until summer

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 9 regulatory cliff edge when Britain Controversially, the bill creates operate its own independent trade In short, the bill withdraws Britain leaves. “temporary powers” for parliament to policy upon exit from the European from the Common Fisheries Policy. amend EU law without a vote under Union.” According to a government briefing The ambition, set out in a speech so-called Henry VIII powers, which document published alongside the written by the government but critics insist is a government power This is simply not possible within the queen’s speech, it will “enable the delivered by Queen Elizabeth, grab. Downing Street insists it is customs union. U.K. to exercise responsibility for provides official confirmation that the necessary to tweak the wording of 4. Immigration bill access to fisheries and U.K. intends to stick to the prime legislation to make it suitable for management of its waters.” It will minister’s vision of Brexit, as set out U.K. domestic law and will not be New legislation will be introduced to also allow the government to set in her Lancaster House speech in used to alter the meaning. “control the number of people U.K. fishing quotas separate from January, despite the Conservative coming here from Europe.” the EU. Party’s failure to win an overall 2. Customs bill majority in the general election It will allow for the repeal of EU law How much access the U.K. agrees earlier this month. Whether Britain remains temporarily on immigration, “primarily free to give EU fishing fleets remains in the customs union after Brexit movement,” which otherwise would open for negotiation and Should the government win majority remains a contentious issue in become part of U.K. law under the compromise. support for its program in a vote government. repeal bill. expected next week it will also The fisheries bill — alongside all the introduce a “nuclear safeguards bill” Chancellor Philip Hammond is on While there is almost no detail on Brexit legislation — will apply U.K- and an “international sanctions bill.” record with his support for an the nature of the new immigration wide and is seen in government as extended “implementation period” regime the government hopes to an important tool for winning support The program, which has to be before leaving the customs union establish after Brexit, the queen’s in Scotland. passed in just two years without a entirely. speech states that it will “make the majority government to enforce it, is 6. Agriculture bill According to a briefing note migration of EU nationals and their the most detailed breakdown of how family members subject to relevant Brexit will be enacted in practice. published alongside the queen’s Almost no details are given on the speech Wednesday, however, the U.K. law once the U.K. has left the future shape of U.K. agricultural Several pledges in the Conservative government will “ensure the U.K. EU.” policy. However, the briefing note manifesto were omitted from the has a standalone U.K. customs This statement of intent effectively accompanying the queen’s speech queen’s speech, in particular the regime on exit.” means EU nationals will no longer promises that the government will expansion of grammar schools and “provide stability” to British farmers New legislation will be introduced to have the automatic right to live and a free vote on bringing back fox work in the U.K. under EU law — currently in receipt of EU subsidies hunting, both of which proved “control the number of people while also aiming to make the sector coming here from Europe.” any right to move to Britain will be controversial during the election subject to the U.K. immigration rules “more competitive, productive and campaign. Social care plans, which This will give the government set in Westminster. profitable.” would have seen assets worth over flexibility, the document says, to 7. Nuclear safeguards bill £100,000 used to pay for social care “accommodate” future trade The wording does not rule out a after people die and were credited agreements with the EU and other liberal immigration regime being This bill confirms Britain will leave as one of the key reasons May lost countries. introduced — such as a visa waiver Euratom when it departs the her majority, were replaced with a area covering all of the EU, meaning European Union. promise to “bring forward proposals It will also give the government any EU citizen could move to the for consultation.” power to make changes to VAT and U.K. with a job offer. But it does end The proposed legislation aims to excise regimes. the concept of freedom of give the U.K. Office for Nuclear Here are the eight Brexit bills: movement, guaranteed by EU law Regulation the safeguarding powers The bill does not rule out a 1. Repeal bill and enforced by the European Court to meet international standards. compromise transition arrangement of Justice. Perhaps more accurately described but it sets the course for an eventual 8. International sanctions bill hard Brexit. 5. Fisheries bill as the great copy-and-paste bill. The purpose of the bill is to “enable The bill aims to repeal the 1972 3. Trade bill Like the immigration bill, the the U.K. to continue to impose, European Communities Act, which purpose of the bill is radical but update and lift sanctions” after This is the clearest evidence yet that leaves plenty of scope for flexibility Brexit. is the basis of Britain’s membership the prime minister still intends to of the EU, but it also seeks to when it comes to how any new withdraw the U.K. from the single regime will actually work. The effect of this will be to “return convert all existing EU law into market and customs union. decision-making powers” over non- British law, ensuring “a smooth and How much access the U.K. agrees United Nations sanctions, which are orderly transition.” “The bill will put in place the to give EU fishing fleets remains currently administered by Brussels, essential and necessary legislative open for negotiation and to Westminster. framework to allow the U.K. to compromise.

Merkel Signals Openness to Eurozone Reforms Bertrand Benoit Germany could support two central states, Ms. Merkel said “we could Union—and a moment advocates of and Andrea French demands—the appointment think about a common finance further eurozone reforms say should Thomas of a eurozone finance minister and minister…if we aren’t pooling be seized. the creation of a common budget—if liabilities in the wrong place.” some conditions were met, Ms. An adviser to Mr. Macron said Ms. As qualified as it is, Ms. Merkel’s Merkel’s apparent openness to BERLIN—German Chancellor Merkel told business leaders in Berlin on Tuesday. surprise overture on an approach reforms was “very positive,” calling it Angela Merkel for the first time long taboo in Germany suggests the “part of this new Franco-German sketched out the outlines of a “We can of course think about a stalled process of reforming the climate of confidence.” bargain with France on fixing the eurozone budget as long as it’s eurozone could kick back into life governance of Europe’s single clear that this is really strengthening sooner than most experts had The chancellor’s comments took currency, in the clearest sign yet structures and achieving sensible expected. It comes a month after even some German officials by that the two biggest eurozone results,” she said. pro-European Emmanuel Macron surprise, coming ahead of a national countries are inching toward was elected French president, a win general election in September. reconciling sharply different views In a striking softening of previous many see as evidence that the Berlin had refused to engage in on the matter. language opposing broader financial continent’s political mood is growing detailed talks about the eurozone’s burden-sharing among member more supportive of the European future before the vote, insisting Mr.

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Macron had to prove his mettle first eurozone a sustainable German officials say they have been expert on Germany and a fiscal by enacting domestic economic construction. reluctant to engage with Mr. Macron conservative, as France’s economy measures over the summer. on eurozone reform ahead of minister as a sign that Paris is Germany has long focused on Germany’s general election because serious about engaging Speaking before Ms. Merkel in tougher central controls on public fiscal transfers are unpopular among constructively on eurozone reform. Berlin, the head of the German spending and rejected jointly issued the country’s voters. And they say Federation of Industry, Dieter bonds, which Berlin thinks would they are still skeptical about the Since France and Germany have Kempf, endorsed the idea of a encourage overspending by novice president’s ability to execute long sat on opposite sides of the common eurozone budget and economically fragile members. the tough domestic labor market spectrum of ideas about how to fix finance minister “if these steps are the eurozone, a Franco-German Under Mr. Macron, France has reforms and spending cuts he correctly conceived.” With such an campaigned on. agreement could go a long way approach, he said, “weak periods floated the idea of a joint eurozone toward mapping out reforms and imbalances could be countered budget to finance specific areas, “We still need to see the evidence,” acceptable to others. early and the possibility of real such as unemployment insurance one official said. crises further reduced.” and infrastructure investment, German officials say one question across the region—a notion French officials say rather than will be the scope of a possible The crisis that engulfed the anathema to Berlin until now. directly confronting Ms. Merkel on agreement, which could range from eurozone in 2010 and is only recasting the eurozone, they are tweaks to the existing structure to beginning to dissipate laid bare Both countries have at different concentrating in talks with their the creation of a fully fledged deep defects in the currency union’s times suggested the appointment of German counterparts on shorter- finance minister’s office and even a design, including weak central a finance minister for the eurozone, term goals more understandable for separate eurozone parliament. control on public spending and the though France sees that role as voters, such as tightening absence of incentives for countries overseeing a common budget while regulations on temporary workers The minimalist option could involve to harmonize disparate economies. Germany envisages a fiscal moving between EU countries. turning the region’s rescue fund into The eurozone also lacks the ability policeman. Progress on such issues would give a European Monetary Fund with stronger budget-oversight powers. to raise and spend money in ways Ms. Merkel’s comments, however, momentum to meeting longer-term that could help buffer downturns. suggest these two visions might be objectives for the eurozone, the The more ambitious version would reconciled into a common adviser to Mr. Macron said, which is require an amendment to European The severity of the cash crunch expected to be a central theme of a forced several member states to arrangement combining tougher Union treaties and therefore fiscal policing and some fiscal joint Franco-German cabinet unanimous agreement among all 28 seek emergency assistance from meeting mid-July. their peers and from the transfers between budget-surplus EU members—an option German International Monetary Fund. It also and deficit countries. After last weekend’s parliamentary Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has deemed “not realistic.” nearly caused the bloc’s weakest “This looks significant, especially election in France gave Mr. member, Greece, which remains about what it says about the state of Macron’s party a solid majority, “What’s clear is that a political under financial tutelage to this day, mind,” said Nicolas Véron, a recognition is growing in a skeptical window for eurozone reform will to drop out of the bloc. eurozone expert at Bruegel, a Berlin that he may have the seats— open after the German election,” the Brussels-based think tank, of Ms. and political clout—to deliver on his German official said. “When it does, The region has since equipped itself promises. Mr. Macron says he will with a banking authority and a Merkel’s comments. “It’s a signal do we go for the more realistic, there is a will to find a constructive move quickly to legislate changes to small-step approach or for the big rescue fund for states facing liquidity labor laws by the end of September. shortages, but most experts agree solution.” vision?” much is left to be done to make the German officials also see the appointment of Bruno Le Maire, an

Douglas Murray Book Excerpt: The Roots of the European Crisis arrivals and their children eating the Which brings me to the second world today, Europe is now deeply food of their place of origin, concatenation. For even the mass weighed down with guilt for its past. There is no single speaking the language of their place movement of millions of people into Alongside this outgoing version of cause of the present sickness of of origin, and worshipping the Europe would not sound such a final self-distrust runs a more introverted Europe. The culture produced by the religion of their place of origin. note for the continent were it not for version of the same guilt. For there tributaries of Judeo-Christian Streets in the cold and rainy the fact that (coincidentally or is also the problem in Europe of an culture, the Ancient Greeks and northern towns of Europe filled with otherwise) at the same time Europe existential tiredness and a feeling Romans, and the discoveries of the people dressed for the foothills of lost faith in its beliefs, traditions, and that perhaps for Europe the story Enlightenment has not been levelled Pakistan or the sandstorms of legitimacy. Countless factors have has run out and a new story must be by nothing. But the final act has Arabia. “The Empire strikes back,” contributed to this development, but allowed to begin. Mass immigration come about because of two noted some observers with a barely one is the way in which Western — the replacement of large parts of simultaneous concatenations from concealed smirk. Yet whereas the Europeans have lost what the the European populations by other which it is now all but impossible to empires of Europe had been thrown Spanish philosopher Miguel de people — is one way in which this recover. off, these new colonies were Unamuno famously called the “tragic new story has been imagined: a The first is the mass movement of obviously intended to be for good. sense of life.” They have forgotten change, we seemed to think, was as peoples into Europe. In all Western what the World War II generation so good as a rest. Such existential All the time Europeans found ways painfully learnt: that everything you civilizational tiredness is not a European countries this process to pretend this could work. By began after the Second World War love, even the greatest and most uniquely modern-European insisting, for instance, that such cultured civilizations in history, can phenomenon, but the fact that a due to labour shortages. Soon immigration was normal. Or that if Europe got hooked on the migration be swept away by people who are society should feel like it has run out integration did not happen with the unworthy of them. Other than simply of steam at precisely the moment and could not stop the flow even if it first generation then it might happen had wanted to. The result was that ignoring it, one of the few ways to when a new society has begun to with their children, grandchildren, or avoid this tragic sense of life is to move in cannot help but lead to what had been Europe — the home another generation yet to come. Or of the European peoples — push it away through a belief in the vast, epochal changes. that it didn’t matter whether people tide of human progress. That tactic gradually became a home for the integrated or not. All the time we Had it been possible to discuss entire world. The places that had remains for the time being the most waved away the greater likelihood popular approach. these matters some solution might been European gradually became that it just wouldn’t work. This is a have been reached. Yet even in somewhere else. So places conclusion that the migration crisis Yet all the time we skate over, and 2015, at the height of the migration dominated by Pakistani immigrants of recent years has simply sometimes fall into, terrible doubts crisis, it was speech and thought resembled Pakistan in everything accelerated. of our own creation. More than any that was constricted. At the peak of but their location, with the recent other continent or culture in the the crisis in September 2015

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Chancellor Merkel of Germany Genoans and Florentines are now report back on what they found. millennia ago, nor the French the asked the Facebook CEO, Mark melded into Italy. The skin color of Rarely, if ever, did the rest of the French. And yet they are Zuckerberg, what could be done to individuals from Eritrea and world return their curiosity in kind, recognizably Greek, English, and stop European citizens’ writing Afghanistan may be different, their but nevertheless the ships went out French and all are European. In criticisms of her migration policy on ethnic origins may be from further and returned with tales and these and other identities we Facebook. “Are you working on afield, but Europe will still be Europe discoveries that melded into the air recognize a degree of cultural this?” she asked him. He assured and its people will continue to of Europe. The receptivity was succession: a tradition that remains her that he was. In fact the criticism, mingle in the spirit of Voltaire and St prodigious: it was not, however, with certain qualities (positive as thought, and discussion ought to Paul, Dante, Goethe, and Bach. boundless. well as negative), customs, and have been boundless. Looking back, behaviors. We recognize the great it is remarkable how restricted we More than any other continent or The question of where the movements of the Normans, Franks, made our discussion even whilst we culture in the world today, Europe is boundaries of the culture lay is and Gauls brought about great opened our home to the world. A now deeply weighed down with guilt endlessly argued over by changes. And we know from history thousand years ago the peoples of for its past. anthropologists and cannot be that some movements affect a Genoa and Florence were not as solved. But there were boundaries. culture relatively little in the long As with so many popular delusions Europe was never, for instance, a intermingled as they now are, but there is something in this. The term whereas others can change it today they are all recognizably continent of Islam. Yet the irrevocably. The problem comes not nature of Europe has always shifted awareness that our culture is Italian and tribal differences have and — as trading cities like Venice with an acceptance of change, but tended to lessen rather than grow constantly, subtly changing has with the knowledge that when those show — has included a grand and deep European roots. with time. The current thinking uncommon receptiveness to foreign changes come too fast or are too appears to be that at some stage in ideas and influence. From the We know that the Greeks today are different we become something else the years ahead the peoples of Ancient Greeks and Romans not the same people as the Ancient — including something we may Eritrea and Afghanistan too will be onward the peoples of Europe sent Greeks. We know that the English never have wanted to be. intermingled within Europe as the out ships to scour the world and are not the same today as they were

Strokes : The EU Is Alive and Well, But the Referendums Are Coming British Prime Minister David about two-thirds want national feel economic conditions are Cameron, referendums can turn out sovereignty over the movement of improving, just 15 percent of Italians The resounding differently than anticipated. EU citizens into their country. think their country’s economy is in June 18 victory of the pro-European Moreover, roughly half express the good shape, down 18 percentage Union En Marche party in the There is no mistaking that the EU is desire to have their own points from a year ago. French National Assembly elections back — for the moment, at least. governments make decisions about suggests, to paraphrase Mark Positive views of the Brussels-based international trade deals, taking Such pessimism finds a mirror in Twain, that reports of the imminent organization are up 18 percentage back a power Brussels has had Italian views of the EU. Nearly two- death of the EU were premature. points in Germany and France since since 1957. thirds (65 percent) of Italians last year, 15 points in Spain, 13 disapprove of Brussels’ handling of Majorities now hold a favorable view points in the Netherlands, and 11 Most notably, many publics want a economic issues, largely unchanged of the EU in nine of the 10 European points in Sweden. Nearly three- chance to express their own views from last year. Even more (81 nations surveyed recently by the quarters of Poles (74 percent) have on their future participation in the percent) are critical of how the EU Pew Research Center, before the a favorable view of the EU, despite European project, perhaps echoing has dealt with the influx of refugees French election. And across these their ruling government’s ongoing earlier Pew Research findings that into Europe — an issue where Italy countries, even larger majorities disputes with Brussels. many Europeans do not feel they is often the first port of call for oppose their country following the have a voice in Brussels listening to people fleeing from Africa and the British example and exiting the EU. This does not mean that Europeans them. Nearly two-thirds of the Middle East. are necessarily satisfied with the But before EU officials break out the Spanish (65 percent) want their own current state of affairs in the EU. vote on continued EU membership. All these factors may help explain champagne glasses in Brussels, People feel better about economic why the Italians are cooler toward they might reflect on the fact that in Despite electing Emmanuel Macron, conditions, but a median of only 47 a pro-EU president, and giving his the EU than some other member every country surveyed, publics percent across the EU say states. And such sentiment may want future immigration decisions party a majority in the National economic conditions are good. And Assembly, 61 percent of the French also be behind the fact that a 57 made by their own government, not only 42 percent approve of the EU’s percent majority want Italy to hold its the EU. And in most Continental say they also want a referendum on handling of European economic EU membership. Similarly, 57 own referendum on continued EU nations, people want to reassert issues. Moreover, just 25 percent membership. national sovereignty over trade percent in Greece and Italy, 53 give a favorable rating to Brussels’s percent in Sweden, 51 percent in decision-making. management of refugee issues. So, the EU may have dodged a Poland, and 50 percent in Germany bullet in France, according to some. More significantly, in seven of nine Possibly because of this frustration want their own vote. But public discontent remains a European countries, half or more of with the refugee situation, roughly factor in a number of EU countries. the population wants their own Mixed views on the EU may find three-quarters of EU publics want their next outlet in Italy’s national And Italy’s elections could be the national referendum on continued their national government to make next time such sentiments find EU participation. And, as the 2016 elections, which could be as early as decisions about the migration of this autumn. While most Europeans popular expression at the ballot box. Brexit vote demonstrated to then- non-EU citizens into their country;

Editors : Europe's Unserious Plan for Greece International Monetary Fund or, there’s still no agreement on how to knows: that Greece’s debt is most of all, the people of Greece. get Greece’s debt burden under unsustainable on the current terms. The deal struck last week between control. The IMF had previously Greece and its euro-zone creditors Euro-zone finance ministers have insisted that this question should be In an effort to pretend otherwise, is business as usual -- and that’s not unlocked a payment of 8.5 billion settled now. Athens has promised primary a good thing. This protracted game euros ($9.5 billion), the newest budget surpluses (meaning net of of “extend and pretend” serves installment of a rescue plan worth It was right, and it should have stuck interest payments) of 3.5 percent of nobody’s long-term interests: not 86 billion euros. This will let Athens to that position. The new agreement gross domestic product until 2022, those of the Greek government, the make debt repayments of 7 billion fails to recognize what everybody and then of “above but close to 2 euros that fall due next month. But percent” until 2060. True, the Greek

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 12 economy achieved a better-than- The fund points to its refusal to granted no fewer three rescue will squeeze the economy so hard expected primary surplus last year. disburse money at this point as packages, worth 326 billion euros in that they’ll be self-defeating even in As the European recovery gathers proof it’s serious about debt relief. total. The euro zone has allowed narrow fiscal terms. pace, there could be more good Yet it remains a partner in a project generous grace periods for official fiscal news. But the idea that that, by its own analysis, is bound to loans, extended their maturities and All of this is well understood. Greece Greece can maintain this degree of fail. It should have said, enough. lowered the interest rate. As a needs a new deal, offering debt fiscal control for the next 40 years is Europe doesn’t need the fund’s result, Greece’s debt repayments relief in exchange for progress on ridiculous. money or expertise. Governments are actually quite manageable for reform. Maybe the EU will be willing only sought the fund’s seal of now. to agree to this next year, when the For instance, at some point during approval -- and should have been existing program expires. But there the next four decades, there might denied it. But this won’t last. Grace periods was no good reason for failing to be another recession. Stranger come to an end. As interest rates propose it now. things have happened. Granted, the euro zone has done a creep up, Greece’s debt repayments lot to support Greece since its fiscal will rise too. The perpetual primary The blow to the credibility of the IMF crisis began. Athens has been surpluses creditors are demanding could prove to be lasting damage.

Ukraine’s Poroshenko Meets With Trump Alan Cullison amid burgeoning investigations into Last month, Mr. Trump hosted The Trump administration has the aftermath of alleged hacking by Russia’s foreign minister and U.S. voiced support for Ukraine, saying the Kremlin into U.S. elections. ambassador in the Oval Office, and the U.S. would maintain sanctions WASHINGTON—President Donald Russia denies the interference. officials in Kiev had feared the U.S. on Russia until it reversed its leader would meet Mr. Putin before annexation of Crimea. But Ukrainian Trump met briefly Tuesday with Tuesday’s meeting came just weeks Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko, Mr. Poroshenko. officials have been unsettled by before Mr. Trump attends the Group some other signals. During the who used his first White House visit of 20 summit in Germany, where In the brief Oval Office appearance to stress his country’s alliance with presidential campaign last year, Mr. he’s expected to speak in person Tuesday, Mr. Trump didn’t publicly Trump suggested sanctions against Washington as he pushes for more with Russian President Vladimir mention pro-Russian separatists in U.S. pressure against Moscow’s Moscow should be eased, and Putin for the first time. For months, Ukraine. A White House statement earlier this year Mr. Trump met support for pro-Russian separatists Mr. Poroshenko has been angling after the meeting said the two in Ukraine. briefly with a domestic political rival for a meeting so he could push for leaders discussed “support for the to the Ukrainian president, former The two leaders spoke during a more U.S. pressure on Moscow to peaceful resolution to the conflict in prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. photo session in the Oval Office, but stop its support of pro-Russian eastern Ukraine and President avoided potentially difficult issues. rebels in eastern Ukraine. Before Poroshenko’s reform agenda and Both U.S. and European officials Mr. Trump called Ukraine a place now, the presidents had only spoken anti-corruption efforts.” have expressed frustration over a that “everybody’s been reading by phone. lack of progress in implementing a Mr. Poroshenko, who made a peace plan for eastern Ukraine that about,” and said “we’ve had some The visit Tuesday was a low-profile fortune in a chocolate-making very good discussions.” had been brokered in 2014 and event, compared to how Mr. Trump business before going into politics, 2015 in the Belarus capital of Minsk Mr. Poroshenko told Mr. Trump that has hosted other world leaders. Mr. has hoped his background as an with the help of European it was a “great honor and great Trump met briefly with the Ukrainian entrepreneur may give him a means mediators. pleasure” to visit the White House, president in the Oval Office, in what to forge ties with Mr. Trump, officials calling the two countries “strategic White House officials said described close to the Ukrainian president Tenets of the so-called Minsk partners.” as a “drop by” that took place while said. agreement included holding local Mr. Poroshenko met separately with elections in Ukraine’s breakaway He was also scheduled to meet Vice President Michael Pence. “This is a good thing that this Donbas region and returning the Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and meeting is taking place before a border with Russia to Ukrainian Secretary of State Rex Tillerson On Monday, Mr. Trump personally Trump-Putin meeting,” said John control. later in the day. welcomed the visiting president of Herbst, a former U.S. ambassador Panamá, hosted him for an Oval to the Ukraine who is now at the Last week, Mr. Tillerson suggested Mr. Poroshenko’s visit presented Office meeting that included a Atlantic Council think tank in the U.S. would back an entirely new challenges for Mr. Trump, who has photo-op with their wives, and Washington, DC. “It’s important that peace deal, saying it would support said he wants to improve relations treated him to a luncheon. there be a real exchange between efforts of Ukraine and Russia to with Russia, but is under pressure to the two presidents.” resolve the conflict outside of the distance himself from the Kremlin Minsk accord.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko met with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and then, briefly, enjoyed a “drop-in” visit with President Donald Trump on Tuesday. The brief visit appeared to be a “It was being kept very, very quiet,” only announced by the White House advisor. The Ukrainian leader’s departure for the Trump White Askold Krushelnysky, a journalist on Monday, shortly after 10 p.m. treatment is likely to be viewed back House, which has been featuring closely following the visit, told Eastern Time. in Ukraine, and elsewhere in one-on-one meetings with Foreign Policy. Even Ukrainian Europe, as a weather vane of sorts presidents big and small, sometimes media was keeping it quiet. They Ukraine’s embassy did not for the White House’s stance toward followed by a joint press conference weren’t “absolutely sure” that immediately provide comment. Kiev and Russia’s military — and certainly not relegating Poroshenko was going to get what The optics of the meeting are sure intervention there, which remains foreign heads of state to drop-ins. he wanted — namely, a visit with to to be the focus of the visit. deadlocked since war began in Poroshenko, though, slipped into Trump. The visit, he said, was Poroshenko was hosted by Pence; 2014. Washington, keeping a low profile intentionally “kept very low key to the two then had a “drop-in” visit in That issue remains a critical one to while he met with the Ukrainian avoid the embarrassment” of not the Oval Office to see Trump and diaspora. getting any face time, which was Ukrainians: According to a poll by H.R. McMaster, the national security the International Republican

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Institute’s (IRI) Center for Insights in as the new point person for if they’ll make it past the House. But A White House readout of the visit Survey Research, 80 percent of Poroshenko and the administration’s even if they don’t, on Tuesday, the said simply, “President Donald J. Ukrainians nationwide and 73 stance on Ukraine do not mark Treasury Department announced Trump met today with President percent of those in the “war-torn much of a radical departure from new sanctions of its own. Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine to Donbas region” should indeed previous policy, says Matthew discuss support for the peaceful remain as Ukraine. And Trump’s Rojansky, director of the Wilson “I think it is obvious. To date, the resolution to the conflict in eastern campaign stance on it made Center’s Kennan Institute. U.S. adopts additional sanctions Ukraine and President Poroshenko’s Ukrainians nervous: His campaign almost every day. I consider the reform agenda and anticorruption manager used to work for Viktor “This isn’t a downgrade compared to position of the United States as a efforts.” Poroshenko has run into no Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian before,” Rojansky told FP. “I solid, reliable and strategic partner small amount of criticism for what president and friend of Russian understand the perception and that of Ukraine,” Poroshenko said. failing to make good on the latter. President Vladimir Putin. the Ukrainians are looking for reassurances. But the reassurance Still, Poroshenko’s visit will remain But, then, there is at least one But during the Obama isn’t about the meeting, it’s about under the microscope. Scrutiny over feather in Poroshenko’s cap — he administration, former Vice the policy.” Trump’s relationship with the saw Trump before Putin will. The President Joe Biden was tasked Kremlin remains intense and Ukrainian leader’s visit came ahead with spearheading engagement with That policy, so far, seems to be in Poroshenko’s treatment during his of Trump’s first scheduled meeting Kiev and wielded great influence line with the Obama-era stance on visit will invite comparison to with Putin at the G-20 summit in over the Ukrainian government as Ukraine and in dealing with Moscow Trump’s backslapping meeting in Hamburg, Germany on July 7 and 8. he pressed them for greater efforts since its annexation of Crimea in the Oval Office with Russian Foreign in battling corruption and reforming 2014. The Senate recently passed Minister Sergei Lavrov and Sergey “Ukrainians,” Krushelnysky said, their economy. In that sense, Pence new economic sanctions against Kislyak, Russia’s ambassador to “will see this as a great victory.” Russia, although it’s still to be seen Washington, on May 10.

Vladimir Putin’s man in the Balkans Howard Amos Patrushev joined the Soviet designed to derail its bid to join the alleged coup attempt. Montenegrin Union’s KGB in 1974 and is alliance. prosecutors believe the two men are believed to have first met Putin — Russian intelligence officers. In the wake of allegations of MOSCOW — If appearances are to also a former intelligence officer — Sismakov was reported by Russian in the early 1990s. After 10 years as Russian involvement in the murky media to have worked as a military be believed, Vladimir Putin has a coup plot, Patrushev rushed to new point man in the Balkans. head of the FSB, the domestic attaché in Russia’s embassy in successor agency to the KGB, he Serbia to meet top government and Poland before being expelled in Nikolai Patrushev, a Kremlin hawk, moved in 2008 to the Security security officials, in what many saw 2014 on spying charges. career intelligence officer and close Council, an influential body of senior as a mission to smooth ruffled associate of the Russian president, officials set up by Putin. feathers. Media reports had Documents leaked this year also is the head of Russia’s Security suggested Belgrade had extradited suggest a concerted effort by Council, known for his fiery With much of his career spent in the several Russian nationals accused Russian spies and diplomats in nationalism, conspiratorial world shadows, Patrushev has little public of masterminding the plot. Macedonia, Serbia’s southern record of involvement in foreign neighbor, to increase support for view and extensive espionage Officials in Moscow insisted there experience. policy. But he is known to have been pro-Russian groups. one of the small group of advisers was nothing out of the ordinary An unofficial Balkans portfolio for close to Putin intimately involved in about the trip, but Patrushev’s role Russia could take “very serious” Patrushev would fit an emerging the planning of the annexation the has only grown since. measures in response to any further pattern. While Russian foreign policy Ukrainian region of Crimea in 2014. NATO expansion in the Balkan Last month, Patrushev was the one peninsula, according to Yelena officially falls to Foreign Minister to meet Serbian Interior Minister Sergey Lavrov, actual decision- Russia’s security services are Guskova, a professor at the Institute exerting more and more influence Nebojsa Stefanovic during his visit of Slavic Studies in Moscow. making is increasingly driven by a to Moscow for talks on issues from small coterie of intelligence officers on foreign policy, according to Andrey Kortunov, director of the organized crime to the internet. Russia is likely to concentrate its and defense officials with close efforts on shoring up existing access to Putin. Russian International Affairs “Over the last year, it has become Council, a think tank advising the alliances in the Balkans, according clear that Patrushev has been given to experts. This means, in particular, “Russia has been increasingly Kremlin. the Balkans,” said Galeotti. “That becoming an ‘adhocracy,’ where Serbia. In public statements, Patrushev has says something about how individuals get tasked with important the Balkans is or how “Judging by Montenegro, lots of responsibilities that may or may not claimed the United States is striving to dismember the Russian state to important it will become.” different steps can be taken,” she fit with their formal remit,” said Mark said, referring to the Kremlin’s Galeotti, an expert on the Russian “open up access to rich resources Patrushev has no known that they think Russia unfairly decision to cut economic ties and security services and a senior professional ties to the Balkans, but urging Russian holidaymakers not to researcher at the Institute of controls.” He has also criticized what appointed Leonid Reshetnikov, a he sees as increasingly aggressive visit the country, which is dependent International Relations in Prague. controversial Balkans expert and on tourist revenues. behavior from NATO, claimed that extremely hawkish former “Patrushev is definitely one of those European Union foreign policy is intelligence officer to the Security Patrushev warned earlier this year people who think Russia is in an dictated from Washington and Council. Last October, on the eve of that NATO is also looking to existential struggle for its survival” warned of the rise of Nazism in the Montenegro coup attempt, persuade Bosnia and Herzegovina, — Mark Galeotti, expert on the Eastern Europe. Reshetnikov said it was “time [for as well as Macedonia to join the Russian security services Patrushev’s unofficial new position Russia] to return to the Balkans.” security bloc. The former spy’s involvement leading Russia’s Balkan strategy Patrushev’s rising profile in the Russia is likely to concentrate its indicates a more hard-line Russian comes at a time of poor relations Balkans has coincided with an efforts on shoring up existing approach to the region. between Russia and the West. uptick in Russian activity in the alliances in the Balkans, according “Patrushev is definitely one of those Russia is particularly angry over the region. to experts. This means, in particular, Serbia, with whom Russia has people who think Russia is in an accession to NATO earlier this Two Russian nationals, Eduard existential struggle for its survival,” month of Montenegro, the small historically strong links. The two Sismakov and Vladimir Popov, were countries share common Slavic Galeotti added. “It’s a Cold-War, Adriatic country that accused charged in absentia earlier this Manichean vision of the world. And Russian intelligence officers of origins and are both primarily month by a Montenegrin court for Orthodox Christian. one in which any reversals for the masterminding an attempted coup in attempting to subvert the country’s West are implicitly good for Russia.” the country last year, apparently constitution during last year’s

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“Russia will stick to the countries on their commitment to not joining the Balkan peninsula that confirm NATO,” said Kortunov.

INTERNATIONAL

American Warplane Shoots Down Iranian-Made Drone Over Syria Michael R. downing of the drone merely “helps that the United States had along with allies established a Gordon those terrorists whom the United repositioned its aircraft to minimize garrison at al-Tanf to advise and States fights.” the risk from Syrian and Russian air train Syrian fighters to fight the defenses but would continue its Islamic State. Despite the heated remarks, signs Tuesday’s encounter was the latest strikes against the Islamic State in emerged that the Russian and Syria. This month, an American warplane in a series that has heightened American militaries were working to nearly shot down a Syrian SU-22 tensions in Syria. Government manage the crisis. Although Russia There was a close encounter that appeared to be maneuvering to forces and the Iranian-backed announced Monday that it would Monday, however, between drop bombs on American-backed militias that support them are suspend the use of a hotline set up American and Russian aircraft in Syrian fighters, but the Syrian converging on ungoverned parts of for the two sides to avoid another arena of growing strategic aircraft dumped its munitions in the the country where American-backed unintended confrontations in the interest to the two sides: the Baltic desert and zoomed away. fighters are also maneuvering as skies over Syria, Lt. Col. Damien Sea. An American RC-135 they seek to roll back the Islamic Pickart, the spokesman for the reconnaissance plane was After the Russian threats to target State’s self-declared caliphate. American-led air war command at Al intercepted by a Russian SU-27 aircraft west of the Euphrates, Australia said Tuesday that it had Two days earlier, an American F/A- Udeid Air Base in Qatar, said the fighter, and at times, the aircraft hotline had not been interrupted. were only several feet apart, officials suspended its air operations over 18 shot down a Syrian SU-22 Syria. warplane that had dropped bombs at the United States European “The de-confliction channel remains Command said. near American-backed fighters active and in use,” Colonel Pickart Australian reconnaissance aircraft south of Tabqa. In response, said. Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon and refueling tankers have been Russia, which staunchly supports spokesman, said the encounter was moved out of Syrian airspace, the Syrian government, warned that The Pentagon said there were no “unsafe” because the Russian pilot paralleling what the United States it would target any American or indications Tuesday of hostile action had “poor control” of his aircraft and and other coalition members have coalition planes that flew west of the on the part of the Russians toward it was racing at a high speed. done. Australia’s F/A-18s, however, Euphrates River. American forces, and the United generally fly over Iraq and not Syria, States was also being cautious. Iranian drones have been flying so the country’s move will not Russian officials kept up their war of fairly regularly over southern Syria, greatly affect their operations. words on Tuesday. Sergei A. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey L. Harrigian, who and Syrian aircraft have begun to Ryabkov, the deputy foreign commands the coalition-led air venture there as well. That has been minister, complained that the campaign over Syria, said Monday a worry for the United States, which

U.S. Military Shoots Down 'Hostile' Drone in Syria Aria Bendix According to the U.S.-backed target “any aircraft, including planes the AP. “We remain available on our coalition, the drone “displayed and drones belonging to the end. I’ll leave it to the Russians to hostile intent” as it approached their international coalition, operating state their level of participation.” camp on Tuesday. Despite U.S. west of the Euphrates river.” The A U.S. fighter jet shot down an While Tuesday showed no sign of armed drone in southern Syria just efforts to intercept the drone and warning was enough to prompt make it change course, it continued Australia to halt its own airstrikes in hostility between Russian and U.S. after midnight local time on forces, the shooting down of a pro- Tuesday, the Pentagon announced. to veer toward coalition troops. The Syria, which were helping the U.S. incident marks the third time this to combat ISIS. regime drone will do little to improve The drone, which was made in Iran, relations. In the wake of the incident, was reportedly headed toward a month that the U.S. has shot down an aircraft affiliated with the Assad On Monday, Russia also suspended Russia’s deputy foreign minister, U.S.-backed coalition of Syrian a hotline that enabled Sergei A. Ryabkov, has accused the fighters stationed at a military camp regime. On June 8, a similar drone from pro-regime forces was taken communication with the U.S. in drone strike of “help[ing] those near the Syria-Jordan border. For order to prevent unexpected terrorists whom the United States months, the U.S. military has been down after it dropped munitions near the U.S. military camp. confrontations in the air. The fights.” And yet, as the U.S. coalition training Syrian opposition troops in Pentagon has since claimed that the grows closer to overtaking Raqqa, the area to fight against ISIS. On Sunday, the U.S. also shot down hotline remains open, with the U.S. an ISIS stronghold in Syria, any Tuesday’s drone strike emphasizes a Syrian air force plane targeting willing to continue its use. “To be confrontation between U.S. and another escalating conflict in the U.S.-backed rebels, inciting criticism clear, we prefer to keep this channel Russian forces could arguably do region between U.S.-backed forces from Russia, who supports the of communication open. We want to the same. and those loyal to Syrian President Assad regime. The day after the de-escalate, not escalate,” Jeff Bashar al-Assad. incident, Russia warned that it would Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, told

Podesta & Katulis : Trump’s silent surge in the Middle East — and the slippery slope to war By John Podesta John Podesta, chair of Hillary campaign, served as counselor to and Brian Katulis Clinton’s 2016 presidential President Barack Obama and chief

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 15 of staff to President Bill Clinton and front lines in complex fights in Iraq, to end the fighting and produce weapons sales, such as additional is the founder of the Center for Syria, Yemen and Somalia. As he long-term stability — including arms to Saudi Arabia and military American Progress. Brian Katulis is has recently done in Afghanistan, proposed drastic cuts at the State assistance to countries including a senior fellow at the Center for Trump has also delegated greater Department and leaving key Egypt, and ask tough questions of American Progress. authority to the Pentagon to set diplomatic and national security the administration and U.S. force levels and hit targets from the posts unfilled. Trump has also partners. The central one is how this The United States used to debate air. The frequency of drone strikes placed the United States squarely security cooperation will produce the wars its military was fighting. But has quadrupled compared with on one side of the Sunni-Shiite greater stability and result in de- that’s not the case with the ongoing Obama’s average. In Yemen, U.S. sectarian conflict roiling the region escalation, rather than the continued silent surge of U.S. military aircraft hit as many targets in just — quite a shift from Trump’s two fragmentation of the state system in operations and arms sales across one week in early March as Obama predecessors. the Middle East. the Middle East. would strike in a year . In Iraq and Syria, the U.S.-led anti-Islamic State What’s to be done? Congress Lastly, invest in the complete The downing on Sunday of a Syrian should do its job of providing inventory of national security tools. warplane by an American F/A-18, coalition released more guided munitions and other weaponry in oversight and asking tough Congress should resist the Trump along with a strike last month in questions in three areas. administration’s proposal to gut Syria against a pro-Assad regime May than in any previous month of the campaign. The United States elements of national power essential militia, were just the latest episodes First, safeguard against a slippery to defeating the Islamic State, in a creeping military escalation also just quietly deployed a long- slope to war. Congress should range artillery system in ending conflict and preventing the across the region that lacks well- renew the debate on a new spread of nuclear weapons. That defined strategy and goals southeastern Syria, a move that authorization for the use of military failed to prompt any discussion. means fully investing in the State understood by the American public. force to replace the one passed to Department and strongly supporting In the Middle East’s tinderbox, for counter al-Qaeda and its associated efforts by international organizations Unlike the 2007 Iraq surge under forces more than 15 years ago. President George W. Bush and the every action there’s a reaction, and such as the United Nations to it is not clear that the Trump Across the broader Middle East, the address the historic refugee crisis. 2010 Afghanistan surge under United States has about 80,000 President Barack Obama, this surge administration has thought through what could go wrong — such as the troops deployed — far fewer than The United States needs to work by the Trump administration is the more than 300,000 serving in with partners to defeat terrorist occurring without an engaged public possibility of slipping into a direct war with Iran or U.S. troops facing 2008. Today the overall numbers groups and counter destabilizing discussion of the risks or about are not as important as where the policies from countries such as Iran. diplomacy and other tools of chemical weapons attacks by the Islamic State. troops are located, what they are But in five months, the Trump national power needed to protect the doing — and, most critically, how administration has exposed the United States. Although today’s Certainly, some of these moves the use of military force fits into a country to greater risks without a surge doesn’t involve hundreds of represent the next step in a long- broader strategy. The Trump team clear strategy. Drowned out by real thousands of troops occupying term campaign to defeat the Islamic needs to explain this strategy, and concerns about Russia and the daily major urban areas, it represents an State that began under the Obama Congress needs to authorize it and grind of Trump’s erratic politics at increasing military presence, administration, particularly in Iraq set appropriate limits. home, the United States is lurching particularly of Special Operations and the drive to retake the northern closer to the heart of the forces, that is not transparent. Syrian city of Raqqa. What’s Second, no blank checks to our complicated crossfire in the Middle different is the downgrading of regional partners. Congress should East without sufficient scrutiny. It’s In just five months, President Trump carefully examine any proposed has moved U.S. troops closer to the diplomacy and other tools necessary time for Congress to step up.

Saudi King Names Son Crown Prince, Upending Royal Succession line of royal succession. The title and ousted from his post as to power since then has reportedly changes were announced by the interior minister. The new crown left some in the royal family Saudi Arabia’s state-run Saudi Press Agency early prince, who is already in charge of blindsided. King Salman has Wednesday, with a slew of royal overseeing a large portfolio as named his 31-year-old son, decrees unveiling a major defense minister and heads an Mohammed bin Salman, as crown reshuffling. Prince Mohammed bin economic council, was not very well prince and ousted the kingdom’s Nayef, who had been first in line to known before his father became counterterrorism czar, upending the take the throne, was stripped of his king in January 2015. His quick rise

Saudi King Salman Ousts Nephew as Crown Prince, Installs Son Nicolas Parasie, spearheading an ambitious Prince Mohammed bin Salman throne has passed from brother to Margherita economic agenda to reduce Saudi kneeling down and kissing the brother among his sons. Stancati and Summer Said Arabia’s dependence on oil and hands of Mohammed bin Nayef, carve out a more muscular foreign who told his cousin: “May God help One of King Salman’s first acts as policy in a volatile region. you.” monarch was to remove a half- brother as his heir and to appoint DUBAI—Saudi Arabia’s King He replaces as crown prince Prince A senior Saudi official at the royal two younger princes in the line of Salman on Wednesday designated Mohammed bin Nayef, a nephew of court said the change of succession succession—Prince Mohammed bin his son as his successor, paving the the king, who was stripped of all his was endorsed by 31 out of 34 Nayef and Prince Mohammed bin way for the young, assertive prince positions, including interior minister. members of the Allegiance Council, Salman—a change that shocked to assume the throne at a time when His ouster effectively ends the a group of senior princes who many royals. The king was able to it is facing tumultuous change at political career of a royal who was advise the king on matters of take such bold action partly because home and intensifying rivalries in the one of Washington’s most trusted succession. of his stature within the House of Middle East. security partners and was known as Saud. He has long cultivated good the country’s counterterrorism czar. By appointing his own son as his ties with his extended family. The new crown prince, Mohammed designated successor, the 81-year bin Salman, is the elderly monarch’s Saudi Arabia’s state television old King Salman upends decades of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 31-year old son and minister of broadcast footage of Mohammed royal tradition. Since the reign of ascension signals a potential defense. He ascended to the upper bin Nayef pledging allegiance to his King Abdulaziz Ibn Saud, the generational shift, one that would reaches of power in the kingdom successor, in an apparent display of founder of the modern Saudi state bring the monarchy more in line with when his father became king in early royal unity after the changes who came to power in 1932, the the country’s young population. But 2015. He then set about announced. The video showed it also risks a backlash within the

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 16 vast House of Saud, whose forward,” said Mohammed Alyahya, were reversed later—to help reduce cost billions of dollars, killed members have long ruled through a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic a budget deficit caused by the drop thousands of civilians and so far consensus among its various Council, a Washington-based think in oil prices. He has also backed the failed to oust Houthi rebels from the branches. tank. potential listing next year of state oil country’s capital. And for all the talk giant Saudi Aramco, in part to push of an economic overhaul, the Kristian Ulrichsen of Rice The royal shake-up coincides with a the economy onto a path of country’s economy continues to University’s Baker Institute for Public political crisis in the Persian Gulf privatization and greater depend overwhelmingly on oil Policy said the future success of region that pits Saudi Arabia and its competitiveness needed to generate revenues. Economic growth and job Prince Mohammed bin Salman allies against Qatar. Saudi Arabia is jobs for the young and attract creation, especially among the depends on the support he will also entangled in a continuing foreign investment beyond the oil young, remains lackluster. receive from within the wider Al conflict in neighboring Yemen and is sector. Saud family, especially if some of challenging rival Iran for regional Still, Prince Mohammed bin Salman the economic reforms he is sway. The economic pressures have has embraced the role of the royal associated with prove to be precipitated broader social changes. prying open the kingdom’s economy controversial. Seasoned U.S. diplomats tried to Long an ultraconservative society and society after decades of stay out of the succession struggle where women still can’t drive, Saudi isolation. “Mohammed bin Salman’s elevation between Prince Mohammed bin Arabia is now embracing significant to Crown Prince has been on the Nayef and the young Prince cultural reforms, staging public He has met heads of state as well cards for a while, but still represents Mohammed bin Salman, not wanting concerts and is set to open its first as global business leaders, such as an enormous shake-up in Saudi to risk upsetting their close movie theaters, once opposed by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, to succession dynamics,” he said. partnership with the interior minister, the religious establishment. attract more foreign capital to Saudi who is widely lauded for combating Arabia and explore investments As next in line to the throne, Prince a growing al Qaeda threat in the Some senior officials say the overseas. In recent weeks, Saudi Mohammed bin Salman could kingdom over the last decade and a secession move is a sign of more Arabia’s sovereign-wealth fund become a rarity: A young Saudi half. big changes afoot. “It is a highly agreed with Japan’s SoftBank to king. A long list of predecessors calculated move to make Saudi launch a $100 billion fund that will have taken power as Yet the Saudi monarchy, long Arabia as stable as possible,” said invest in tech companies. septuagenarians or octogenarians, synonymous with privilege and another senior Saudi official, who allowing limited time to see through patronage, has come under strain in asked not to be named. “You need “I admire his energy,” a Saudi close their visions for the kingdom’s recent years and jockeying has this clarity when you have a big to a powerful strain of the royal future. intensified. ambitious reform plan you want to family said of the new crown prince. achieve,” “But at the same time it worries me “The benefit now is that we have In the past two years, Prince and worries many Saudis that he is young leader who has the authority Mohammed bin Salman has been Some critics have portrayed the new over confident.” to…plan not 10 years in advance the public face of change in the crown prince as reckless. Saudi but 40 years in advance and insure kingdom. He has introduced Arabia’s intervention in Yemen has there is institutional continuity going austerity measures—some of which

Al-Shabaab Kills 15 in Latest Car Bomb Attack Aria Bendix Ali Khaire, said the attack targeted land, the militant group has al-Shabaab has now surpassed civilians who were preparing to launched attacks on many high- Boko Haram as the deadliest celebrate Eid Al-Fitr, or the “festival profile areas in Somalia, including terrorist group in Africa, killing more At least 15 people are dead and of breaking the fast”—a three-day hotels, restaurants, and military than 4,000 people in 2016 alone. around 18 wounded following a car event signaling the end of checkpoints. The group has also The group has recently pledged to bombing led by the Islamist militant Ramadan. The fact that attackers targeted government buildings like ramp up its attacks following a group al-Shabaab that targeted a chose this day to strike, Khaire said, the Somali parliament, supreme military offensive commissioned in government building in Somalia’s demonstrated their “evil- court offices, and even the nation’s April by Somalia’s newly-elected capital, Mogadishu. According to mindedness.” He added that the presidential palace. While Tuesday’s government. On June 8, al-Shabaab Mohamed Hussein, a senior Somali bombing would not disrupt attack likely targeted civilians, it took carried out one of its deadliest police officer, the death toll is Somalia’s larger efforts toward place at the Wadajir district attacks in years, killing around 70 expected to rise given the state of achieving peace and stability. headquarters, where Somali officials people at a military base in and their staff members were Puntland. Just last week, the group those injured. Al-Shabaab has since In recent years, Somalia has been claimed responsibility for the attack, staying. A spokesperson for al- detonated a car bomb outside a the target of numerous attacks from Shabaab claimed that “government restaurant in Mogadishu, killing at which was carried out by a lone al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate suicide car bomber disguised in a and their staff” were among those least 31 more. that was forced out of Mogadishu, killed. milk delivery van. among other major cities and towns, On Tuesday, Somalia’s prime in 2011 by African Union and Somali According to research from the minister, Hassan forces. Despite losing control of its Africa Center for Strategic Studies, UNE - After Otto Warmbier’s death, tourism to North Korea comes under scrutiny Otto Warmbier, the American Rep. Edward R. Royce (R-Calif.), Warmbier, a University of Virginia student who had been imprisoned in the chairman of the House Foreign student, was curious about the world TOKYO — For some intrepid the country for 17 months, has Affairs Committee, agreed. “Otto’s and wanted to explore it, his father travelers, North Korea is the holy focused a new light on tourism to father is right,” he said. “Travel said in an interview in April. So, at grail. There’s hardly a place that’s North Korea, which the regime has propaganda lures far too many the end of 2015, the young man more off the beaten path, a travel been trying to promote. people to North Korea.” joined the “New Year’s Party Tour” tale more exotic than one that run by Young Pioneer Tours, a begins “When I was in Pyongyang Warmbier’s father, Fred, said after The United States should ban tourist company that boasts “budget tours . . .” his son was sent home in a coma travel to North Korea, Royce said to destinations your mother wants last week that companies promoting after Warmbier’s parents announced you to stay away from!” About 1,000 American tourists visit tourism to North Korea are providing their 22-year-old son’s death North Korea each year, looking for “fodder” for the regime. Monday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un an adventure and a glimpse at the has set a goal of attracting a million “Hermit Kingdom.” But the death of tourists to the Communist-ruled

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 17 county. Critics have said tourism is a Korea to be too high.” One tourist did a handstand in front again highlighted the rules and significant source of foreign of Kumsusan, the mausoleum where answered any concerns and currency for the regime. Two other travel companies, British- North Korea’s first two leaders lie in questions,” he said. “When making run Koryo Tours and New Jersey- state, one of the most sensitive sites the booking, you are also required to The State Department has steadily based Uri Tours, said that they were for the regime. This resulted in the read and sign a travel agreement.” ratcheted up its travel advisory for “reviewing” whether to continue North Korean tour guide losing her North Korea and strongly warns taking Americans to North Korea. All job, according to two people with Young Pioneer Tours was founded Americans against traveling to the of the companies have had tourists knowledge of the situation. in 2008 by Gareth Johnson, a 36- country because of the risk of detained in North Korea, but none year-old British man who has a large arbitrary detention. Warmbier was with the consequences faced by Alcohol was not involved in that red tattoo on his left arm showing sentenced to 15 years in prison for Warmbier. incident, said Troy Collings, a New the Communist hammer and sickle allegedly stealing a propaganda Zealander who is one of the that — along with a calligraphy sign. Red flags have been raised about partners in Young Pioneer Tours. brush — are the emblem of North Young Pioneer Tours for some time He did not respond to specific Korea’s ruling party. The brush is Efforts to restrict U.S. citizens from among the relatively small group of questions about reports of excessive replaced by a machine gun in his traveling to North Korea are likely to people who travel to North Korea drinking on the company’s tours. tattoo. gain new momentum now, with regularly. However, he said that the company lawmakers on both sides of the aisle was professional and well prepared. “I realized there was nothing in the calling the regime “barbaric” and Five people who witnessed Young way of a budget company that “murderous.” Pioneer tours in North Korea said “People are quick to embellish their catered for the demographic of they saw reckless behavior, with stories when the media are people who would not usually do A bill is already before the House to customers drinking heavily, not interested,” Collings said. ‘group tours,’ so felt I could combine limit travel to North Korea for being respectful and denigrating my love of travel with my newfound American citizens, and Warmbier’s their local tour guides. Three of the Tour leaders had warned all the love for the people and culture of the death could prompt the Senate to five people interviewed work in customers about the significance of DPRK!” Johnson says on the consider the same. The Trump North Korea, and the two others Kumsusan and told them not to act company’s website, using the administration is also considering were on tours. inappropriately near images of the abbreviation for North Korea’s stopping Americans from going to leaders, he said. official name. North Korea as tourists. One of the people, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he “We have taken over 8,000 people He is also believed to be involved Three other Americans are still still works in North Korea, recalled to North Korea with only one with another company, previously being detained in North Korea, but seeing some of the tourists leaving a incident,” Collings said, referring to called Gross Negligence Tours, but they were all working there — two at hotel bar at 7:30 a.m. Warmbier’s treatment. which now goes by GN Tours. a private Korean-American-run university and one at a hotel in a A second person, who had been on Daniel Lahti, a 31-year-old Swede The company, inspired by the movie northern special economic zone. a Young Pioneer tour, said that the who ran the Pyongyang marathon in “The Hangover,” offers stag parties company’s spiel about not being a April, said he never felt anything in Cambodia — “beaches, babes, Particular attention is now falling on typical travel experience was a big less than safe in North Korea, even bullets and booze (all cheap)” — Young Pioneer Tours, a China- part of its appeal and that drinking when enjoying a few beers after the and the Philippines. based travel company that takes its was a part of that. The company big run. name from the youth leagues in advertises a “not your average beer References to Johnson no longer communist countries. festival” trip to Pyongyang in the “It was perfectly fine while we were appear on the GN Tours website, summer and a St. Patrick’s Day tour there,” said Lahti, who went on a although Google searches show that “The devastating loss of Otto featuring an “international pub tour led by Collings. “He was very they existed, and several photos on Warmbier’s life has led us to crawl.” “So put on your greens and concerned about safety and told us the GN Tours page are the same as reconsider our position on accepting come join us as we challenge the that everyone should behave in those on the Young Pioneers site. American tourists,” the company [North] Koreans to a bunch of certain ways. As long as you play by The GN Instagram page shows said in a statement Tuesday, calling friendly drinking games!” its site the rules, you’ll be fine.” several photos of Johnson, one in a his detention “appalling” and saying says. T-shirt with Communist insignia, and “a tragedy like this must never be Adrian Webster, a 31-year-old Australian who traveled to North Johnson’s Instagram handle is repeated.” But taking too casual an attitude “gntours.” toward being in North Korea can Korea with his girlfriend in April, said Young Pioneer Tours will no longer foster a “reckless” atmosphere that he always felt safe with Young be taking U.S. citizens to North among tour groups, said another Pioneer Tours. Korea, it said: “We now consider the frequent traveler to Pyongyang. risk to Americans visiting North “Before departing to North Korea, a briefing took place in Beijing. They

UNE - China Falls Short on Curbing North Korea, Trump Says Mark Landler and to curb Mr. Kim’s provocative “Clearly, we’re moving further away, take a much tougher line on North Gardiner Harris actions. not closer, to those conditions being Korea and those who want to enacted,” said Sean Spicer, the continue probing for openings is Administration officials said they White House press secretary. “I reflected in the administration’s were considering imposing so-called would not suggest that we’re moving ambivalent response after Mr. It is not clear how Mr. Trump’s secondary sanctions on a variety of statement will affect Wednesday’s any closer.” Warmbier was flown home in a Chinese banks and companies with coma last week. Chinese-American meetings. ties to North Korea. Such a step But China’s failure to do more to Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson would greatly increase the pressure pressure North Korea — which was At first, the White House and State and other American officials had on Mr. Kim’s government, but it little surprise to anyone who follows Department said very little about the been planning to press their could also antagonize the Chinese the issue — also leaves the United case, beyond expressing relief that Chinese counterparts on North government. States with few better alternatives to he had been reunited with his family. Korea. On Tuesday afternoon, diplomacy. Some American officials But as outrage over the death of Mr. senior officials said they were still In the short run, Mr. Warmbier’s had hoped to use the secret Warmbier, a 22-year-old college trying to gauge the meaning of the death from a brain injury suffered negotiations to obtain Mr. student, grew on social media and president’s tweet. while he was a prisoner makes Warmbier’s release as the predicate cable television, both released engagement with the North seem a for a dialogue with the North on statements late on Monday Reports late on Tuesday of renewed more remote possibility. Mr. Trump activity at a North Korean nuclear other issues. condemning North Korea for his has said in the past that he would be treatment. site added to the sense of urgency, willing to meet with Mr. Kim if the The tension between those who and underlined how China had failed conditions were right. want to shelve engagement and

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 18

Even on Tuesday, however, Mr. campaign about China’s trade and Council on Foreign Relations. “Otto “The Chinese will only spring into Trump appeared to place more of currency practices in return for Warmbier’s death accelerates that action if they recognize the status the blame on his predecessor, Beijing squeezing its neighbor to day of reckoning.” quo is unsustainable,” said Evan S. Barack Obama, for failing to curb its nuclear and ballistic missile Medeiros, a former senior director negotiate Mr. Warmbier’s release programs. The meeting in Washington is part for Asia in Mr. Obama’s National than on Mr. Kim. “It’s a disgrace of the Diplomatic and Security Security Council. what happened to Otto,” the “I explained to the President of Dialogue set up after April’s summit president said. “Frankly, if he were China that a trade deal with the U.S. meeting. It will include Mr. Tillerson Even apart from North Korea, brought home sooner, I think the will be far better for them if they and China’s top foreign policy relations with China could soon turn results would have been a lot solve the North Korean problem,” official, Yang Jiechi, as well as more contentious. Within days, the different.” Mr. Trump declared in a morning Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and a administration is expected to declare tweet a few days after the summit Chinese general, Fang Fenghui. that foreign steel imports threaten But even as he implicitly criticized meeting. The four are expected to meet the domestic steel industry. That will his predecessor, Mr. Trump during the morning, hold a working lead Mr. Trump to impose duties appeared to walk away from one of As the evidence accumulated that lunch, break for the afternoon and that will anger the Chinese, a major the biggest gambles of his China was taking only modest steps then reconvene for dinner. steel producer. presidency. At a summit meeting in against North Korea, impatience April at his Palm Beach, Fla., estate, with Beijing mounted inside the North Korea will top the agenda, but “This initial period of calm in the Mar-a-Lago, Mr. Trump tried to White House. But in his tweet on China’s increasing militarism in the U.S.-China relationship was not enlist Mr. Xi to ratchet up China’s Tuesday, Mr. Trump seemed to take South China Seas and other sustainable,” said Eric Altbach, pressure on North Korea — pains not to allow his maritime issues, the fight against the senior vice president at the Albright something China has historically disappointment to affect the Islamic State, and other possible Stonebridge Group. “We’re reaching avoided because of fears that it relationship he has cultivated with military cooperation will also be the end of the beginning for the would precipitate a collapse in a the Chinese leader. discussed. Trump administration, and things are only going to get worse.” country with which it shares a 880- “The question we’ve all been waiting Some China experts said the mile border. to have answered is, ‘When does administration could use Mr. President Trump realize that Xi Warmbier’s death as leverage to The president made Mr. Xi the centerpiece of his strategy for North Jinping is not going to deliver North demand that China put pressure on Korea, agreeing to soft-pedal his Korea for him, and what does he do North Korea to release three other complaints during the 2016 when that happens?’” said Ely Americans being held there. Ratner, a senior fellow at the Trump signals shifting approach to North Korea after death of U.S. student and military program rely heavily on Foreign policy analysts have long on its own if China was unable to do financial capital from its large and questioned China’s willingness and so. President Trump on Tuesday powerful neighbor. ability to alter Pyongyang’s behavior appeared to lose faith in China’s and slow its pursuit of a more “It’s a brutal regime, and we’ll be ability to pressure North Korea, and At the time, Trump said he had sophisticated nuclear weapons able to handle it,” Trump reiterated his spokesman said the White chosen to hold off on campaign program that could potentially reach this week. House is “moving further away” from pledges to punish China over trade the continental United States. direct engagement with Pyongyang, disputes, in part because of Beijing’s Warmbier’s surprise release last throwing into question the assistance on North Korea. Xi has But they acknowledged that the week raised initial speculation that administration’s strategy to contain sought to curry favor with Trump, administration has few other the Trump administration, which the rogue nation’s growing nuclear and the Chinese government this options. sent U.S. diplomat Joseph Yun to threat. week invited the president’s Pyongyang to oversee Warmbier’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in- The Chinese “have limited capacity medical evacuation, would open a The death of American college law Jared Kushner to visit Beijing to do something, and I think they direct communications channel with student Otto Warmbier in Cincinnati later this year. feel the weight of expectations Pyongyang aimed at paving the way this week, days after his release beginning to burden them,” said for negotiations over the nuclear and from 17 months of detention in North But President Trump’s souring views Christopher Hill, who led the U.S. ballistic missile programs that have Korea, has injected new political on China’s influence with North delegation in the six-party talks with made North Korea an international complications into Trump’s bid to Korea could affect economic policy, North Korea during the George W. pariah. persuade dictator Kim Jong Un to including a pending decision on Bush administration. “Now the curb his regime’s behavior. whether to impose new restrictions problem is they are really at a loss But Warmbier’s death has made the on steel imports, which could spark to come up with something short of prospect of high-level bilateral talks, Trump called the treatment of a trade war with China. direct action, which they were never already fraught with diplomatic risks, Warmbier, who reportedly was in a prepared to engage in. I’m sure even less politically feasible, coma for most of his captivity, “a On Wednesday, Secretary of State there’s a lot of serious thinking in administration officials and foreign total disgrace” and suggested that Rex Tillerson and Defense China on this. It’s important for the policy experts said. Asked Tuesday he has given up hope that Beijing Secretary Jim Mattis are scheduled Trump administration to keep the whether Trump was still open to could exert meaningful leverage on to meet with Chinese officials in heat on.” meeting with Kim, Spicer said the Kim. Washington to resume economic administration was “clearly moving and security-related talks that began Senior White House aides declared further away” from direct “While I greatly appreciate the during the summit. early on that the administration engagement. efforts of President Xi & China to would abandon President Barack help with North Korea, it has not “We have been very forceful in the Obama’s policy of “strategic Trump, addressing Warmbier’s worked out,” Trump wrote in a tweet. political and economic pressure that patience,” which relied on ramping detention during brief remarks in the “At least I know China tried!” has been applied to North Korea,” up economic sanctions and Oval Office, said,“It should never, White House press secretary Sean diplomatic isolation. ever be allowed to happen.” He Trump had placed a heavy bet on Spicer said Tuesday afternoon, appeared to indirectly blame Obama China during a two-day summit with before the president’s tweet about In an interview in the spring, Trump for not doing more to free Warmbier: President Xi Jinping in Florida in China. “We’ll continue to apply that. said he would be “honored” to meet “And frankly, if he were brought April, personally lobbying him to Obviously, China has played and with Kim under the right home sooner, I think the results impose sanctions on Chinese banks can continue to play a greater role circumstances, and he proclaimed would have been a lot different.” and other entities that do business helping to resolve this situation.” that the United States was prepared with North Korea, whose economy to handle the threat from Pyongyang

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A senior Japanese diplomat in traveling to North Korea, a rare step served as senior Asia director at the Moon is scheduled to arrive in Washington said that Tokyo does that would seek to stop the flow of National Security Council in the Washington next week for a meeting not believe the time is appropriate an estimated 1,000 Americans who Bush administration. “They believe with Trump. “for talks and negotiations” with travel there each year. Americans should be free to travel Pyongyang. wherever they want. But it’s pretty “If the administration is smart, they’ll Three U.S. citizens remain in obvious it’s necessary at this point.” use this as one more reason why “If anything, this has even detention in North Korea, and sanctions, isolation and coercion strengthened our argument,” said Tillerson called this week for their Evan Medeiros, who served as the need to be the tip of the spear the diplomat, who spoke on the release. NSC’s senior Asia director under against North Korea,” said condition of anonymity to address a Obama, said that the Warmbier Medeiros, now an analyst at the U.S. policy matter. “I don’t think Currently, there is no U.S. travel ban case could alter the calculus not just Eurasia Group. “The question is, human life is negotiable. We should in place for any country. for Trump but also for South Korea’s how does this change the not use this incident as a kind of “Generally, Congress doesn’t like to new president, Moon Jae-in, who trajectory? It makes the prospect of opening for them.” do that,” said Victor Cha, a Korea had campaigned on a platform to diplomacy, if that’s something the expert with the Center for Strategic engage Pyongyang. administration is seriously At the State Department, Tillerson is entertaining, much more difficult.” weighing a ban on U.S. citizens and International Studies who

Lewis : North Korea Would Not Hesitate to Kill You Parents with Eunha Lee were reporters working than they do kidnapping.) One “act in such a way that you always small children along the border between China and young woman, a Romanian named treat humanity, whether in your own often have strange little rules that North Korea, documenting things Doina Bumbea, went missing in person or in the person of any other, reflect the crushing anxiety of love. the North Korean government didn’t Rome in 1978. She ultimately turned never simply as a means, but Some couples, for example, refuse like, when North Korean soldiers up in Pyongyang, having been always at the same time as an end.” to take the same flight, lest they allegedly crossed to the Chinese abducted and married off to one of This is one test that the North both perish, leaving their children as side of the border to detain them. those servicemen. Her two sons Korean government fails completely. orphans. In our house, we have just When North Korea released them appear in North Korean For North Korea, every person is one such rule, as promulgated by following a visit by former President propaganda. merely a means toward whatever Mrs. Lewis: NO, JEFFREY, YOU Bill Clinton, it used the footage as end the state seeks at that moment. ARE NOT GOING TO NORTH the ending for a massive There is a tendency to dismiss these Sometimes that end is discouraging KOREA. propaganda film in which Clinton is kidnappings as events as happened missionary activity in North Korea or portrayed as having come to a long time ago. But that does not eliciting a high-level visit from a As we have learned from the sad Pyongyang to pay tribute to the late mean they have stopped. For many foreign dignitary. But as often as tale of Otto Warmbier, who tragically Kim Jong Il. years, Japanese authorities were not, the end has been shockingly died yesterday, Americans do travel skeptical of claims that disappeared petty: to provide a wife to a foreign to North Korea. There are more The North Koreans claim Ling and persons had been taken to North defector, to acquire a native speaker foreigners in North Korea than you Lee were on the North Korean side Korea. People go missing all the of English, or simply to make a good think, and there remain three of the border, and the subsequent time, something Pyongyang can movie. Americans still in custody of North propaganda was a necessary count on to obscure an abduction Korea. To be fair, the vast majority byproduct of enforcing the law here or there. Consider the case of The North Koreans didn’t hate Otto return safely, while the few who are against them. But it’s not like David Sneddon, an American Warmbier, which makes it all the detained usually end up being Pyongyang is above outright student who disappeared in China in worse. They had no feelings at all ransomed off. But the possibility of kidnapping people for entertainment. 2004. Although Chinese authorities for him as a person. He was just an tragedy is always very real, lurking Kim Jong Il — a noted film buff — insist Sneddon died in a ravine, object to them, to be held for a price just offstage. had his agents abduct a famous there is no body to prove that and and then shipped home at a steep South Korean actress in 1978, using some distressing indications that he discount when it was clear he might Poor Otto Warmbier traveled to her as bait to entrap her ex- had come across North Korean die and lose whatever remaining North Korea on an organized tourist husband, himself a famous director, agents prior to his disappearance. value he held to them. trip. Other Americans travel for six months later. The two were The outlandish idea that Sneddon work, including journalists and reunited five years later and forced was kidnapped — and remains alive This why you shouldn’t go to North academics participating in Track II to make half a dozen films before in Pyongyang — doesn’t seem so Korea, even if the odds suggest it is diplomatic meetings. Two of the they escaped to the U.S. Embassy outlandish given the other cases of safer than a lot of other dumb things Americans currently detained on a trip to Vienna in 1986. kidnapping that are now well- you might do. Because at the end of actually lived in Pyongyong; they documented. the day, the North Korean worked briefly as instructors at the You don’t have to be famous to be government doesn’t believe in Pyongyang University of Science kidnapped by North Korea. During In all these cases there is a common human dignity, only in itself. You are and Technology, a privately funded the 1970s and 1980s, North Korea thread, no matter whether the willingly putting yourself in the hands university in North Korea. kidnapped at least 17 Japanese person did something wrong or was of a state that would gladly hold you citizens from Japan and took them simply in the wrong place at the if, for example, if it thought your Many of those detained have been back to North Korea. These were wrong time: The North Koreans felt release might make a nice ending to accused of missionary-related people guilty of nothing more than like each of these human beings its next feature film. And if you activities. Communist governments taking a moonlit stroll on the beach could be useful to them. And so, the happen to resist, it is happy to leave in China and North Korea take a dim before happening upon North North Koreans took them — took you for dead and grab someone view of Christian missionaries, for Korean agents. North Korea also them like they were objects, not else. The fact that you came home historical reasons, so leaving a Bible abducted a number of women from people with futures ahead of them, safely doesn’t mean that the trip was in a nightclub bathroom during a trip around the world to serve as families that loved them and a safe, merely that the North Koreans to North Korea — as Jeffrey Fowle spouses for American serviceman dignity deserving respect. didn’t think they needed you at that admits to having done — is a good who had deserted and defected. moment. way to run afoul of the authorities. (The North Korean authorities take a The philosopher Immanuel Kant, in But North Koreans are also eager to dimmer view of interracial marriage attempting to craft a series of ethical So, listen to Mrs. Lewis. DON’T GO hold people that they can ransom. among Westerners and Koreans precepts by which we might live, TO NORTH KOREA. Laura Ling and suggested that each of us should North Korea & Otto Warmbier -- Brutal Murder Deserves U.S. Response the death of Otto Warmbier, a 22- likely would have been considered officials, allegedly for attempting to year-old American student, at the an act of war. On January 2, 2016, steal a propaganda poster. In a previous era, hands of the regime in North Korea Warmbier was detained by regime Convicted of a “hostile act” against

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 20 the state, he was sentenced to 15 policy. The last three administrations Treasury Department could, if it And militarily? There are no good years of hard labor. Upon his all hoped to engage the regime in wishes, effectively end North military options when it comes to release into U.S. custody last week, constructive agreements, usually Korea’s access to the dollar system, North Korea, it’s true; setting aside regime officials said that he had providing some form(s) of aid in by supplementing the sanctions on the threat of a nuclear response, the been in a coma for nearly 15 exchange for promises to halt the North Korean banks imposed by North could wreak havoc on some of months, and blamed a case of construction of nuclear weapons. current law with secondary its neighbors just with conventional botulism. In reality, Warmbier was The theory was that the aid would sanctions on any banks that transact arms. But the U.S. can still wield a almost certainly tortured to death by help to facilitate economic and with North Korea. When the U.S. did big stick. The idea that North Korea the regime. ultimately political liberalization. this from 2005 to 2007, banks will stand down if the U.S. reduces around the world — including in its activity around the Korean What happened to Otto Warmbier is It has not worked out that way, China — froze or closed North Peninsula has been decisively what has been happening to North largely because the regime in Korean accounts rather than risk proven false, so the U.S. should not Korean citizens for more than 70 Pyongyang is not a trustworthy their access to the U.S. financial hesitate to flex its muscle. The U.S. years, since Kim Il-sung transformed partner. The Kim regime cheated on system. Secondary sanctions are and South Korea should continue the new country into what it is today: the 1994 Agreed Framework, under crucial to squeezing the regime. with joint military exercises. a hermetically sealed prison state which it received aid in exchange for Pyongyang’s power relies on a Meanwhile, the White House should operated by a hereditary dictatorship halting plutonium and uranium network of bad actors: China work to strengthen missile-defense that some scholars estimate has enrichment; in 2002, it unilaterally launders its money, Iran buys its capacities throughout the region. murdered around 1.5 million people withdrew from the 1968 Nuclear weapons, Cambodia re-flags its The decision by South Korea’s in its network of concentration Nonproliferation Treaty; the regime ships (which are smuggling the newly elected president Moon Jae-in camps. Those not executed by the reneged on its part in an agreement weapons). The U.S. must be willing to suspend further deployment of regime have fared little better: The hammered out by the Bush to enforce sanctions against these the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area country is beset by malnourishment administration in 2007 after less actors, too. Defense (THAAD) system pending and starvation (a famine in the mid than a year; and Kim Jong-un an environmental-impact 1990s killed half a million people); violated the terms of the 2012 Leap While the U.S. more aggressively assessment may be a precursor to its GDP per capita is somewhere Day agreement after just six weeks goes after the assets of North rejecting THAAD altogether; the south of $1,000, putting North Korea by testing a long-range missile. Korea’s elites — currently, only White House should work with behind Rwanda, Haiti, and Sierra about 200 North Korean entities President Moon to make sure that Leone globally; and its shoddy But it’s also been a case of have had their assets frozen, inconsistent, and often incoherent, does not happen. The administration infrastructure causes fires that can compared to about 400 in Cuba and should also be working to be seen from space. American policy. Given the fact that more than 800 in Iran — it could the North Korean economy is almost strengthen its relationship with also agitate to have North Korean Japan. None of these issues has ever been entirely administered by the regime, banks kicked out of the Society for of much concern to the Kim regime, these agreements have frequently Worldwide Interbank Financial Finally, it should go without saying now in its third generation. Kim meant that the U.S. is Telecommunication, reducing its that the United States should be Jong-un, like his father and simultaneously sanctioning and access to the global financial working from the inside to subvert grandfather, is dedicated to building subsidizing Pyongyang, and infrastructure. In 2012, the U.S. the regime. up North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. irregular enforcement by the U.S. successfully pressured SWIFT to Pyongyang has been alarmingly Treasury Department took much of expel Iran. Meanwhile, the U.S. It is persistently remarked that North successful in pursuing that end. The the bite out of the sanctions side. should be pressuring Europe, as Korea will never change until China regime has missiles that can reach stops shielding it, and there’s truth North Korea’s brazen murder of an well as countries in Africa and Asia, Japan, and reportedly is not far from to stop employing North Korean to that. But the United States has being able to strike the continental American citizen is reason to leverage, nonetheless, and reevaluate. slave laborers. As many as 100,000 U.S. North Korea is also already North Koreans have been sent especially now. And China’s position exporting terror in less explosive Last year, Congress passed and abroad by the regime (guess who’s may be wavering: There are reports ways. The regime is responsible for President Obama signed into law building stadiums for the 2022 World that Beijing is considering distancing several devastating cyber attacks the North Korea Sanctions and Cup in Qatar?), and defectors report itself from Pyongyang, and a (recently, North Korean hackers Policy Enhancement Act, which that the regime confiscates 90 younger generation of leaders in the paralyzed the United Kingdom’s mandated sanctions on entities that percent of their wages when they Communist party is not at all National Health Service, as well as have contributed to North Korea’s return home. convinced that bolstering North industries in 150 other countries), nuclear program or are complicit in Korea is, in the long run, worth the and Kim Jong-un successfully had its human-rights abuses, and on the On the diplomatic front, North Korea trouble. These are pressure points an estranged member of the family country’s mineral and metal trade (a receives an undeserved imprimatur that the United States can exploit. assassinated in Kuala Lumpur in key source of the regime’s hard as a member of the United Nations; February, in broad daylight. the Trump administration should There is no such thing as a currency). The Trump administration “manageable” nuclear North Korea; Meanwhile, Pyongyang maintains should expand on this foundation. work to expel it, as well as from its friendly, mutually beneficial other international memberships ultimately, the Kim family and its relationships with other terror-loving Start with the banks. Since 2007, (e.g., the ASEAN Regional Forum crime syndicate must go. The U.S. regimes, including Iran and Cuba. the U.S. has allowed North Korean and the International Olympic should recognize the murderous financial transactions to flow more or Committee). The State Department regime in Pyongyang for what it is, The fact that North Korea is now a less unencumbered through the should also restore its designation and respond accordingly. nuclear-armed state is in no small U.S. banking system. Because as a state sponsor of terror, part a consequence of nearly three almost all transactions in U.S. removed by the Bush administration decades of ill-conceived American dollars pass through U.S. banks, the in 2008. and international High Noon in North Korea: Is Trump Ready for War? Gordon G. Chang that the United States will soon act The announcement, considered in On Tuesday, Trump in effect on its own to disarm North Korea. the context of Trump’s other declared it was time for the U.S. to The horrific death comments on the subject, appears act on its own. of Otto Warmbier “While I greatly appreciate the ominous. Trump on April 11 said looks like it forced the hand of efforts of President Xi & China to America would defang North Korea Many had assumed that Trump President Trump. help with North Korea, it has not by itself if China did not do so. would wait until at least the middle worked out,” Trump tweeted “North Korea is looking for trouble,” of July before going after the A day after the 22-year-old student Tuesday afternoon. “At least I know Democratic People’s Republic of passed away, the American leader, he tweeted then. “If China decides China tried!” to help, that would be great. If not, Korea. Japanese newspapers in what may end up as the world’s reported that the American leader at most consequential tweet, signaled we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.” the early April Mar-a-Lago summit

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 21 gave his Chinese counterpart, Xi All of these measures would help, of disarming, Trump will have to go Is war really the next step? Perhaps Jinping, 100 days—until July 16—to course, but the big flows of cash to after China. so, if for no other reason than the deal with Pyongyang. That North Korea originate from China or Kim regime has looked unstable for timeframe, by the way, matched up pass through Chinese financial He already has the tools to do so. some time. If it is in fact unstable, it with Commerce Secretary Wilbur institutions. Bank of China, one of By doing nothing more than will not be able to deal with the Ross’s “100-day action plan” on China’s “Big Four” banks, was enforcing U.S. law, Trump could put international community in good trade, announced at the end of the named in a recent U.N. panel report Chinese banks out of business by faith. If it cannot deal with the Trump-Xi meeting. for its active participation in a denying them access to their dollar international community in good conspiracy to hide illicit money accounts in New York. faith, the chances for of any Yet the outrage over the transfers for North Korea. Trump administration officials, to negotiated settlement with the brutalization of Warmbier looks like Trump administration appear slim. it accelerated Trump’s timetable. Chinese banks in the border city of their credit, have talked about Dandong have regularly handled unplugging Chinese banks, but Warmbier is the first detained Now the administration will have to funds for suspicious transactions there is no indication they have now American civilian known to have act. What will it do? involving the North. summoned the considerable political been killed by the North Koreans. will necessary to act. His killing suggests, among other There are many “non-kinetic” And Chinese banks were almost options. The most effective of them The failure to summon political will things, that something is wrong in certainly involved in the February Pyongyang. Kim Jong Un, at the restrict the flow of funds to the 2016 cybertheft of $81 million from to impose costs on China means Pyongyang regime. The U.S. can, Trump, if he honors his promise to very least, now looks reckless and the account of the central bank of dangerous. as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Bangladesh at the New York disarm North Korea, will eventually suggested Wednesday, prevent Federal Reserve Bank. U.S. officials have to resort to “kinetic” options, So any decision by Trump to use Americans from traveling to North think North Korea was the perhaps soon. force could trigger history’s next Korea. The administration can also mastermind but that Chinese great conflict. Decisions on North tighten sanctions on the North. Eric Bolling will not be surprised if middlemen helped “orchestrate the Trump uses force. “It may be time Korea are about to become Moreover, it can do a far better job theft.” If Chinese middlemen extraordinarily consequential. of enforcing existing measures for a preemptive strike,” the Fox orchestrated, Chinese banks were News anchor, obviously angered by designed to stanch the flow of funds almost certainly participants in the into Kim regime coffers. the North’s treatment of Warmbier, crime.So to starve Pyongyang into said Monday on air.

Why Trump’s Foreign Policy Can’t Be Stopped In short, with the exception of But for several years, the results of opinion. (According to a January dealing with Russia, Trump’s foreign other public opinion surveys, most Pew poll 38 percent Americans On the surface, it might seem that policy will remain veritably notably by the Pew Research surveyed identified climate change Donald Trump’s foreign policy — untouchable: In both style and Center, show that Trump is not as a top priority.) This president has such as it is — will be the latest substance, he’s going to have a completely out of touch with broad a great deal of latitude and casualty in a stream of endless pretty free hand. public sentiments. For example, discretion to put the Trump brand on leaks and ongoing investigations according to Pew, most Americans America’s approach to the world. into collusion with Russia and Few domestic constraints: Does prefer that the United States deal obstruction of justice that will cling to anyone really care? with its own problems and let other Discretion to act abroad his presidency for months, if not The conduct of U.S. foreign policy is countries deal as best they can with Indeed, when it comes to foreign years, like a barnacle to the side of their own problems; they are also a boat. largely an elite issue. This is easy to policy, both the U.S. Constitution forget when you’re living inside the skeptical of global engagement, and the real world guarantee that In a smart column in Foreign Policy, Beltway — whether you’re a believe that the United States does capacity. Congress and the courts Micah Zenko made the case that member in good standing of the too much rather than too little to go in and out of session and are Trump’s domestic travails may Blob or a realist — where every solve global problems, and favor a largely reactive; when it comes to compel a besieged and beleaguered development abroad is hotly more modest U.S. leadership role. A national security, they simply don’t president to delegate more to the debated and seems like it should be large number of Americans, have the information, capacity, or foreign-policy bureaucracy, thus the fulcrum of Western civilization. including former President Barack frankly the desire to intrude, let weakening U.S. credibility in the For foreign-policy wonks, the Obama and previous presidents and alone to challenge the White House. eyes of America’s allies and obvious is never so. How come secretaries of defense, agree that In the past 30 years, there have only adversaries who will increasingly everyone isn’t obsessed with the America’s allies need to pay more been two instances in which question the president’s reliability latest round in the Qatari-Saudi for their own defense and do not Congress has voted to override a and longevity. At the same time, saga? want the United States to act as the presidential veto on foreign policy. Zenko opines that domestic scandal world’s police. For the most part, the legislative and might push Trump in a kind of wag- Like Rhett Butler in Gone With the judicial branches stay out of the Wind, most Americans frankly don’t All these views are broadly the-dog scenario to engage in some consistent with Trump’s “America executive’s way on national security. very risky military business of a give a damn about foreign policy: (Trump’s two executive orders on They don’t rank foreign-policy First” philosophy. Here’s the bottom kinetic nature, say should North line: Barring a major mistake that immigration are a notable exception Korea undertake another nuclear issues, with the exception of and represent a highly unusual terrorism, among their top concerns. puts the well-being of the public at test or conduct one involving a long- risk or a crisis abroad that tugs at confluence of factors including the range intercontinental ballistic Few spend much time thinking administration’s politicization of the about the international issues that Americans’ pocketbooks, there will missile. be no wave of public opinion or immigration issue, the dysfunctional consume the attention of the rollout, and the contradictions, We’re not sure about the about the foreign-policy elite when a opposition from a Republican Congress that will sweep away this illogic, and perhaps illegality of the wag-the-dog thing. But we are president’s missteps sully America’s orders themselves.) convinced the president’s general good name, make the United States disruptive doctrine. Congress will approach to foreign policy — two- look weak, undermine its global tweak things every now and again Still, for the most part, President thirds disrupter, one-third leadership, or, in an effort to project — as it did recently on a nearly Trump is a relatively free agent to mainstreamer — is likely to strength, get Washington into unanimous vote on Russia shape the optics and substance of continue. And while his domestic unwinnable wars and conflicts. At sanctions. But on climate, his administration’s foreign policy, travails with special counsels and the same time, however, a majority immigration, terrorism, and Cuba for good or ill. Take his most recent congressional committees may of Americans — according to data policy, Trump’s rhetoric and politics trip abroad. In a scant nine days, the undermine his domestic agenda, from the Chicago Council on Global play extremely well to his base and president invested Saudi Arabia as they will not constrain what he Affairs — also support globalization to enough Republicans in Congress the focal point of his Middle East chooses to do (or not do) abroad. and free trade. to help inoculate his approach to strategy and re-energized the U.S.- more mainstream currents of public

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Saudi relationship through hundreds government and the world — standing American commitments — No bungled crisis … yet of billions of dollars’ worth of Secretary of Defense James Mattis, and, in the process, provide cover intended arms sales and investment National Security Advisor H.R. and legitimacy to Trump’s behavior. It seems likely that the pattern set in ventures. And that was just for McMaster, Secretary of State Rex These “adults” help foster a the early months of the Trump starters. Trump went on to deliver Tillerson, and Homeland Security perception that the administration administration isn’t going to change an anti-Iranian message that Secretary John Kelly — might have continues to adhere to long-standing dramatically any more than the exacerbated tensions within the Gulf a leavening effect on a volatile and foreign-policy traditions, even as the president himself will undergo some Cooperation Council and made inexperienced president. And president does his best to kind of profound transformation. The more difficult the task of putting his although we don’t know what undermine many of them. tweeting, the willingness to show anti-Islamic State coalition together; Trump’s foreign policy would look disrespect (and at times contempt) tweeted his preference for taking like if these experienced operators Just enough mainstreaming for foreign leaders, and the Saudi Arabia’s side in its conflict were not around, it’s clear that on determination to disrupt on issues Trump’s role as a disrupter is further that either resonate with Trump with Qatar, further inflaming the issues that are important to the insulated and protected, crisis; made clear that human rights president — for example, climate personally or politically with his base paradoxically, because on many are going to continue. And there have no serious place in his Middle change and turning NATO’s Article 5 other issues, he opts to color East agenda; became the first sitting into a bargaining chip rather than a appear to be few constraints that between the lines of what has offer any prospect of a change in U.S. president to visit the Western commitment — they have not been constituted the traditional foreign- Wall in Jerusalem; offended and able to restrain him. Indeed, on far behavior, particularly since his base policy goals of his Democratic and revels in his sticking it to the insulted European allies on issues too many issues these advisors Republican predecessors. This including climate change, trade, and seem willing to play along with if not “globalists” and “elitists” who are the mainstreaming creates both the subject of his rants. A resignation or defense spending; and blindsided endorse Trump’s self-consciously impression and the reality that his advisors when he failed to self-centered nationalism. This two of his senior foreign-policy or Trump is actually listening to his national security officials might give explicitly reaffirm America’s White House operates on the advisors or that, on certain issues, commitment to NATO’s mutual premise that nations do not have a him pause — as would a major his own instincts push him toward a crisis that forces a stumble or more defense guarantee. stake in cooperating to solve less disruptive posture. problems they cannot solve by consequential failure. But the former And all this in a mere nine days. themselves or in one another’s For example, he has chosen for now is unlikely and the latter impossible Whether any of this reflects a success; instead, Trump lives in a to preserve the Iran nuclear to predict. coherent strategy isn’t really the Darwinian dog-eat-dog world where agreement; to accept the “One point. The larger takeaway is that For now, what you see in Trump’s America needs to look to its own China” policy and avoid branding foreign policy now is more than the president can act unilaterally — interests and cut the best deals it Beijing as a currency manipulator or as his withdrawal from the Paris likely what you’re going to get in the can — allies and adversaries be start a trade war; to renegotiate future: an approach to the world that climate change accord reveals — damned (perhaps minus Putin). rather than walk away from NAFTA; with devastating strategic on far too many issues denigrates When two presumed moderates in and to put off moving the U.S. international institutions, multilateral consequences. There are issues, the administration — chief economic Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem out specifically dealing with Russia, agreements, and America’s advisor Gary Cohn and McMaster — of concern that such a move would alliances and partnerships. It defines where the current domestic basically said as much in a recent undermine his chances to cut what controversy will certainly constrain “America First” to mean America Wall Street Journal op-ed, they gave he calls the “ultimate deal” between only and harms U.S. national Trump. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine legitimacy to this deeply flawed Israelis and Palestinians. This in these circumstances lifting interests and the possibilities of view. mainstreaming not only avoids creating a more stable and sanctions on Vladimir Putin or creating major problems on every playing footsy with him on any Trump also benefits because in prosperous world. This is not just a foreign-policy front, but it also gives headline; it is likely to be a trend significant or sensitive issue. But on Mattis he has an experienced, the administration more room to most political issues, and perhaps intelligent, and sensible advisor who line, too. So to all of you globalists, maneuver in the key areas where elitists, and devotees of this also when it comes to projecting understands and accepts America’s the president wants to pursue far American military power abroad, responsibilities for global leadership magazine (like us) who forlornly more unconventional policies. The believe you’re going to influence this there are few if any constraints to and spends much of his time bottom line: Trump upsets the apple stop him. advising U.S. allies to ignore the administration’s foreign policy, cart when not doing so would either here’s our advice: Lay down and tweetstorms from the man behind directly undermine high-profile His advisors give him cover and the curtain. Vice President Mike wait patiently until the feeling — and legitimacy campaign commitments he has the Trump administration — passes. Pence, Tillerson, and McMaster made to his base or, in his own The appointment of several have also helped to calm the jittery view, would not cost him anything. experienced hands in the ways of nerves of allies and reaffirm long-

ETATS-UNIS

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UNE - Karen Handel Wins Georgia Special Election, Fending Off Upstart Democrat Jonathan Martin and Richard loafers subdivisions of Dunwoody for living outside the district, advertisements denouncing Ms. Fausset and Roswell, where Mr. Trump although he was raised in it. Handel. prevailed in November, augur for Republicans who next year will be Mr. Ossoff’s allies, for their part, Although they received enormous defending an array of less paid for an advertising campaign political and financial support from Addressing supporters in Atlanta, deriding Ms. Handel, a former allies in Washington, the two Ms. Handel noted with pride that conservative seats outside the South? chairwoman of the Fulton County candidates tiptoed around more she had become the first Board of Commissioners, as a polarizing national political figures. Republican woman sent to Even as Mr. Ossoff lost, Democrats’ profligate spender while in office. Ms. Handel rarely uttered Mr. Congress from Georgia, and she spirits were somewhat lifted by the And Mr. Ossoff ran television ads Trump’s name of her own volition, pledged to represent all of her unexpectedly strong showing of that rehashed Ms. Handel’s preferring instead to highlight the constituents, including Mr. Ossoff’s their nominee in another special resignation from the Susan G. district’s Republican lineage and supporters. But she made clear that House election Tuesday, in South Komen Foundation over her belief warn that Mr. Ossoff would do Ms. she would work to pass major Carolina. In a heavily conservative that the group, which raises money Pelosi’s bidding. Only in declaring elements of the Republican agenda, district vacated by Mick Mulvaney to fight breast cancer, should cut victory late Tuesday night did Ms. including health care and tax — now the director of the White ties with Planned Parenthood. Handel make a point of offering overhauls. House Office of Management and “special thanks to the president of While Mr. Ossoff’s supporters “We have a lot work to do,” Ms. Budget — African-Americans came the United States of America,” a line out in force for a wealthy Democrat, showed great passion, Republicans that set off a boisterous chant of Mr. Handel said. “A lot of problems we were presumed to have a heavy need to solve.” Archie Parnell, and the Republican Trump’s name by the crowd. candidate, Ralph Norman, won by a mathematical advantage in the For Democrats, the loss was narrower margin than Ms. Handel district, which Tom Price, now Mr. Mr. Ossoff, for his part, sought to demoralizing after questionable did in Georgia. Trump’s health secretary, won by avoid being linked to Ms. Pelosi or “moral victories” in two earlier 23 points in 2016. And it was labeled a liberal. He assured voters special election defeats, for House In the so-called jungle primary in unclear throughout the contest how he would not raise taxes on the rich. seats in conservative districts in Georgia — the initial special the two campaigns would ultimately And in pledging to root out wasteful Kansas and Montana. Mr. Ossoff election on April 18 — Mr. Ossoff, be buffeted by tempestuous events spending and seek compromise, he appeared so close to victory that one of 18 candidates on the ballot, in Washington, including Mr. sounded more like an heir to former Democrats were allowing captured just over 48 percent of the Trump’s handling of the Senator Sam Nunn’s brand of themselves to imagine a win that vote, an unusually strong showing investigation into Russian meddling Southern centrism than a would spur a wave of Republican for a Democrat but short of the 50 in the presidential election, the progressive millennial who cut his retirements, a recruitment bonanza percent needed to avoid a runoff. House’s passage of an unpopular teeth working for Representative and a Democratic fund-raising Ms. Handel came in a distant health care overhaul bill, and the Hank Johnson, a DeKalb County windfall heading into the 2018 second, with just under 20 percent, attack last week on a group of liberal. midterm elections. as Republicans divided their Republican lawmakers by an anti- support among a number of credible Trump liberal. Voter turnout in April was already Addressing a crush of cameras and conservative contenders. high for a spring special election, supporters who spilled out of a hotel Republicans, fearing the symbolic and it soared during the runoff, to ballroom, a subdued Mr. Ossoff But Republican leaders were and tangible repercussions of a loss more than 240,000, from more than tried to strike a hopeful note as he optimistic that the party’s voters in Georgia, spared no expense in 190,000. Nearly 150,000 voters cast conceded defeat. would rally behind Ms. Handel in a propping up Ms. Handel’s ballots before the polls opened on two-candidate showdown. candidacy. Mr. Trump, Vice Tuesday, nearly three times the “This is not the outcome any of us President Mike Pence and House early vote in the first round. And were hoping for,” he said. “But this Questions also lingered about Speaker Paul D. Ryan all came to nearly 40,000 of those people had is the beginning of something much whether the grass-roots coalition Atlanta to help her raise money, and not voted at all in April. bigger than us.” backing Mr. Ossoff — fueled by conservative groups poured $12 highly motivated anti-Trump million into the runoff, nearly all of it By Tuesday, the fatigue among The margin in Georgia was activists who were, in many cases, assailing Mr. Ossoff. voters was palpable. ultimately larger than even some new to political activity and Republicans had expected, with tax- organizing — could improve on its A “super PAC” aligned with Mr. Some residents posted warnings averse voters in the outer suburbs April showing in a runoff held at the Ryan, the Congressional demanding that campaign workers overwhelmingly siding with Ms. beginning of the summer vacation Leadership Fund, spent more than stop knocking on their doors. Handel. season, in a district where people $7 million from April to June. “NO SOLICITATION!!!!!!!” read one have the means to escape to the sign, photographed and published Yet the Republican triumph came beach. Still, the $8 million gusher of liberal only after an extraordinary financial money that Mr. Ossoff enjoyed on social media by a Handel intervention by conservative groups leading up to the April vote only supporter. “And no! We aren’t voting and by the party’s leading figures, intensified during the two-month for OSSOFF! I have big dogs!!!” Ms. Handel and her supporters buoying Democrats’ hopes that they approach to the runoff. He brought The campaign so enveloped the can still compete in the sort of portrayed Mr. Ossoff as far too in another $15 million, much of it in liberal for a district that, covering Atlanta region that polling places in wealthy, conservative-leaning small contributions from beyond a neighboring district posted signs districts they must pick up to somewhat different territory, was Georgia’s borders. And national represented from 1979 to 1999 by telling residents that they were not recapture the House. Democratic groups, persuaded that eligible to vote. Newt Gingrich, a Republican and he had a strong shot at winning, Both parties now confront the same former House speaker. They also rushed in with their own question: What does such a hard- criticized Mr. Ossoff for his youth won victory in the Lululemon-and- and inexperience and assailed him

UNE - GOP’s Karen Handel Beats Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia Janet Hook, contested U.S. House seat in turn opposition to Donald Trump’s Cameron Georgia on Tuesday, beating back presidency into electoral gains. McWhirter and Reid J. Epstein SANDY SPRINGS, Ga.— an aggressive challenge that Republicans held on to a hotly showed the Democrats’ inability to

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Republican Karen Handel, a former Mr. Ossoff’s defeat will likely prompt opportunity” by trying to portray Mr. candidate in April won more than Georgia secretary of state, beat soul-searching among Democrats Ossoff as a centrist. 50% of the vote, although Mr. Democrat Jon Ossoff, a onetime about what it will take to flip Ossoff came close with 48%. congressional aide, in the most Republican-held seats in the 2018 “The Democratic Party must be the expensive House race in history midterm fight for control of the party of real change,” said Anna The race is seen as a potential and the most significant test of the House, given that such a vast effort Galland, executive director of bellwether for the 2018 midterm two parties’ political strength since in Georgia fell short. More than $31 Moveon.Org elections because many Mr. Trump’s election. million was poured into the Ossoff battlegrounds in the fight for control Rep. Ro Khanna, a California of the House are likely to be campaign by donors and outside Democrat aligned with Sen. Bernie In nearly complete results, Ms. groups, compared with more than suburban, affluent GOP districts like Handel had almost 53% of the vote Sanders (I., Vt.), said the party must Georgia’s Sixth. Mr. Trump $23 million spent by Ms. Handel’s no longer run candidates who seek to just over 47% for Mr. Ossoff, the campaign and its allies. struggled in many of these districts Associated Press reported. to blur the lines between Democrats in 2016. Still, the fact that Republicans had and Republicans. He said the In winning the seat, Republicans to work so hard to hold on to a party’s campaign arm should “fire The GOP victory could help Mr. overcame a Democratic advantage historically conservative district sent their consultants” who advocate for Trump advance his legislative in campaign spending and a warning to GOP incumbents and a centrist message in districts that agenda in Congress. Mr. Ossoff had demonstrated that Mr. Trump candidates that they likely will have favor Republicans. made a major issue of his retained political capital in the a tougher fight than usual next year, opposition to GOP legislation to district. The president, Vice Other Democrats said the race repeal and replace the Affordable especially in suburbs like Georgia’s pointed to GOP weakness. “The President Mike Pence and other Sixth District, where many residents Care Act; his defeat could help party luminaries visited the Atlanta very fact that we’ve even been bolster Republican resolve to keep are affluent and hold college talking about this race for months is suburbs to support Ms. Handel’s degrees. trying to move a health bill through candidacy. an indication of how very bad things the Senate. Chip Lake, a Republican consultant are for Republicans right now,” said The result was a big blow to in Georgia unaffiliated with the Ian Russell, former political director The outcome could also shape the Democrats, who were hungry for a Handel campaign, said the of the Democratic Congressional candidate field for the 2018 midterm victory to demonstrate that grass- Republican win means the party Campaign Committee. elections, making it easier for roots, anti-Trump energy gives them “dodged a bullet.” Republicans to recruit candidates a shot at taking control of the House The midterm election map includes for the House, as well as keep in the 2018 midterm elections. Republicans should see the many potential battleground districts incumbents from retiring. However, Democrats earlier this year lost two expensive race as “a wake-up call that aren’t as heavily skewed to the the party holding the White House other contested House special to our base and our party,” because GOP as the Georgia seat. For typically loses seats in a midterm elections, in Kansas and Montana. the election in a traditionally example, Democrats are targeting election. Republican district shouldn’t have 23 House Republicans representing In a special election Tuesday in been close, Mr. Lake said. “I’m glad districts that Democrat Hillary The Georgia district has been South Carolina, Republican Ralph we won, but we shouldn’t have had Clinton won in the 2016 presidential represented by the Republican Norman held the House seat to spend $20 million to $25 million election. Party since Newt Gingrich won it in vacated by Mick Mulvaney, Mr. to do it.” 1978. Democrats made it a test of Trump’s budget director, but by a Mr. Ossoff had launched his their political strength this year, far closer margin than expected. Mr. But all that money, and Ms. campaign months ago by tapping because Mr. Trump barely won the Norman defeated Democrat Archie Handel’s use of a tried-and-true into Democrats’ surging anti-Trump district in 2016. The seat came Parnell, a former Goldman Sachs strategy of linking Mr. Ossoff to activism. His early appeals called open when Mr. Trump chose Rep. executive, by less than four national party figures such as on donors to “make Trump furious.” Tom Price to be secretary of Health percentage points. Mr. Mulvaney House Democratic Leader Nancy Donations came from around the and Human Services. won the district by 20 points in Pelosi, succeeded in waking up country. The president, who attended a November and Mr. Trump carried it Republican voters who had been at But he soon adopted a more by 18 points. risk of sitting on the sidelines. It fundraiser for Ms. Handel in April, centrist campaign message. Mr. put more of his own political capital showed that even in places that Mr. Ossoff didn’t speak much on the The twin victories mean that Trump carried only narrowly, GOP on the line in a series of tweets Republicans are 4-for-4 in the stump about Mr. Trump, focusing Monday and Tuesday supporting voters can unite in the face of a instead on local economic House special elections that are Democratic opponent. Turnout her and attacking Mr. Ossoff. Urging being widely viewed for signals to development and calling for his followers to vote for Ms. Handel, soared in the second round of bipartisan cooperation. each party’s prospects next year in voting compared with the primary in he wrote on Twitter, “She will fight the battle for control of the House, April, a sign that Republicans Ms. Handel rallied Republicans with for lower taxes, great healthcare which is now held by the managed to match the energy of the a warning that Mr. Ossoff was too strong security-a hard worker who Republicans. Georgia had been Democratic base. inexperienced and liberal for the will never give up!” considered Democrats’ best shot at district. Despite Mr. Ossoff’s centrist a win. Ed Painter, chairman of the GOP in The record $60 million in campaign tone on the stump, Ms. Handel spending saturated the district with Georgia’s 12th Congressional argued that he would inevitably In her victory speech, Ms. Handel District, said Ms. Handel won in part fliers, television ads and digital offered a “special thanks to the have to fall in line with liberal party ads—most of them negative—as because she drew support from leaders, such as Mrs. Pelosi. president of the United States,” who Republican voters who might have well as door-to-door canvassing so had come to the district for a been slow to come around because “Republicans are motivated,” Ms. intense that many voters felt fundraiser and sent supportive they were alienated by Mr. Trump’s Handel said in a CNN interview. beleaguered. Twitter messages in the closing election. “They surely don’t want Nancy “I’m voting! I’ve heard so much days of the campaign. After her Pelosi’s guy coming in.” victory, Mr. Trump congratulated “We’re getting some reluctant about the campaign! I’m voting!’’ her in another tweet. Republicans who really don’t like Election Day brought torrential rains said one Marietta resident who Trump,” said Mr. Painter. “The and flash flood warnings to the slammed the door on a canvasser In conceding, Mr. Ossoff said he specter of seeing another Democrat district. More than 140,308 people for a conservative group, the Faith didn’t get the outcome he wanted up there really frightened them.” had already voted in early balloting, and Freedom Coalition. but that his campaign had according to the Georgia Secretary awakened a movement. Among Democrats, an intraparty Cobb County voter Dianne Poland, of State’s office. That was almost who supported Ms. Handel in the debate began almost immediately three times the 56,830 people who “We showed the world that in places with a critique of the Ossoff race, has kept a growing pile of where no one thought it was even voted early in the first round of political mail under her living-room campaign coming from the liberal balloting in April, during a special possible to fight, we could fight,” he Moveon.org, which issued a table. “I thought I’d have a bonfire!” said. “The fight goes on.’’ election primary that winnowed an she said of her post-election plans. statement saying the candidate and 18-candidate field. The June 20 the Democratic Party “missed an runoff was needed because no

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Republican Karen Handel defeats Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District presented a classic Republican taxes to the highest level and is as their roadmap to taking back the case to voters, all while deflecting weak on crime and security, doesn’t House — swing, suburban districts BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — President the barrage of questions about even live in district.” Ossoff lives just with well-educated populations and Trump’s hopes of steadying his Trump’s latest tweets or his outside the district with his fiancee. also more diverse electorates than presidency and his agenda on handling of investigations into in the poorer, rural districts that Capitol Hill were given a lift Russian meddling in the 2016 A record turnout was expected once served as the party’s Tuesday when a Republican won a election. Tuesday: About 120,000 people foundation. special congressional election in the cast early ballots, according to Atlanta suburbs. The Republican unease evident in Georgia officials — nearly a quarter “We’re still going to be here,” Bill the district could replay across the of registered voters here. Atherton, 41, who works for a non- Republican Karen Handel defeated country next year, when both major profit trying to transition low-income Democrat Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s parties are bracing for a bruising As Handel’s lead climbed late families into self sufficiency and 6th Congressional District, retaining season of midterm elections at an Tuesday, a senior White House attended Ossoff’s election-night a seat that has been in GOP hands uncertain national moment . official sent The Washington Post a party. “Now we believe we have a since 1979 after a grueling, four- text message: “They haven’t figured strong enough movement, not only month campaign that earned the Back in Washington, party leaders out how to beat Trump.” to flip this district but inspire others.” distinction of being the most — and Trump — paid close expensive House race in history. attention to the race. Inside the For Democrats, Ossoff’s loss was As the national political and media West Wing, Trump and his advisers demoralizing, coming after months world focused heavily on the Handel won by almost 11,000 votes were briefed regularly on Handel’s of bitter infighting in the wake of Georgia race, an underfunded, and by more than four percentage standing in private polls and Trump’s victory. overlooked Democrat, Archie points, and Ossoff failed to reach Republican turnout, according to a His defeat is also likely to lead to Parnell, also a first-time candidate, the 48 percent mark that he topped White House official. In particular, almost pulled off a huge upset in the in the initial round of voting in April. more criticism from the wing of the official added, strategist liberal activists who want a more South Carolina seat vacated by Handel’s win will bring fresh Stephen K. Bannon and chief of confrontational style embodied by Mick Mulvaney, Trump’s budget attention to a beleaguered staff Reince Priebus were involved. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). They director. Parnell lost by about 2,800 votes, a little more than 3 Democratic Party that has suffered Jon Ossoff, a former congressional have already complained about the a string of defeats in special Democratic Congressional percentage points, after party aide, is running for the seat of leaders decided to devote all their elections this year despite an angry former Republican congressman Campaign Committee’s willingness and engaged base of voters who to support a more moderate attention in the run-up to Tuesday’s Tom Price in Georgia’s 6th elections to the Ossoff-Handel race. dislike Trump. Congressional District. Here’s what candidate in Ossoff, while more you need to know about him. Jon progressive candidates in special Of the four special elections It may also embolden Republicans elections in Montana and Kansas in Washington to press ahead on an Ossoff, a former congressional aide, prompted by Trump’s Cabinet is running for the seat of former this year were left largely in the selections, the DCCC identified the ambitious policy agenda that has lurch. yielded few legislative victories Republican congressman Tom Georgia seat as vulnerable to the since Trump’s inauguration in Price in Georgia’s 6th Moreover, Ossoff’s loss raises real sort of political climate they expect January. Most immediately, the Congressional District. (Bastien concerns about the continued to target next year. There are election result could bring Inzaurralde/The Washington Post) potency of Republican attacks dozens of suburban districts with momentum to Senate Republicans’ against Democrats by tying them to similar demographic makeup (Bastien Inzaurralde/The currently held by Republicans. efforts this week to craft their Washington Post) House Minority Leader Nancy version of a major revision to the Pelosi (D-Calif.). The anti-Ossoff Despite the contest’s national sheen Affordable Care Act. “KAREN HANDEL FOR Congress,” campaign seemed to veer from and implications, many voters here Trump tweeted as day broke issue to issue given the week, but said they made their decision based “We need to finish the drill on health Tuesday, touting the Republican the one constant thread over the care,” Handel said during her victory less on Trump and more on how candidate and former Georgia last four months has been linking they view the two candidates, speech here Tuesday. Chants of secretary of state. “She will fight for him to Pelosi. “Trump! Trump! Trump!” erupted whose salvos have inundated lower taxes, great health care televisions in a clash that has grown before her. strong security — a hard worker According to one Republican involved in the effort, the bitter and tense. Handel’s victory, however, revealed who will never give up. VOTE TODAY!” Democratic leader had a name Jennifer Wilson, 52, a school as much about Trump’s lingering identification of 98 percent among problems among Republicans as it counselor who went door to door for Handel and Ossoff vied to fill the voters in the Georgia district, and Ossoff on the eve of the election, did the challenges facing seat vacated by Tom Price, who her disapproval ratings were 35 Democrats. In a ruby-red district said Ossoff’s age, as well as GOP held it from 2005 until he joined percentage points higher than her attacks on his residency, were that her Republican predecessor Trump’s Cabinet this year as health approval numbers. won in November by 23 points, hurdles. “Some people say, ‘Oh, and human services secretary. On he’s only 30.’ But I tell them that Jon Handel struggled with Trump’s April 18, Ossoff had nearly topped Still, some Democrats said Ossoff’s looming presence over the race. competitive bid in Atlanta’s is someone who understands the the 50 percent threshold that would area,” she said. “He grew up here She won not with an embrace of the have given him an outright victory in Republican suburbs could be a president but by barely mentioning positive harbinger of next year, and wants what they want: to bring an 18-candidate primary field. high-tech and bio-tech jobs to our his name. Falling just short, he found himself when they must win 24 GOP-held seats to reclaim the House majority. community.” “You showed the world that in in a runoff against Handel. The Ossoff approach was to toe the places where no one even thought it Ossoff, 30, a former congressional “This is not the outcome any of us was possible to fight, we could were hoping for, but this is the middle of the road politically. His staffer, raised more than $23 calls for civility, at a time of a fight,” Ossoff, dressed in a black million, built a devoted grass-roots beginning of something much suit and black tie, told supporters bigger than us,” Ossoff said during nontraditional brand of politics from following and courted Republicans Trump, served as an indirect Tuesday. by bemoaning “wasteful” spending. his concession speech. “Rather than demonizing each other, we find contrast to the president — a polite Handel, who will be the first In another Tuesday tweet, Trump common ground and move rebuke while trying not to offend Republican woman elected to took a swipe at Ossoff’s centrist forward.” those who voted for him. Congress from Georgia, repeatedly positioning and dismissed him as a “There is a great hunger here in ducked opportunities to echo liberal who “wants to raise your Democrats are likely to continue to Trump’s populist roar and instead view districts such as Georgia’s 6th Georgia, across the political

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 26 spectrum, for leadership that is contest was a referendum on topped $50 million. The Meadows, who brought her focused on civility, that is humble, Trump’s presidency. Congressional Leadership Fund, a granddaughter to Handel’s final that’s committed to delivering super PAC affiliated with House event. results instead of notching partisan “This is a referendum on if enough Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), wins or winning the day on Twitter,” money can invent a person to win a spent more than $7 million on its And on Tuesday, she was proven he said Monday in an interview. special election,” the former House campaign against Ossoff and right, as Handel reasserted the speaker said, taking a swipe at launched a field program. political lines in suburban Atlanta in Handel supporters seemed Ossoff as he watched returns on the age of Trump. genuinely puzzled by the attention Tuesday. “He also backed off the Carolyn D. Meadows, a member of the 6th District received, given its whole model of a referendum on the board of the National Rifle Kane reported from Sandy Springs, decades of support for Republican Trump. He figured out it wasn’t Association, has lived in Cobb Ga., and Viebeck reported from candidates, going back to Newt working.” County her entire life and has been Washington. Michelle Baruchman, Gingrich, who began a long stint in active in conservative politics since Sean Sullivan and Karen Tumulty in 1978 when he won it while Jimmy The national significance of the she was a “Goldwater Girl” during Washington contributed to this Carter was in the White House. contest brought forth a flood of the 1964 election. report. advertising and organization. Some, including Gingrich, largely Spending in the race by the “No, we’re not a swing state, and rejected the suggestion that the campaigns and outside groups we’re not a swing district,” said Rubin : In Georgia’s 6th District, is Handel’s victory of great consequence — or none at all? By Jennifer would have encouraged nervous expectations in a district that is that takes place and how effectively Rubin Republicans to break with Trump rated as 9.5 percentage points more each party is able to find new voters and look out for their own interests. Republican than the nation as a while holding on to a chunk of its A GOP loss would have increased whole. existing electorate will determine As promised, the special election in the chances of more GOP the results in 2018 and 2020. retirements before 2018; a GOP Democrats will continue to debate Second, both sides have nearly 18 Georgia’s 6th Congressional District whether they should focus more on was nip and tuck for much of the win, no matter how narrow, months before the “real” midterms. encourages incumbents to stick health care or on Trump’s scandals Rather than dwell on the Georgia night. Republican Karen Handel and whether to veer far left or hew nevertheless eked out a win over around for 2018. 6th District election, both would do to the center-left. Advocates of the well to intensify recruitment and use newcomer Jon Ossoff, a So how do we assess the health-care-heavy approach would Democrat. In a rational political the remainder of the year to drive importance of the race? say the results would have been home their policy messages. atmosphere, neither side would take different had Ossoff concentrated great comfort from nor be seized The rational response is that this Finally, we should remember that even more intensely on the GOP’s the single biggest determinant of with panic because of a race race does not indicate either that plans to roll back the Affordable determined by a few percentage the Republicans are cooked in 2018 midterm results is the favorability of Care Act. In reality, the Democrats the sitting president. Right now, that points. Indeed, it’s easy to forget nor that they can breathe a sigh of did exceptionally well in a district no that this special election took place relief and continue to cling to should keep Republicans up at one would have expected them to night. in an overwhelmingly Republican Trump. The district, we need to win six months ago with an congressional district. But with tens remember, went to Tom Price by 23 atmosphere in which both health Democrats can take solace in of millions spent on a single race, percentage points in 2016, and to care and Trump’s Russia scandal seeing their candidates vastly and both sides determined to Trump by only 1.5 points. If a district were front and center. Unfortunately overperform in what should be easy extract some indication of its rated as safely Republican in past for Democrats, the race will not seats for Republicans. national fortunes — provided it won! years is now a virtual tossup, that’s resolve the internal debate as to Nevertheless, nothing can compete — the hype was unstoppable. And one sign that Republicans under where the party should put its with tallying an outright win. A to some degree the hype itself Trump have an uphill climb to reach emphasis. Moreover, by the time Democratic victory would have sent becomes self-fulfilling: A highly educated, suburban voters. 2018 rolls around, Trumpcare will a wave of panic through GOP psychological boost surely sways And, as the New York Times’ Alex either be a reality or have crashed ranks. A loss leaves them anxious, candidates’ and elected officials’ Burns put it, “The Sixth is still a and burned. if not a bit exasperated. For now, behavior. A GOP win makes really Republican district, and the Republicans averted outright Republicans less nervous about element of surprise was an asset There are three lessons we might disaster. sticking with President Trump on Ossoff had in the first round but not tentatively extract. First, we are health care or other issues; a the vote tonight.” If Democrats can seeing the parties divide on class Democratic win be faulted, it was in unduly raising and educational lines; how quickly Handel Georgia Victory, Ossoff Defeat Disrupts Anti Trump Narrative million during the campaign, Ossoff election posters, each jockeying for quarters — she had been hampered ultimately was unable to overcome the attention of passersby. There in the primary by the presence of Sandy Springs, the district’s solid Republican was no doubt in anyone’s mind that several viable GOP candidates, all Ga. — The last time Jon Ossoff inclination. Ossoff had earned his plethora of of whom were competing for the failed to win a seat in the U.S. front-yard signs, raising more than same funding and the district’s House, it was pouring all day, too. Polls over the last two months $8 million in just a few months and reliable red votes. On a blustery Election Day two consistently gave Ossoff a lead of giving every indication that he could months ago, the young Democrat several percentage points, but on win the requisite 50 percent of the Since that first round of voting, most fell just short of the 50 percent election eve, Handel edged into the vote to go straight to Congress. analysis has ignored the role that needed to turn Georgia’s sixth lead in the RealClearPolitics polling April’s huge candidate field played district blue for the first time since average, hinting at tonight’s victory. When Ossoff missed the mark by a in Ossoff’s near-win. While the 1979. Over 243,000 residents of the sixth hair, attention turned to Handel, a Democratic party had clearly settled district turned out to vote in the known entity in the state. After on him as their representative, Yesterday, the skies opened on the special election, which took place several failed runs for prominent Republicans were extremely district once again, and, just like last exactly two months after April’s public offices, she has finally divided. But those factions rallied time, Ossoff fell short of victory. His “jungle primary” that saw more than achieved victory in what was yesterday, lifting Handel to her worthy competitor, longtime Georgia a dozen candidates compete. probably the most hard-fought victory over the Democratic hopeful. politician Karen Handel, took 52.7 contest of them all. Her triumph percent of the vote to top Ossoff’s In April, streets all across the district tonight was unexpected in many Ossoff’s defeat comes as a 47.3. Despite raising more than $23 displayed an array of colorful significant blow to the Democratic

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 27 party, which loudly proclaimed that invested in an Ossoff win. While the Republican in Georgia’s sixth is a Both parties ought to carry serious the special election was a narrative was overblown to begin victory in itself. There’s something lessons away from this race — the referendum on the young with, Handel’s win tonight throws to that. But Handel’s non-incumbent most expensive House race in U.S. presidency of Donald Trump. water on the progressives’ claim status matters; Ossoff wasn’t history, by far. But it ought to be a Indeed, Ossoff’s overflow of cash that Trump is severely damaging running against Tom Price or Newt moment of particular reflection for was largely fueled by the intense the GOP in traditionally Republican Gingrich, both of whom represented Democrats, who poured national attention paid to the sixth- areas. the district for decades. That fact unprecedented levels of funding district race. But that cash might’ve complicated this race significantly, and precious political energy into an given a clue to his downfall: The Handel’s win tonight throws water as does Ossoff’s staggering effort that failed. At the very least, vast majority of donations to his on the progressives’ claim that fundraising haul. As a result, it’s yesterday’s results should show the campaign came from outside of Trump is severely damaging the difficult to draw any conclusions Left that they will need to devise a Georgia. The fact that, over a two- GOP in traditionally Republican about the strength of the new playbook if they hope to month span, 7,000 Californians areas. Democratic party in the district and succeed in 2018. gave to the Democrat compared Democrats will probably argue that beyond. with 800 Georgians should’ve even coming close to defeating a troubled anyone Trump spikes the ball after Georgia election win Alex Isenstadt did during the 2016 campaign, The MAGA Mandate is stronger Handel maneuvered carefully, continued to underestimate the than ever.” declaring her support for the connection many Americans felt president without fully embracing with the president. Handel’s win could have immediate him. She had Trump and Vice Rattled by Donald Trump’s implications for her party, possibly tumultuous first five months in President Mike Pence to the district, “He may be resonating with people helping to dissuade veteran but chose to hold private office, the Republican Party in a way that some don’t get,” lawmakers – some of whom have breathed a collective sigh of relief fundraisers with them rather than Gingrich said. “Maybe there’s a been spooked by Trump’s public rallies. On the trail, Handel Tuesday after a much-needed whole new conversation taking underwater approval ratings - from special election victory in Georgia. said that she wouldn’t be an place in a way that none of us foregoing reelection bids. Hoping to extension of the White House. The White House also exhaled: understand.” nudge along Republican After Republican Karen Handel was retirements, Democrats have been Rather than talking about Trump, declared the victor in a race billed It would be a mistake to say recruiting challengers to longtime Handel focused her fire on Ossoff, as a referendum on the new Republicans are in the clear. With GOP House members like casting him as a liberal and tying president, Trump fired off a series of Trump confronting an expanding California Reps. Ed Royce and him to House Minority Leader celebratory tweets. federal probe into his 2016 Dana Rohrabacher and New Jersey Nancy Pelosi, a reviled figure in campaign’s ties to Russia, party “Well, the Special Elections are over Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, who conservative districts like the one he strategists concede they are still haven’t faced serious challenges in was running in. and those that want to MAKE facing serious headwinds in their AMERICA GREAT AGAIN are 5 recent years but are likely to in efforts to retain the House majority 2018. The approach is similar to the But the biggest source of relief for and O! All the Fake News, all the in 2018. Republicans was the revelation that money spent = 0,” wrote Trump. one Republicans used with success in 2010, the year the GOP the party’s base hasn’t abandoned And Tuesday’s results weren’t the president. In the run-up to the Georgia race, entirely rosy. Handel’s win recaptured the House majority. Republicans worried that a loss disguised the fact that the party only While Trump has failed to follow could be the harbinger of a 2018 The Georgia outcome could also narrowly held onto a Republican- give a boost to Republican through on many of his big-ticket train-wreck. There were fears that a oriented Georgia seat, and barely campaign promises, polling Handel loss could ripple across the recruiting, which stalled as the won another race Tuesday for a political environment worsened for continues to show that most political landscape, spurring GOP conservative South Carolina seat bedrock Republicans approve of the retirements, dampening candidate the party. Several blue-chip GOP that few thought would be recruits, including Wisconsin Rep. job he is doing. That dynamic recruitment, and turbo-charging competitive. Both outcomes could played out in Georgia where, Democrats looking to bounce back Sean Duffy and Indiana Rep. Susan easily be interpreted as warning Brooks, had announced they would confronting a mammoth Democratic following the soul-crushing 2016 signs for the GOP. turnout operation and an energized election. not be running for Senate — choosing to run for reelection to liberal base, GOP voters turned out The contest, the most expensive Still, given the national spotlight on in droves. House race ever, was viewed by Georgia, Republicans breathed safe House seats rather than many as the first major strength test easier after the race was called for pursue Senate seats in an uncertain What’s still unclear is whether the of the Democratic resistance to Handel. environment. Now, as Republicans Georgia win will encourage GOP Trump. In the final days before the try to convince other House lawmakers to get behind Trump’s election, several White House aides “The Democrats threw the kitchen members to run for Senate, troubled legislative agenda. The said they didn’t know if Handel sink at this deal and they’ve come including Fred Upton in Michigan president has vowed to pass health would be able to fend off Jon up empty again. They haven’t won and Luke Messer in Indiana, the care and tax reform and an Ossoff, a 30-year-old filmmaker and an election all year, and they Georgia outcome could offer infrastructure package – yet all former congressional aide who probably won’t until November in reassurance. three face high hurdles on Capitol New Jersey,” said Scott Reed, the became a cause celebre among For Republicans confronting the Hill. liberals nationwide. chief political strategist at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which hurdle of running in areas where As they digested Tuesday’s results, But she did, and the president’s spent more than $1 million on ads Trump is unpopular, Handel’s Republicans cautioned that supporters viewed the outcome as boosting Handel. campaign seemed to offer a electoral peril still lies ahead — they proof that Trump continues to template for how to run. In a pointed out that special elections connect with voters. On Tuesday evening, Trump, who suburban Atlanta district filled with like the one in Georgia are often previously traveled to Georgia to upper income and highly educated poor indicators of the political Former House Speaker Newt appear with the Republican voters, Handel managed to win over environment. Gingrich, an informal Trump adviser candidate, weighed in with four Republican voters who had cooled and a past occupant of the Georgia tweets highlighting Handel’s on Trump. In days leading up to the In the leadup to the 2010 election, seat, contended that the handful of performance and one congratulating election, one GOP poll found that for example, Republicans fell short special elections this year revealed Ralph Norman in South Carolina. A Trump’s approval rating in the in a special election for an upstate that voters were tuning out the text message sent to Trump district had plummeted to 45 New York congressional seat the Russia scandal that has consumed supporters noted that Democrats percent. party had held since Washington. He argued that the “lose again (0-4). Total disarray. Reconstruction. At the time, political establishment, much as it operatives and analysts duly issued

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 28 doomsday predictions. When the that historical trends aren’t the party in power during a longtime party strategist. midterms arrived, Republicans favorable, either. During a closed- president’s first term. “Regardless of the president, we’re captured 63 seats and the House door meeting with lawmakers last going to see a substantially more majority. week, House Speaker Paul Ryan “I don’t care who the Republican energized Democratic base next reminded the GOP conference that president is, we know the history of year. The question is, do we lose Republicans continue to see plenty midterms are traditionally unkind for midterm elections,” said Vin Weber, the majority or come close to losing of reason for concern. They note a former GOP congressman and the majority?”

Psaki: Democrats, don't lose your cool over Georgia vote Democrats should aggressively Democrats will also need to take a target -- with a suburban, educated close look at what happened on the Democrats, don't lose your mind Health care was a major issue in population. And with a narrow win organizing front. According to early and your motivation over Jon this election. And concluding that by Handel, that strategy shouldn't reports, Republicans did Ossoff's defeat in GA-06. Handel's narrow win is a validation necessarily be discarded. surprisingly well in turning out their of the Republican health care plan Democrats wanted a win in the voters and Ossoff did not get far is wrong. It could have been the Ossoff, a young, energetic, former enough ahead on early voting by House special election in Georgia issue that narrowed the race. In a documentary filmmaker and Tuesday. And many think they need mail -- an organizing tactic that recent AJC poll, health care was the Georgetown University graduate, Democrats have traditionally relied a win in a special election this cycle. most important issue in the race, nearly defeated a far more They don't. on to bank more votes in advance with 81% saying it was either seasoned candidate, who formerly of Election Day. In 2010, the special election to fill extremely or very important in led a national advocacy the seat of Democrat John Murtha, deciding their vote -- more than any organization in a district that has Democrats will need to brace a member who had held his seat in other issue. been represented by a Republican themselves. Republicans are going southwestern Pennsylvania for 36 since the seventies. to get a little wind in their sails from In the same poll, voters disapproved this victory. It will give Mitch years, was seen as a major test for of the GOP's Obamacare repeal bill Now Democrats are going to need both parties. And when it was over McConnell, Paul Ryan and the by 37 points (25% favorable to 62% to determine where to put NRCC (National Republican many Democrats breathed a sigh of unfavorable) including 66% resources, which are never relief that the party had overcome Congressional Committee) a unfavorable among independents. unlimited, and whether donors and momentary reprieve from the attack ads on issues ranging from organizers should be focused on Obamacare to Nancy Pelosi. But Democrats were surprised by the doubts and griping they are hearing the districts where we have a from their caucus. And for the time Republicans knew the narrow massive influx of donations for their greater chance of winning. victory was a good sign for the unknown candidate. It will require being they may be able to keep According to the Cook Report, there vulnerable members in line. midterms. They were right. some work to maintain that were 94 Republican held enthusiasm and commitment to Even when you lose, special Congressional districts more But Republicans are far from being giving, but it is a good place to start favorable to Democrats. Should in the clear. And Democrats have a elections can offer an opportunity to from. try out a message and a window Democrats play in every race or be lot left to fight for. into the strengths and weaknesses This district could be a model for the more selective? of the opposing party. kind of demographic district

Bruni : After Georgia Election, Democrats Are Demoralized, Again Frank Bruni Republicans who have been She held a fund-raiser with Vice toward the center. Ossoff chose the agitated about the investigation into President Mike Pence — but not a latter, electing not to put his chips the Trump campaign’s ties to rally. on the demonization of Trump, lest Democrats came up empty-handed Russia and the president’s low he offend all the district voters who approval ratings will be calmed She backed Trump’s desired had put faith in the president. His nonetheless. So a party sorely rollback of Obamacare, but during demoralized in November is somewhat, strengthening Trump’s positions, in aggregate, were hand. her two debates with Ossoff, she moderate. demoralized yet again — and left to sidestepped any utterance of wonder if the intense anti-Trump And G.O.P. leaders and strategists Trump’s name to a point where Jim I think that was the right call, given passion visible in protests, marches, will feel reassured that the party Galloway, a columnist for The the demographics of this district, in money and new volunteers isn’t just isn’t tethered entirely to Trump’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the northern Atlanta suburbs. It’s no some theatrical, symbolic, abstract fortunes and, when it mobilizes its cracked that “the clothes have no lefty enclave. thing. resources, can transcend his emperor.” failings and all the melodrama he My guess is that Handel’s success When will it yield fruit? Where will it “Let us be clear,” Galloway wrote in owed a great deal to the translate into results? And at what stirs up. In the final weeks of the Georgia race, outside Republican an analysis of the first debate. assertiveness with which point will Trump be held “There is a 70-year-old man with a Republicans painted Ossoff as a accountable for a presidency that, groups poured millions into the contest and worked feverishly to battleship of a comb-over named liberal puppet, ready to have Nancy so far, has been clumsier and more Donald Trump, and he lives in the Pelosi pull his strings. Because he’s chaotic than even many of his turn out the vote for Handel. Those frantic efforts obviously paid off. White House. He really, truly just 30, had a paltry record to detractors warned that it would be? exists.” invoke and seemed to be getting Although her fumbles were many ahead of himself by running in a With Handel’s victory, Trump caught Galloway was in fact noting that an enormous break and got fresh and her charisma in limited supply, district in which he wasn’t even she fashioned a model for how a Ossoff, too, tended to steer away residing, he was ripe to be defined hope for his stalled legislative from Trump talk, and that will be agenda. As he tries to persuade Republican in a district that isn’t a — and caricatured — by the other ready-made Trump stronghold discussed extensively and debated side. moderate Republicans to support a furiously in the days, weeks and deeply flawed, broadly unpopular lurches across the finish line: by being with him and without him at months to come, as Democrats That’s one lesson to take away from and ridiculously secrecy-shrouded second-guess his approach and plot this: Candidates matter. And health care bill, he can and will point the same time. Handel’s bid was mesmerizingly conflicted. a path forward. Ossoff’s defeat may make it more to the outcome of the Georgia race, difficult for Democrats to recruit the in which Handel sided with him and I’ve watched many campaigns I’d The party has been bitterly divided best ones for the equally tough Ossoff pilloried her for it. describe as moronic. Hers was over whether that route should veer House races to come. Those oxymoronic. toward the left, which is where ditherers craved encouragement, as Bernie Sanders is beckoning it, or

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 29 did the party. It eludes all of them still.

Jon Ossoff's Loss in Georgia Is a Gut Punch for Democrats Molly Ball over an original poem, a limerick For all the post-election talk of the made new friends and learned local that began “There once was a misunderstood, left-behind rural politics. country in pain.” Hunt’s green eyes voter, or the urban liberal bubble, Most of all, they flocked to the ATLANTA—Around midnight, hours were moist. “It’s very sad,” the the most contested voters were in middle-aged drama teacher told me. the territory in between the coalfield underdog campaign of Ossoff, a 30- after their candidate conceded he year-old former congressional had lost the Most Important Special “It tells me that despite all the and the ivory tower. This is the wonderful people I met in this America of strip malls and big-box staffer and documentary filmmaker Election in History, the last whose campaign was initially remaining supporters of Jon Ossoff campaign, there are still a lot of stores, sushi buffets and light-rail people who support the meanness park-and-rides, a landscape dotted blindsided by the groundswell. By took over the stage where he had the end, volunteers like Zeigler were recently stood. One of them waved and ignorance and tearing each with charter schools and pet other apart” that she saw Trump as hospitals and retirement villages sometimes giving the campaign a bottle of vodka in the air. direction, rather than the other way Together, they took up the time- representing. along endless straight, flat, six-lane roads. around—she developed a young- honored leftist chant: “This is what Still, Hunt vowed to fight on, as did voter outreach plan that Ossoff’s democracy looks like!” most of the others gathered there. It was voters like these on whom staff adopted and funded. (The plan Sometimes, this is indeed what They pointed out how much closer Clinton’s campaign spent most of its frequently involved knocking on the democracy looks like: you get the race had been than that of the advertising budget trying to appeal, doors of these young adults’ outvoted. previous Republican congressman, only to have many of them conclude Republican parents, who called the Tom Price,who beat a token that Trump, for all his police on more than one occasion.) Democrats were counting on opponent by more than 20 points in indecorousness, represented less of Ossoff, the boy wonder of Georgia’s November, then left Congress to a threat to their way of life. Zeigler told me the volunteers Sixth Congressional District, to serve as Health and Human According to exit polls, about half of hoped to build a model they could deliver the proof that, with Donald Services secretary. The mood was the American electorate came from export to similar districts across the Trump in the White House, there more defiant than dejected. suburban areas in 2016, and country. “We’re going to grab ‘em was no limit to their political Trump, despite losing the popular by the midterms,” she said. “This is potential. But after a frenzied two- “With all our hard work, I’m vote overall, won them by a slightly the most important work I’ve ever month runoff campaign between disappointed we didn’t make a larger margin (4 points) than done.” Just then, a chant of “Flip the Ossoff and his Republican bigger dent, but we’re not going Romney had in 2012 (2 points). Sixth!” went up as three blue-shirted opponent, Karen Handel, the back,” said Jennifer Orlow, who women headed out to their cars. Democrat wound up with about the stood near the back of the room Ossoff’s army of passionate “That’s Patricia and Liz and Jenny— same proportion of the vote—48 with three other women in matching volunteers—more than 12,000, they knocked on 450 doors today,” percent—as Hillary Clinton got here blue Ossoff shirts. Orlow, a 45-year- according to the campaign—were Zeigler told the other volunteers at in November. If this race was a old technology consultant, grew up convinced their neighbors had had the table. here and cast every vote of her life second thoughts over the past eight referendum on Trump, the president By the end, the scale of the Ossoff won it. in the Sixth District, which has been months. On the eve of the election, in Republican hands since 1979. “It a contingent of those volunteers campaign was staggering, with It was a gut punch to Democrats’ has been a good nine months of occupied most of a strip-mall dozens of staffers, a sophisticated confidence, a reality check to the disappointment for us, but we have taqueria in Roswell to fuel up for a voter-turnout operation, and six field idea that vast swaths of the country to keep fighting,” she said. last night of canvassing. offices—the sort of effort normally were ready to deliver a backlash. reserved for presidential And it was the capstone to a losing They hoped to send one message When she woke up on November 9 campaigns. Most of the Ossoff season in which Democrats failed to to Washington; instead, they may and saw Trump had won, Jessica volunteers I met were local capture any of the four Republican- have sent the opposite one—that Zeigler recalled, she felt sick to her residents who had grown up held seats vacated by Trump’s the mass of American voters are in stomach. Zeigler, a 32-year-old somewhere else, longtime cabinet appointees. Earlier in the no hurry to deliver a rebuke to the mother of three who works for a Democrats who had long felt same night, a little-watched South chaos in Washington, and that medical-device company, couldn’t outnumbered. Carolina congressional district was Republican representatives still bring herself to tell her 7-year-old have wide leeway to pursue their son who had won when he asked. In the end, they were no match for also called for the Republican their neighbors’ deeply rooted candidate. policy objectives on issues like After some weeks of feeling lost, health care without losing or she discovered a secret liberal political allegiances, and they may But it was in Georgia, in this well- disheartening their base. moms’ group on Facebook—her have become a self-reinforcing off, well-educated suburban district, first foray into activism, and an feedback loop. where Democrats had focused their That is a tough pill to swallow for emboldening hint that she was not Democrats who have convinced A few miles down the road, at a attention, in a much-hyped battle alone. different strip-mall restaurant, that attracted the hopes and themselves opposing Trump will bring them back from the brink of “I just decided, this cannot be where Handel was holding her own donations of activists across the election-eve rally, where a woman country. Though both Ossoff and powerlessness. So far, they have my kids grow up, this cannot be cut into Republicans’ margins, but what is happening around them,” in her 60s named Debbie Moscato Handel tried to avoid it, they were told me how tired she was of all the cast as proxies in the national they have not yet figured out how to she told me over a plate of shrimp win, and moral victories get no tacos. “Sometimes it takes feeling canvassers marching around her partisan fight, with enough hype and neighborhood, often knocking and money—more than $50 million, or votes in Congress. There was a personally attacked to get people to latent fatalism in Ossoff’s parting be active.” asking for people’s voting-age nearly $100 for every potential offspring. “They are harassing voter—poured in to make it by far words: “As darkness has crept across this planet,” he assured The mothers organized into a people,” she said. “I have heard so the most expensive House race in constellation of new organizations— many stories of people our age with history. them, they “have provided a beacon of hope for people in Georgia and dozens of chapters of the local grown children getting harassed.” Indivisible movement; a new local It was, as a somber Ossoff had told for people around the world.” The Republican voters’ normally the crowd when the ballroom was group called Pave It Blue—and Short of victory, hope would have to drew hundreds of the similarly quiet neighborhoods were covered still full, “something much bigger in campaign signs and mailers, their than any of us.” suffice. galvanized to their meetings. Many spoke about their activism in phones ringing off the hook. It was Her hopes dashed, a dejected Driving around the Sixth therapeutic terms: something they unnerving. “It’s a different Hazel Hunt made her way through Congressional District, you feel like could do to process and exorcise environment since November,” the the crowd carrying a canvas on you could be anywhere in America, their feelings of anger, area’s Republican state senator, which she’d painted Ossoff’s portrait and that was kind of the point. powerlessness, and fear. They Kay Kirkpatrick, told me. “The

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 30

Democrats have been much more his children both have college Chamblee, hands folded in his lap. question?” he said. “Everyone talks energized.” A physician, Kirkpatrick degrees and work in science-related “But that’s not what voters in the about how Ossoff won’t mention easily won a runoff last month fields. Drawn to Trump for his Sixth District are focused on.” Trump, right? But when I give a against an upstart activist stance on immigration, Webb’s only speech about respect and civility Democrat; she predicted Handel complaint with Handel was that she Despite their agreement on this and kindness and decency, am I not would do the same. never seemed to mention the point, the two candidates had found talking about Trump? I mean, I think president. themselves bit players in a high- everyone in the room understands Sandy Capparell, 65, wore a neckful stakes contest whose stakes, to the the contrast, with perhaps a little of sparkling gold chains and a red For both of the candidates, Trump audience outside the Sixth District, subtlety, while building a coalition dress with a button reading “I’m an was He Who Must Not Be Named were almost entirely symbolic. Win that doesn’t want hair-on-fire Adorable Deplorable.” She fretted as the race wound down. “This or lose, either of them would be just partisanship.” about her 25-year-old son who had, race—it’s not about what’s going on one vote in a deadlocked Congress. after 16 years of private school and around the rest of the country,” But what would it mean for Just as Handel aspired to be as college, moved to California and Handel told her supporters in the everyone else? generic a Republican as possible, been brainwashed by the liberals. restaurant. “It’s about you and about Ossoff hoped be, as much as Capparell, a retired hospital the people of the Sixth District.” A documentary crew had set up possible, a blank slate, a nice young administrator, wished Trump would Earlier that day, the president had cameras in the room where I was man in whom disgruntled voters of do more to bring people together— repeatedly tweeted in support of interviewing Ossoff, trying to find all stripes could see the alternative “I don’t know that he even is her. something more than the same they wanted. His campaign slogan considering that”—but nonetheless answers to the same questions, proclaimed him “Humble. Kind. said she was “not unhappy” with his Ossoff, too, seemed to spend most which he answered with annoyingly Ready to Fight”—a positionless performance so far. of his time deflecting questions unflappable discipline. To get there, vessel of 2017’s cross-cutting about Trump, pivoting ceaselessly I had driven past a Baptist church political angst. It was a decision I spotted only two red Trump hats in back to well-worn talking points offering services in English, many would second-guess after the the room. One of them belonged to about “fresh leadership” and “quality Spanish, and Korean, as well as results were in. For this district, at Joe Webb, a 70-year-old retired of life” and “bipartisanship delivering gated developments of newly built least, Ossoff believed it was the IBM manager with a white-blond solutions.” “There are a lot of folks brick McMansions. only way he could possibly win. beard and ponytail. “I worked my trying to look for national way up by myself, first generation implications,” he told me, sitting in a As our interview concluded and I off the tobacco farm,” he said. Now back room of his campaign office in started to leave, Ossoff called me back into the room. “Can I ask you a Murphy : Jon Ossoff's $23 Million Loss Shows Dems Have No Idea How to Win in the Age of Trump Patricia Murphy unknown Democrat who lived just Comey-fired his way to one bad Romney won by 23 points in 2012, outside the district, liberal activists headline after another. and also what Handel did right to from across the country flooded keep her own fortunes separate and Ossoff’s campaign war chest, On the Democratic side, the apart from Donald Trump’s Tweet SANDY SPRINGS, Georgia—After combined efforts of the Ossoff $50 million and a congressional blowing it up into a $23 million storms. mega-campaign in five months. campaign, the DNC, and the contest bigger than some Democratic Congressional But Democrats will have more soul presidential primaries, the special Within weeks, he rocketed to the front of the field in the Republican- Campaign Committee help build a searching to do. They are now zero- election in Georgia’s 6th monster operation unprecedented in for-four in special elections since Congressional District to replace packed 17-way jungle primary in April. Georgia Democratic politics. By the Trump became the president and Rep. Tom Price ended up where it end of the race, they had knocked need to understand why. began, with the Republican House When Ossoff came up less than 2 on more than 500,000 doors, hired seat still in Republican hands and points short of the 50 percent 100 staffers, recruited 12,000 active They’ll be quick to say the Ossoff national Democrats still looking for a threshold to win the primary outright volunteers and spent more than $11 race never should have been so way to turn the resistance to Donald in April, he went on to face off million on ads on everything from close, which is true. And that Ossoff Trump into a victory at the polls. against Handel, a longtime fixture in the Today Show to Korean won in a sense just by being competitive in an R+10 district, With 81 percent reporting, former local Republican politics. While newspapers and gospel stations. Handel stuck to closed-door which is sort of true. Secretary of State Karen Handel But, and this is the part that will defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff 52.5 fundraisers, avoided national But after $23 million, a candidate reporters and held invitation-only sting Democrats for a long time: It percent to 47.5 percent. still wasn’t enough. who genuinely ignited the GOP events, Ossofff knocked on grassroots, and a Republican From the moment Price announced doors, did Republican neighborhood In his concession speech, Ossoff president who may or may not be he was leaving the seat to become meetings and went to every meet told his supporters they had done (but probably is) under FBI President Donald Trump’s secretary and greet he could. His goal was to much more than work on a investigation and can’t stop talking of health and human services, the ask for every vote. Hers was to stick campaign. “You have provided a about it, the real question race to replace him was a highly with what had been working for the beacon of hope, not just for people Democrats need to answer is: nationalized, money-soaked last 40 years in the district—turning in Georgia, but for people around What’s it going to take to win an brawl—a referendum, especially for out reliable Republicans. the world,” he said, finishing. “The election in the era of Trump? Democrats, on the president in an fight goes on. Hope is still alive.” affluent suburban Atlanta district The Washington big guns joined in As of Tuesday night, they still have he’d barely won in November. on both sides, with Speaker Paul When the full returns are counted, no idea. Ryan’s PAC sending millions of Republicans here will have to ask After Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) dollars to give Handel TV air cover themselves why the race was so endorsed Ossoff, then a 29-year-old as Trump mean-Tweeted and close in a community that Mitt

Shapiro : Apocalyptic Politics’ Dangerous Appeal, Left & Right Doomsday thinking justifies complex. It makes all decisions There’s something attractive about anything. If Armageddon lies just clear. Judeo-Christian moral qualms all of this. Left adrift, without a We are in love beyond the horizon, then all are minimized in the face of an mission, Americans find windmills to with the apocalypse. measures are worthwhile in staving implacable enemy bent on bringing fight and dub themselves knights in it off. Armageddon simplifies the hell down to earth.

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 31 that battle. And they find excitement With the rise of President Trump, Republican inability to fulfill principles” at the door. An eye for in that battle. apocalyptic thinking has increased promises about stopping either an eye. In fact, a preemptive eye for exponentially. Obamacare or President Obama’s a prospective eye. To defeat the In an age when nearly nobody has executive amnesty. Left, we must imitate the Left. served in the military against an The Left has declared time and What’s more, you’re a coward and a actual existential foe, too many again that the end is imminent: Conservatives felt that the political spoilsport if you say differently. No Americans dream of a war that will President Trump’s pullout from the apocalypse was upon them. The more moral struggles. Win! Win at provide meaning and clarity. They Paris accords, ridiculously enough, country was at risk, the Constitution all costs! Rally to your general! The watch The Walking Dead and Game meant that the planet would turn a dead letter. Hillary Clinton, the fate of the republic is at stake! of Thrones and imagine themselves into an oven, roasting the flesh of most corrupt politician of our fighting a faceless enemy, making babes and swamping cities with lifetime, was on the verge of the This is dangerous stuff. It’s easy moral decisions. They watch rising tides; Trump’s utterly presidency. dangerous when the Left peddles it comic-book films and thrill to the unproven Russian collusion spelled — but it’s also self-defeating, since fictional antics of those saving the the end of the American democratic It was the political apocalypse. It most Americans don’t think of the world. In war, at least in theory for experiment; Trumpcare would kill was doomsday. country as irrevocably split. There’s the layman, all moral decisions boil millions. With the end so near, how Unlike the Left, however, the Right a reason Democrats have lost 1,000 down to one: Does it help our side could the Left be blamed for had a guiding Judeo-Christian moral legislative seats across the country, win? deploying all of its tactics, from compass written into its political nearly two-thirds of governorships, astroturfed boycotts to political the House, the Senate, and the The Left has flattered itself with education. The notion of individually intimidation, to stop the oncoming virtuous behavior restrained presidency. such illusions since the 1960s. They onslaught? A tiny coterie of leftists launched wars on drugs and conservatives from likening political It’s far more dangerous when the has even embraced the actual logic warfare to actual warfare, from poverty and repressive Judeo- of war: In war, people die. In the self-stated guardians of Judeo- Christian sexual mores. They saw applying wartime morality to Christian morality declare war. Then aftermath of the shooting of House peacetime politics. themselves as guerillas in the fight Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R., nobody is left to stand for decent against a racist, imperialist La.), Joy Reid said on MSNBC, “It’s The election of President Trump behavior — to remind us that we American government. Imbued with a delicate thing, because everybody liberated some conservatives from are brothers rather than enemies, the moral superiority of an is wishing the congressman well the shackles of that morality. It that the proper response to an existential fight, the Left granted and hoping that he recovers, but wasn’t that Trump won; it wasn’t unhinged violent attack on members itself license to do anything, to Steve Scalise has a history that merely that Hillary lost. It was how of Congress isn’t storming a stage justify anything. As Saul Alinsky put we’ve all been forced to sort of Trump won: by dumping the at a play in Central Park, and that it: “In war, the end justifies almost ignore on race.” trappings of virtue, by reveling in the proper response to a judicial any means.” fibs and vulgarities and superfluous verdict you don’t like isn’t setting Apocalyptic thinking of the Left — cruelties and violent chatter. local stores on fire. The result was chaos. and its commensurately unmoored Because so many conservatives This isn’t The Walking Dead. It’s not For two decades, the warlike rhetoric and behavior — drove the thought Trump would lose, they rise of doomsday thinking on the a Batman movie. It’s a constitutional mentality of the Left crept into were convinced when he won that republic. remission. But then, with the war in right. he won because of his bellicose Iraq, it was reinvigorated. That The creeping despair of apocalyptic behavior, not in spite of it. Trump, When people who have never seen wartime mentality was exacerbated thinking began with President the Right convinced itself, won war begin championing wartime by President Obama, who divided Obama, who utilized his massive because he saw more clearly than tactics with such alacrity, they bring Americans into political battalions popularity to target his political anyone else that a war was upon actual violence closer. But this isn’t by race, class, and sexual enemies, mobilizing his leftist media us, and he fought a war like a war. The Walking Dead. It’s not a orientation, and activated his allies as a propaganda army willing Batman movie. It’s a constitutional electoral army to support his grand Trump, the Right convinced itself, republic with a social fabric that to ignore his sins and champion his won because he saw more clearly strategy. Rioters were treated as programs. That despair snowballed frays every time we jettison shock troops, overzealous but than anyone else that a war was traditional morality for wartime with the passage of Obamacare and upon us, and he fought a war like a necessary. Violent protesters were crescendoed with the defeat of Mitt tactics. tut-tutted on college campuses and war. Romney, an honorable man who fell at campaign events. The Left said victim to the Left’s troll-based All of which meant that the solution that words were violence — and election scheme. The anger to political despair was more acted accordingly. reached its apex with the political warfare. Toss “muh

Senate GOP leaders will present health bill this week, even as divisions flare McConnell’s desire to wrap up Tuesday, her frustration evident. “wants a bill that has heart in it,” before the Fourth of July recess “Because I don’t.” press secretary Sean Spicer said at After weeks of secret deliberations, reflects the sense of urgency the White House on Tuesday. And Senate Republicans are in the final among Republicans, including McConnell told reporters that he at a private meeting with senators stages of a sweeping rewrite of the President Trump, to show progress would “lay out a discussion draft recently, Trump called the version nation’s health-care laws amid on health care after years of vowing Thursday morning; you’ll be able to that passed the House “mean.” growing frustration among the rank to “repeal and replace” the take a look at it” — but he declined and file over how to fulfill the party’s Affordable Care Act. to discuss the specifics. He said the Senate Republicans have vowed to top campaign promise over the past Senate would take up the bill on the repeal and replace key parts of the seven years. But McConnell’s strategy for floor once it receives a score from ACA, commonly known as achieving that goal — writing a bill the nonpartisan Congressional Obamacare, the 2010 law that has Senate Majority Leader Mitch with a handful of aides behind Budget Office — possibly Monday. provided insurance to about 20 McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday closed doors — has come at a cost million additional Americans through that GOP leaders will produce a that reached new heights on Trump has sent mixed signals to a combination of expanded “discussion draft” on Thursday and Tuesday: anger among Republicans Capitol Hill and has played a more Medicaid coverage and private hinted that a final vote could come who feel shut out of the process. hands-off role in Senate insurance, much of which is next week — even as key senators deliberations than he did in the federally subsidized. expressed concern about the “Do you know what the health-care House. While the president has emerging legislation, the lack of bill looks like?” Sen. Lisa Murkowski pushed for swift action on health But even among Republicans — no transparency surrounding it and the (R-Alaska) asked reporters care and celebrated the passage of Democrats are expected to support disagreement that remains. the House bill in May, he also the bill — competing ideological

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 32 goals have complicated Senate he said. “There’s no way for anyone would be more gradual than the “There has been no political issue in negotiations. Among the challenges to know what we have until we have House bill. modern times more debated than in a messy drafting process: how to language.” Obamacare,” he said, noting that lower insurance premium costs and Republicans hold a 52-48 controversy over the bill helped eliminate what some view as Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), a key advantage over Democrats and propel Republicans’ electoral gains burdensome coverage mandates architect of a health-care working thus can afford to lose only two in 2010, 2014 and 2016. “The without increasing the number of group that has been huddling votes, even under the maneuver Democrats’ complaint that we uninsured Americans. It has regularly for weeks, said that while known as reconciliation they are haven’t talked enough is rich with become both a political and a the senators “continue to make using to enable them to pass it with irony.” substantive question for some GOP good progress” on crafting a a simple majority rather than the 60- senators — many of whom compromise, “a great deal of work vote majority required of most The closed-door process has left campaigned on a promise to “repeal remains to be done.” legislation. many health-care advocates at a loss. Dick Woodruff, senior vice and replace” but now face strong The critical test, Cruz said, is Asked whether negotiations were evidence that their constituents like president of federal advocacy for whether the bill would drive down far enough along to allow for a vote the American Cancer Society, said their coverage and insurance premium costs. “Right now, the next week, Cruz, who is more protections under the ACA. in an interview Tuesday, “We’re current draft doesn’t do nearly concerned with paring back doing what we can to communicate The more contentious issues have enough in that regard,” he said. regulations in Obamacare than he is to the Hill what impact on coverage” included how to slow spending in the Medicaid debate, said, “I think the health-care overhaul could have As he left a working-group meeting our decision not to set artificial growth in Medicaid and reducing Tuesday, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R- on its members. requirements for health plans, such deadlines was the right decision.” Utah) was asked whether Woodruff, who said his group was as mandated coverage for certain Republicans had moved any closer Democrats have registered their diseases or preexisting conditions. particularly concerned about to completing their work. displeasure this week with both the potential cuts to Medicaid and the process and policy Republicans are Senate leaders hope to start debate “Didn’t seem like it to me,” Hatch bill’s impact on people with by Tuesday or Wednesday of next spearheading. On Tuesday, they preexisting conditions, added: “The responded, with a chuckle. “There’s continued their protests, using a week, said two senior GOP aides still a lot of different points of view. difficulty is that there isn’t much who spoke on the condition of parliamentary tactic to slow other coming back. It’s like we’re talking And there are no simple answers to Senate business. anonymity to describe strategy — these problems.” to a black box.” yet it remains unclear whether “If the Republicans continue down McConnell has the 50 votes he One of the biggest and most The Senate is scheduled to go into this path, ignoring the principles of recess at the end of next week. If needs (plus the tiebreaking vote of divisive matters under discussion is transparency and the open debate Vice President Pence) to pass the how to structure Medicaid. Some Republicans do not finish their work that define this legislative body, we on health care before then, they bill. Democrats and Republicans will GOP senators from states that Democrats will continue to do each have 10 hours to debate the expanded Medicaid under the ACA may risk losing steam, as senators everything we can to shine a light return to their home states and bill before being allowed to offer an are trying to phase out higher on what our Republican friends are unlimited number of relevant federal payments at a slower rate potentially face fresh resistance to doing,” Senate Minority Leader their efforts. amendments in what is commonly than a bill that passed the GOP- Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said known as a “vote-a-rama.” If all controlled House in May. Some on the Senate floor. Still, some Republicans said they goes as planned, a final vote could conservatives, meanwhile, are were confused about the bill taking occur by the end of next week, the seeking to slow the growth of In 2009, two key Senate shape and warned against rushing. aides said. Medicaid’s costs. committees held extensive hearings and votes on bills that eventually “I’m hearing lots of conflicting Even lawmakers who have Sen. Patrick J. Toomey (R-Pa.) formed the basis of the ACA. Two information,” said Sen. Susan supported the idea of moving swiftly called talks on the bill “a work in separate committees adopted Collins (R-Maine), a key centrist. said they don’t know what will be in progress” on Tuesday. Toomey is dozens of GOP as well as the bill. leading the conservative Democratic amendments in In a video he posted Tuesday Republicans who want to slow afternoon on Facebook, Sen. Mike Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) told meetings that lasted 13 days and Medicaid’s costs. eight days, respectively. The final Lee (R-Utah) said he had not seen reporters that while he and his the bill, despite being a part of the colleagues “all understand what the On the opposite end of the Senate bill passed in December 2009, after 25 days of consideration Senate GOP health-care working tensions are” in reaching a spectrum is Sen. Rob Portman (R- group. compromise, it was impossible to Ohio), who has been pushing for a on the floor. All told, the Senate say whether they had resolved them seven-year phaseout of Medicaid considered the health-care bill for a “I’d be fine, don’t get me wrong, to yet. expansion that he called a “glide total of 160 hours. be voting on something soon,” Lee path.” McConnell has been pushing Cruz dismissed the Democrats’ said. “But we should be able to see “Every single person is in the same for a three-year phaseout. Both it first.” place. They want to see the text,” criticism as unfounded.

Editorial : The Health Care of Millions Depends on a Few Senators The Editorial being Washington, a few details nearly 75 million people who benefit that lets President Trump and other Board have become public. All are from that program. Republicans claim that they have alarming and depressing. And as repealed Obamacare. they emerge, and the public Another change would make it unveiling of the bill grows closer — much easier for states to let The House bill, the American Health We do not know a lot about what is insurance companies sell policies Care Act, would rob 23 million in the health care bill that it could come on Thursday — the need for a few wise Republicans to that do not cover treatments like people of health insurance and Republicans are trying to rush chemotherapy or drugs like insulin, make it harder for millions of others through the Senate, but what we do stand with Senate Democrats to say “no” becomes ever more urgent. leaving people with pre-existing to get the care they need, according know suggests it will be as bad or health problems and those who to the Congressional Budget Office. worse than the dreadful legislation One provision under consideration become sick worse off. It would cut federal spending by that the House passed in May. in the Senate, according to news about $1.1 trillion over 10 years reports, would reduce federal Whatever their differences, the while giving the wealthy big tax The Senate majority leader, Mitch Senate and House versions have McConnell, is doing everything he spending on Medicaid more than cuts. Those numbers might be the Dickensian House version does. this in common: a callous disregard somewhat different for the Senate can to keep the public in the dark for the health care of millions of about his plan to undo major That would put even more pressure bill but, according to experts, not by on states to reduce care for the people plus a kind of frantic wish to much. provisions of the Affordable Care pass something, no matter how Act, or Obamacare. But Washington destructive and poorly thought out,

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Polls show that most Americans do Democratic senators are trying to could well be another because the states expanded Medicaid under not support the changes the slow the train by putting up bill would take a huge toll on people the A.C.A. and stand to lose billions Republicans want to make. A CBS procedural roadblocks to unrelated in her state, which has very high of dollars in federal funds under the News poll published on Tuesday bills. They are also demanding health care costs. Under the House House and Senate bills. That will found that 59 percent of people public hearings on the bill, which bill, the insurance premiums for a make it harder for their states and disapproved of the House bill. That Mr. McConnell has so far failed to 40-year-old in Fairbanks who earns others to place older adults in explains why Mr. McConnell wants provide. These tactics are unlikely $30,000 a year would jump by nursing homes, provide care to the to have a vote on his legislation to stop Mr. McConnell, but at the about $8,500, to $10,430, according disabled and offer addiction before Congress leaves town for the very least they have shone a to the Kaiser Family Foundation. treatment to people ensnared in the Fourth of July without any hearings spotlight on his reprehensible Those numbers should also be of opioid epidemic. or much public debate. He is trying tactics. concern to the other senator from to thread the needle between the Alaska, Dan Sullivan, who has so The health care of millions of ultraconservative and the more But the country needs more than a far not shown his hand. Americans rests in the hands of a moderate members of his caucus. spotlight. What it needs is at least few Republican senators. Who He knows that he can pass the bill three Republican senators to come Other Republican senators who among them will be willing to defy with just 50 Republicans and a out against the bill. Susan Collins of ought to be particularly alarmed their party and fight for their tiebreaking vote from Vice President Maine, the most moderate senator include Shelley Moore Capito of constituents? Mike Pence. in the G.O.P., is expected to be one West Virginia, Rob Portman of Ohio of them. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Dean Heller of Nevada. Their

Editorial : GOP's secret Trumpcare bill will impact a sixth of the U.S. economy. What could possibly go wrong? The Times This bill needs maximum public McConnell said Tuesday that a Medicaid enrollees’ healthcare Editorial Board exposure and scrutiny, not the see- “discussion draft” of the bill would expenses, shifting instead to block no-evil treatment it’s getting from be released this week, first to grants tied to population and state the Senate GOP. Republican senators, then to the healthcare spending. It’s a huge public. Still, we already know that change in policy that’s fraught with Senate Majority Leader Mitch Instead, the only thing holding the McConnell (R-Ky.) is pushing for a the bill won’t simply repeal risk for the poor and state Republicans up has been the splits Obamacare or magically restore the governments, especially ones like vote next week on a bill to repeal within their own caucus over a few and replace Obamacare despite healthcare market to what it had California’s that have already key policy issues, such as how been before — a market plagued by pushed through reforms to cut having held no public hearings, much of the cost of healthcare to obtained no feedback from budget rapidly rising costs, double-digit spending per enrollee. And rather shift onto the states and their increases in insurance premiums than give the industry more analysts and taken no testimony taxpayers. There’s no point in from doctors, patients or hospitals. and a large and growing population incentive to improve the quality of involving Democrats — or the public of Americans without coverage. care, it would simply give states an That’s a recipe for disaster. — in shaping the bill, some That’s largely because the incentive to offer fewer services to Republicans say, because only legislative shortcut the Republicans fewer people — including optional Senate Republicans have been Republicans will vote for it at the are taking to prevent a lethal services such as in-home care that inundated with complaints about the end of the day. Funny, but Democratic filibuster also prevents actually save money over the long secret negotiations over the bill, Republicans were involved in much them from changing any provision term. which took as a starting point the of the wrangling over the bill that of the Affordable Care Act that House Republican leadership’s became the Affordable Care Act, doesn’t directly affect the federal The Senate GOP also appears execrable American Health Care even though Democrats saw early budget. But it’s also true because wedded to the House’s approach to Act. So far, their negotiators have on that Republicans were Republicans want to cut the taxes lowering insurance premiums for not been deterred by the determined to vote no. the ACA imposed — on high- those not covered by a health plan accusations of recklessness income Americans and an at work. Rather than trying to lower (healthcare spending accounts for This time around, the process has the cost of care, the focus is on not only been maddeningly partisan, assortment of health industry about a sixth of the massive U.S. groups — while offering their own letting insurers offer less coverage economy), heedlessness (dozens of but it’s also been willfully blind to and cheaper plans that attract only the real problems in the U.S. version of subsidies to help groups representing doctors, consumers pay for insurance. healthy customers. Doing so would hospitals and other healthcare healthcare system, as well as the reverse efforts within the industry to professionals say their input has steps insurers and providers have In order to do that, they have to cut spread risks and control costs, been ignored) and hypocrisy (this is, been taking to address those something else. And that would be which is exactly the opposite of after all, a group that complained for problems. As a consequence, Medicaid, the health insurance what Republicans say they’re trying years about Democrats “rushing” Senate Republicans are on the program for impoverished to accomplish. These sorts of the passage of the Affordable Care verge of moving the country Americans. Like their House fundamental flaws are exactly why Act in 2010 after months of hearings backward, and significantly so, counterparts, Senate Republicans this bill needs maximum public and weeks of debate on the Senate when it comes to reducing are reportedly seeking to end the exposure and scrutiny, not the see- floor). healthcare costs, improving quality federal government’s promise to no-evil treatment it’s getting from and broadening availability. cover at least half the cost of the Senate GOP.

Republicans Will Continue to Stick With Secrecy as Long as It Works David A. Graham Perhaps most immediately requests for information from nothing is known about a huge bill important is the Senate GOP’s congressional Democrats too. that could change health coverage The paradox of secrecy in American refusal to reveal anything about the for millions of Americans. politics is how much attention it bill the health-care bill currently The result is a weird reversal of the gets. Over the last couple of weeks, under consideration. Meanwhile, the normal course of business: Gossipy This kind of secrecy is bad for the penchant of the White House administration has been quietly nuggets leak out of the White policymaking and bad for and the Republican Senate for clamping down on various forms of House on a daily basis—Trump is democracy, but since abstract blocking the release of information access, from public schedules to yelling at TVs! Trump is angry at arguments like that are difficult to has become a central issue in visitor logs to the daily briefings at Jared! Sean Spicer/Reince plead effectively, it’s customary to Washington. It’s a case of making the White House. The executive Priebus/Steve Bannon is on the argue that secrecy is also politically lemonade from lemons: If you can’t branch has taken to refusing chopping block!—and the president unwise. For example, it is clearly cover the story, cover why you can’t tweets as fact things his lawyers hypocritical. When Obama was cover it. claim are not true, yet next to president, Republicans complained

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 34 that the White House was too Obama administration was more their complaints will make little Democratic colleagues, writing a secretive, and that Democrats were secretive than the Bush difference. In fact, that might be by letter to President Trump trying to railroad through health- administration; the press howled; design. McConnell and his complaining about the executive care reform without public input— and Obama got reelected. Part of lieutenants would much rather have branch ignoring document requests. even though the process behind the Obama’s success was that he found an argument about process and But as long as Grassley stands Affordable Care Act was far more other ways to get his message out: take the lumps they get from that alone, and has only angry letters to public and lengthy than the present Social media, for example, and fight: They can write complaints off write, the White House can blithely process. But hypocrisy is seldom interviews with non-traditional as either the whingeing of a biased ignore him, too. lethal for any politician, let alone a interlocutors, from Zach Galifianakis press or hypocrisy from Democrats party, especially in today’s partisan to YouTube stars. Trump may be who did the same thing. That’s far In the long run, shutting out public climate. different in degree and extremity better than trying to defend an attention can have some ill effects. from his predecessors, but his unpopular bill that will likely push Just ask Secretary of State Rex Another argument is that clamming administration’s secrecy is part of a millions off insurance, redistribute Tillerson, who has gone to up will actually hurt the clams. As disturbing, bipartisan progression. money to the wealthy, and slash historically drastic extents to avoid Politico’s Playbook puts it today, popular entitlements. The secrecy dealing with reporters. The result “This could be bad for the White The secrecy will continue as long as gives disgruntled Republican has been that the State Department House, as it will be far more difficult it works. It certainly worked in the members of the caucus something can’t seem to ever present a clear for them to drive a message and House, where GOP leaders else to complain about instead. message about what its policies respond to questions.” This might watched a first attempt at a health are, and keeps getting undercut by be true, but take it with a healthy bill go down as its flaws became (The general public may not really the president. Perhaps cutting down dose of skepticism. For one, it’s public. For the second try, they be the audience from whom the on briefings will make the obviously self-serving for journalists acted fast and quietly, not even Senate leadership is hiding its bill; administration’s message control to say that giving journalists more waiting for the Congressional public disapproval of the House even worse, though it’s hard to access is good for them, and the Budget Office to score the bill. health bill is already very high, and imagine what that would look like. press corps, smelling blood, is out Democrats will vote en masse (The White House did belatedly add for damaging stories about Trump. And so far, the strategy is working against it. The bigger danger for an on-camera briefing to Tuesday’s Sometimes openness is not a zero- for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is that Republican schedule.) Perhaps enough sum game, but in this case, it McConnell as well. It’s not just constituencies—from the business Republican senators will get upset probably is. Democrats and the press who are lobby to GOP governors—will react about the closed-door health-care upset; some Republicans are fiercely to the bill and convince process to force it out into public Second, where’s the proof? The speaking out too: Republican senators to defect.) hearings. But for as along as it George W. Bush administration was But until enough members of the continues to succeed, secrecy is more secretive than the Clinton Meanwhile, Senator Chuck likely here to stay. administration; the press howled; GOP caucus actually demand that Grassley, the Iowa Republican, has and Bush got reelected. The McConnell open up the process, taken a bold stand on behalf of

Editorial : The U.S. government is still spying on Americans. Here are some fixes for that The Times that caused a sensation when its Liberties Oversight Board And while the acquisition of Editorial Board existence was exposed by the New concluded that intelligence collected intelligence under the law is York Times in 2005. Unlike that under Section 702 “has enabled the supposed to be “consistent with the shadowy program, Section 702 was discovery of previously unknown 4th Amendment,” information about The Trump administration is duly enacted by Congress and is terrorist operatives as well as the Americans (which, remember, is urgently lobbying Congress to overseen fairly rigorously by a locations and movements of gathered without an individualized reauthorize Section 702 of the federal court, albeit one that meets suspects already known to the warrant) can be retained and turned Foreign Intelligence Surveillance in secret. government.” over to law enforcement if it shows evidence of criminal activity. The Act, which allows the National Americans shouldn’t have to face But civil liberties groups argue that Security Agency to collect the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight the possibility of prosecution based the program does not sufficiently Board recommended that the FBI electronic communications of on information gathered — without protect Americans’ privacy, foreigners living abroad. Before he be required to obtain approval from a warrant — for foreign intelligence although they concede that there is the FISA court before searching a was fired, FBI Director James B. purposes. no evidence of egregious abuses. Comey told the Senate Judiciary database of communications Committee that losing Section 702 Under Section 702, the government One persuasive complaint about gathered under the program in would be “disastrous.” does not need to obtain individual Section 702 is that the intelligence connection with criminal matters so warrants authorizing the community hasn’t quantified the that the Section 702 database But Congress should not simply surveillance of each person who is number of Americans whose doesn’t become a repository for rubber-stamp the law as it exists. targeted. Instead, at the request of conversations have been captured fishing expeditions. Rather, Section 702 should be fine- the attorney general and the by surveillance under the program, That recommendation might seem tuned to afford greater privacy director of national intelligence, the making it difficult to assess whether protections for Americans. less urgent given statistics from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance it is sufficiently circumscribed. Office of the Director of National Yes, Americans. Because even Court certifies categories of Trump’s director of national Intelligence showing that the FBI though residents of this country foreigners who may be intelligence, Dan Coats, told the searched the Section 702 database aren’t the targets of Section 702’s appropriately targeted. The court Senate that “it remains infeasible to only once in 2016 in connection with elaborate electronic dragnet, their also approves procedures for generate an exact, accurate, criminal matters unrelated to emails, phone calls and Internet “minimizing” (protecting the privacy) meaningful and responsive national security. Still, Americans chats can be caught up in it of information about U.S. citizens methodology that can count how shouldn’t have to face the possibility incidentally — for example, when a collected as part of the surveillance. often a U.S. person's of prosecution based on information foreign ”target” is emailing or talking communications may be collected.” gathered — without a warrant — for Comey’s view of the value of That strikes us as defeatist. on the phone to an American living Section 702 is widely shared. Sen. foreign intelligence purposes. That in the U.S. Congress should insist the contravenes the guarantee of the Dianne Feinstein says it “has been intelligence community make a a valuable part of our counter- 4th Amendment that searches must Section 702 is the direct good-faith effort to keep track of be reasonable and the long- descendant of the warrantless terrorism effort.” In a report how many Americans are caught in published in 2014, after Edward standing practice of requiring electronic surveillance program the Section 702 net. warrants based on probable cause. instituted by the George W. Bush Snowden’s revelations, the administration after Sept. 11, 2001, president’s Privacy and Civil

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Another way to protect Americans’ The NSA stopped collecting such Finally, unlike the Trump 2012. A program that collects so privacy would be for Congress to “about” messages because it administration and some much personal information about codify a recent decision by the NSA apparently felt it couldn’t do so Republicans in Congress, we Americans, and that was enacted in to no longer collect communications without inadvertently violating believe that this law — even in an response to a terrorist threat that we in which the email address of a safeguards of Americans’ privacy. improved version — should be all hope is temporary, should be foreign target appeared in the text authorized for no more than five subject to periodic review. of a message between Americans. years, as the current version was in O’Brien : Trump, Russia, and Those Shadowy Sater Deals at Bayrock During the years that Bayrock and earn him a court victory: In However the Mueller probe unfolds, Trump did deals together, the December, a federal judge in New a tour of Trump's partnership with The special counsel’s investigation company was also a bridge York said Kriss's lawsuit against Bayrock exposes a number of of the White House has come more between murky European funding Bayrock, which he first filed nine uncomfortable truths about the sharply into focus. and a number of projects in the U.S. years ago, could proceed as a president's business history, his Robert Mueller is examining to which the president once leant racketeering case. judgment, and the possible whether President Donald Trump his name in exchange for vulnerabilities that his past as a handsome fees. Icelandic banks (I have my own history in court with freewheeling dealmaker — and his obstructed justice when he fired the president. Trump sued me in James Comey as director of the that dealt with Bayrock, for involvement with figures like Sater example, were easy marks for 2006 when I worked at the New — have visited upon his present as Federal Bureau of Investigation, the York Times, alleging that my Washington Post recently reported. money launderers and foreign the nation's chief executive. influence, according to interviews biography, “TrumpNation,” had As we've heard for months now, misrepresented his business record Zegna Suits and Luxury Cars there is also a probe of possible with government investigators, legislators, and others in Reykjavik, and his wealth. Trump lost the suit collusion between Trump's in 2011; my lawyers deposed him Sater was born in the Soviet Union campaign team and the Kremlin to Brussels, Paris and London. Trump in 1966 and emigrated with his testified under oath in a 2007 and Sater during the litigation. tilt the 2016 election in the Trump's representatives didn't parents to the heavily Russian president's favor. deposition that Bayrock brought enclave of Brighton Beach, Russian investors to his Trump respond to repeated interview requests for this column.) Brooklyn, when he was about eight But the Justice Department inquiry Tower office to discuss deals in years old. He attended Pace led by Mueller now has added Moscow, and said he was Trump has said over the years that University before dropping out when flavors. The Post noted that the pondering investing there. he barely knows Sater. In fact, he was 18, then found his way to investigation also includes "It's ridiculous that I wouldn't be Sater -- who former Bayrock Wall Street where he worked as a "suspicious financial activity" employees say met frequently with stockbroker. involving "Russian operatives." The investing in Russia," Trump said in that deposition. "Russia is one of Trump in the Trump Organization's New York Times was more specific New York headquarters, once His early years on Wall Street, in its account, saying that Mueller is the hottest places in the world for according to the recollections of his investment." shepherded the president's children looking at whether Trump around Moscow and carried a one-time business partner, associates laundered financial One of Bayrock's principals was a Trump Organization business card - Salvatore Lauria, were flush. By his payoffs from Russian officials by career criminal named Felix Sater - apparently has remained firmly in mid-20s, Sater was collecting channeling them through offshore who had ties to Russian and the orbit of the president and his expensive watches, spending accounts. American organized crime groups. closest advisers. thousands of dollars on Zegna suits Before linking up with the company and buying luxury cars. That all Trump has repeatedly labeled Sater made the front page of the came to a brief halt in 1993 when Comey's and Mueller's and with Trump, he had worked as a mob informant for the U.S. New York Times in February for his he was sent to prison for using the investigations "witch hunts," and his role in a failed effort — along with stem of a broken margarita glass lawyers have said that the last government, fled to Moscow to avoid criminal charges while Trump’s personal attorney, Michael during a bar fight two years earlier decade of his tax returns (which the Cohen — to lobby former National to attack another stockbroker; president has declined to release) boasting of his KGB and Kremlin contacts there, and had gone to Security Adviser Michael Flynn on a Sater’s victim needed 110 stitches would show that he had no income Ukrainian peace proposal. to hold his face together. or loans from Russian sources. In prison for slashing apart another May, Trump told NBC that he has man’s face with a broken cocktail Comey was still Trump's FBI When Sater emerged from prison no property or investments in glass. director when he testified before the 15 months later, he found his way Russia. "I am not involved in In a series of interviews and a House Intelligence Committee in back into trouble. With a group that Russia," he said. lawsuit, a former Bayrock insider, March about Russian interference in included Lauria (who admits to Jody Kriss, claims that he the 2016 election. During that having had ties to organized crime But that doesn't address national hearing, Comey was asked if he figures and grew up in New York as security and other problems that eventually departed from the firm because he became convinced that was "aware of" Felix Sater, his a close friend of a prominent Mafia might arise for the president if criminal history and his business boss), Sater opened an investment Russia is involved in Trump, either Bayrock was actually a front for money laundering. dealings with the Trump firm on the penthouse floor of 40 through potentially compromising Organization. Comey declined to Wall Street, a Trump-owned U.S. business relationships or Kriss has sued Bayrock, alleging comment. building in Manhattan. From there, through funds that flowed into his that in addition to laundering according to federal prosecutors, wallet years ago. In that context, a money, the Bayrock team also It's unclear whether Sater and Sater and his team set about troubling history of Trump's dealings skimmed cash from the operation, Bayrock are part of Mueller's laundering money for the mob and with Russians exists outside of dodged taxes and cheated him out investigation. But Mueller has fleecing about $40 million from Russia: in a dormant real-estate of millions of dollars. Sater and populated his investigative team unwitting and largely elderly development firm, the Bayrock others at Bayrock would not with veteran prosecutors expert in investors, a number of whom were Group, which once operated just comment for this column; in court white-collar fraud and Russian- Holocaust survivors. two floors beneath the president's documents they have contested organized-crime probes. One of own office in Trump Tower. Kriss's charges and describe him, them, Andrew Weissmann, once led By the time law enforcement essentially, as a disgruntled an FBI team that examined financial authorities eventually caught on to Bayrock partnered with the future fraud leading to the demise of the 40 Wall Street operation, Sater president and his two eldest employee trying to shake them down. Enron. Before that, Weissmann was had fled to Russia. Lauria visited children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka, on a prosecutor with the U.S. him there. a series of real-estate deals But Kriss's assertion that Bayrock attorney's office in Brooklyn and between 2002 and about 2011, the was a criminal operation during the part of a team that prosecuted Sater Sater "was always hustling and most prominent being the troubled years it partnered with Trump has and mob associates for investment scheming, and his contacts in Trump Soho hotel and been deemed plausible enough to scams in the late 1990s. Russia were the same kind of condominium in Manhattan. contacts he had in the United

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States," Lauria wrote in a 2003 After APC began to fall apart in brother in Russia, who, according to “Trump was trying to build his brand memoir, "The Scorpion and the 2002, Kriss decided to strike out on Kriss's lawsuit, was able to tap into and Bayrock was trying to market Frog." "The difference was that in his own back home in Miami, doing the cash reserves of a Kazakh it,” Kriss recalls. “It wasn’t clear who Russia his crooked contacts were real-estate deals. Sater made his chromium refinery. (A needed each other more. This was links between Russian organized way to a small Hong Kong spokeswoman for Arif declined to before the show, remember.” crime, the Russian military, the investment bank that used him as a comment on that allegation.) KGB, and operatives who played New York-based rainmaker for real- The “show,” of course, was “The both ways, or sometimes three estate deals. A marketing document Bayrock Apprentice.” It aired for the first time ways." once circulated to prospective on Jan. 8, 2004, and became a In addition to his new life as a real- investors noted that Alexander sensation that vaulted Trump into Sater, who had been charged with estate investor and government Mashkevich, an oligarch born in the reality TV stardom. In the real world, racketeering and money laundering informant, Sater owned a former Soviet Union, was one of Trump's casinos were faltering. But by the U.S. attorney's office in comfortable home in Sands Point, Bayrock's primary sources of on reality TV, Trump posed as a Brooklyn in connection with the 40 Long Island, a toney New York funding. Mashkevich's firm, the successful leader and dealmaker Wall Street scam, eventually suburb that was a setting for “The Eurasian Natural Resources who embodied a certain kind of decided to return to America and Great Gatsby.” He also had a wife Corporation, was based in entrepreneurial flair and over-the- face those charges. He had a card and three daughters and was a Kazakhstan and elsewhere and had top billionairedom -- an impression to play, however: his knowledge, member of an Orthodox synagogue interests in chromium, aluminum, that stuck with tens of millions of TV gleaned from contacts in Russia, in neighboring Port Washington. On coal, construction, and banking. (A viewers. about a small stock of Stinger one occasion Sater brought his person close to Mashkevich, who antiaircraft missiles loose on the rabbi with him to meet U.S. requested anonymity because of The popularity of "The Apprentice" black market in Afghanistan that intelligence officials in New York, the Kriss-Bayrock litigation, said also gave the Bayrock-Trump were of interest to U.S. intelligence where, the rabbi said, agents Mashkevich never invested in partnership added zing. officials. praised Sater's service to the Bayrock.) “That put Bayrock in a great position country. Sater told authorities that he could Bayrock never seemed to be short once the show debuted,” Kriss says. use his Russian contacts to buy the When Sater received a community of money, however. According to “The show did it for Trump, man. Stingers and, according to court service award at his synagogue on Kriss’s lawsuit, the team running the Nobody was interested in licensing filings in Kriss's lawsuit and other another occasion, a band played little development firm in Trump his name before that.” accounts, a deal was struck in "Hail to the Chief." Sater gave an Tower could locate funds "month The hook at Bayrock, for Trump, December, 1998. Sater pleaded acceptance speech in which he after month, for two years, in fact was an 18 percent equity stake in guilty to federal fraud charges and noted that he was "not a very more frequently, whenever Bayrock what became the Trump Soho then entered into a cooperation religious person" but that his goal in ran out of cash." If times got tight, hotel, a steady stream of agreement with the government that life was to "repair the world or make Bayrock's owners would "magically management fees on all Bayrock sealed court records in the case it a better place." show up with a wire from projects and the ability to plaster his and allowed his sentencing to be 'somewhere' just large enough to 'Air of Success' name on properties without having postponed for 11 years. (Sater keep the company going." to invest a single dollar of his own. would ultimately only pay a $25,000 About a year after the terrorist Kriss says that Sater and Arif fine and never go to prison.) attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Sater It’s not clear how carefully Trump wooed him to Bayrock by offering vetted his Bayrock partners. But his Many years later, as part of her joined Bayrock, a company that him 10 percent of the firm's profits. marketed itself as a property lack of concern about their confirmation hearings to become Bayrock’s Trump Tower offices backgrounds – and the potential risk President Barack Obama's attorney developer and had opened gave “an air of success to it,” Kriss Manhattan offices on the 24th floor to his own reputation from dealing general, Loretta Lynch would note says. Bayrock also gave Kriss, then with them - was part of a pattern. In that the cooperation deal she made of a well-known building at 725 Fifth 28 years old, the opportunity to Avenue: Trump Tower. Atlantic City, he had partnered with with Sater when she was the U.S. work with Trump. men with organized crime ties. attorney in Brooklyn lasted for a In late 2002, Sater phoned Kriss It was Sater who initially developed Later, he and his children struck decade -- from 1998 to 2008 -- and and invited him to consult at deals in Brazil and Azerbaijan with that Sater gave the government the relationship with Trump, Bayrock, bragging about a deep- according to Kriss and court records partners who had murky "information crucial to national pocketed investor, Tevfik Arif, who backgrounds or unusual legal security and the conviction of over from Trump's lawsuit against me. was partnering with him in search of Sater had made the acquaintance entanglements. 20 individuals, including those bigger deals. responsible for committing massive of three Trump Organization Sater said in court filings that he financial fraud and members of La Arif, born in Kazakhstan, was a executives who then introduced him disclosed his securities fraud Cosa Nostra." former Soviet official who had to their boss. When the Bayrock conviction to members of the Trump relocated to Turkey to make his team met Trump in 2002, the future Organization. He assumed they had At some point after becoming an fortune. He ran several upscale, president was enduring a long told Trump, but he wasn't sure. informant, Sater also recast himself seaside hotels there that catered stretch in the financial wilderness, as a real-estate savant. He made almost exclusively to Russians, having narrowly escaped personal "It's not very hard to get connected his way to a Manhattan real-estate according to Kriss, and he had also bankruptcy in the early 1990s. to Donald if you make it known that investment firm, APC Realty, where you have a lot of money and you redeveloped a shopping center in He eventually emerged from that he raised money for deals and Brooklyn. At one point in his post- want to do deals and you want to where he met Kriss in 2000. mess as a pariah among big banks. put his name on it," Abe Wallach, Soviet years, Arif also reportedly He was also a determined survivor took over a former Kazakh state- who was the future president's right- Kriss, a native of Miami and a and tireless self-promoter and he hand man at the Trump business graduate of the Wharton owned chromium producer with his parlayed those skills into recreating brother. Organization from 1990 to about School at the University of himself as a branding machine and 2002, told me in an interview. Pennsylvania, was an aspiring real- Like Sater, Arif had a home in golf course developer in the late "Donald doesn't do due diligence. estate developer who was in his Sands Point and Kriss says that Arif 1990s and early 2000s. He relies on his gut and whether he early 20s when they met. He says brought his children there from thinks you have good genes." he was initially captivated by Sater. Kriss says that it was Arif and Sater Turkey to learn English. (Arif's who pitched the future president on representatives declined to respond Given Arif's halting English, it was “Felix knew how to be charming and the idea of launching an Sater and Kriss who interacted most he knew how to be brutally nasty,” to a list of questions about his international chain of Trump- business history, including how he frequently with the Trump family— says Kriss. “He has a talent for branded, mixed-use hotels and and Sater the most often with drawing people in. He has charm met Sater and brought him to condominiums. And Bayrock got to Bayrock, citing ongoing litigation.) Trump himself. Kriss says that most and charisma. But that’s what con Trump at a time when his “brand” of his own contacts were with the men do.” Bayrock was initially funded, in part, could help get a little extra attention elder Trump children, Don Jr. and with a $10 million investment for a condo project, but didn’t Ivanka, and included drafting transferred to the firm by Arif's amount to much more than that.

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 37 contracts and occasional nights on Phoenix project, Ernest Mennes. Kriss said in an interview that an Whenever he was asked in later the town. Mennes said in a lawsuit that when Icelandic competitor of the FL years about his relationship with he threatened to reveal Sater's Group also contacted him to invest Sater, Trump routinely While Trump’s kids were involved in criminal record, Sater told him that in Bayrock. When he took that offer misrepresented it as distant. In a the back-and-forth with Bayrock, it he would have a cousin "electrically to Sater and Arif they told him, he 2013 deposition taken as part of was Trump himself who always had shock Mr. Mennes’ testicles, cut off says, that the money behind litigation surrounding Trump and the final say. Mr. Mennes’ legs, and leave Mr. Icelandic banks “was mostly Bayrock’s failed Fort Lauderdale “Donald was always in charge,” Mennes dead in the trunk of his Russian” -- and that they had to project, Trump was asked again says Kriss. “Donald had to agree to car." take FL’s funds for deals they were about his partnership with Sater. doing with Trump because the every term of every deal and had to In Mennes's suit against Bayrock "He was supposedly very close to sign off on everything. Nothing investment firm was “closer to and Sater, he alleged that Sater Putin." the government of the United States happened unless he said it was also skimmed money from the as a witness or something," Trump okay to do it. Even if Donald Jr., Phoenix development. Bayrock and “I thought it was a lie or a joke said. "I don't think he was shook your hand on a deal, he Sater settled the suit (which was when they said Putin,” Kriss recalls. connected to the Mafia. He got into came back downstairs to later sealed and its terms left “I didn’t know how to make sense of trouble because he got into a renegotiate if his father told him to.” undisclosed; Sater's lawyer, in an it at all.” barroom fight." The Trumps, Kriss says, saw Sater interview with ABC News, denied Mennes's allegations). (Kriss says he doesn't have "I don't know him very well," Trump "frequently" and valued the financial records showing that added, saying that he hadn't relationship because “Felix The next project Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin conversed very often with Sater. "If demonstrated that he was loyal to Bayrock pursued was the Trump had a connection to the FL he were sitting in the room right now them.” He says that at one point International Hotel and Tower, a Group and that his own knowledge I really wouldn't know what he Sater was meeting with the future mixed-use hotel and condominium is purely anecdotal. A Kremlin looked like." president in his Trump Tower office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. spokesman said via email that multiple times a week. Sater, Announced in 2005, it later went Putin had no connection to the FL Trump also said that he didn't think according to a later court into foreclosure. Group or Bayrock.) that questions about Sater’s deposition, said that his business background meant that he should conversations with Trump in that The third and final major project 'Somebody Said That He Is in the have ended his business office were wide-ranging and Bayrock and Trump worked on Mafia' partnership with him: “Somebody frequent — “on a constant basis." together was their most high-profile said that he is in the Mafia. What effort, the 46-story Trump Soho Kriss says that in the wake of the FL am I going to do?” The pair had what Sater described hotel in lower Manhattan. deal he was owed a payout that as "real-estate conversations," and could have ranged from about $4 Shortly after my lawyers asked they talked about "gathering Trump, Sater and Arif were all million to $10 million, but that Trump about Sater, Bayrock began intelligence, gathering know-how, photographed together at a splashy Bayrock reneged. When he discussing the best way for him to general market discussions," and launch party for the Trump Soho in persisted, he claims, Sater resign, according to company email also chatted about using Sater's 2007. Trump also pitched the threatened him. and court records. By 2008, Sater Russian connections to build a Trump Soho on an episode of "The had left the firm. "high-rise, center of Moscow” that Apprentice," promising that "this So Kriss says he accepted a would be a “great opportunity, brilliant, $370 million work of art will $500,000 payment instead and then The Trump Soho ended in failure. It megafinancial home run." be an awe-inspiring masterpiece." eventually quit. Sater, as it turns opened in 2010, but many units out, didn’t have much time left at failed to sell and early condo Although Sater socialized with Helping Trump and Bayrock fund Bayrock either. purchasers sued Bayrock and the Trump, "I wouldn't call him my that masterpiece was a fresh influx Trumps. Three years later, the friend," he said in the 2008 of money from an Icelandic In December, 2007 the New York Trump Soho went into foreclosure deposition. Still, Sater said he investment bank called the FL Times published an article detailing with most of its units still unsold, traveled with Trump to look at deals Group. Sater and Lauria, his some of Sater’s past run-ins with and a new company took control of and was proud of Bayrock's longtime mob associate, had jointly the law and some of his ties to the property. Bayrock hasn’t done relationship with the famous recruited FL, introducing the firm to organized crime (the article also another deal since then. (A developer. "Anybody can come in Bayrock and the Trump noted that Sater had begun using spokeswoman for Bayrock and build a tower," he said. "I can Organization. (I’ll have more on the “Satter” as an alternate spelling for attributed the failures of the Trump build a Trump Tower because of my FL Group and Bayrock in a future his last name so he could try to partnerships to fallout from the 2008 relationship with Trump." column; the firm's former leaders, “distance himself from his past” if financial meltdown.) one of whom was later convicted of people Googled him). Bayrock and the Trumps then tax and accounting fraud, declined 'He Seems to Have Unlimited began laying the groundwork for Two days after the Times story ran, Funds' to comment or did not respond to Trump sat for a deposition with my domestic and international hotel- interview requests for this column.) condo projects, eventually exploring attorneys as part of the libel lawsuit After Kriss left Bayrock, he set up deals in Turkey, Poland and Yet again, the Trump Organization he had filed against me for his own development firm in New Ukraine. Sater escorted Ivanka and — even though it signed off on the “TrumpNation.” They asked York and then sued Sater, Arif, Don Jr. on a trip to Moscow, where FL investment — appeared to care him whether he planned to sever his Trump and Bayrock in Delaware in they looked at land for a Trump- little about vetting a firm that came relationship with Sater because of 2008, alleging that Bayrock was a branded hotel. into the partnership through Sater. Sater's organized crime ties. Trump criminal enterprise and demanding FL operated in a country with a said he hadn't made up his mind. to be paid in full for his work there. None of those overseas projects got porous, vulnerable banking system, past the planning stages. In the "Have you previously associated When the case moved to New York and some investigators who with people you knew were in 2010, it came with a twist. Sater U.S., Bayrock and Trump projects scrutinized other Icelandic banks at moved forward haltingly. members of organized crime?" one had left a copy of his cooperation the time said they suspected those of my lawyers asked. deal with the government – the one In Phoenix, a one-story mall that banks of being conduits -- unwitting dating back to his Stinger missile Bayrock bought out of bankruptcy or otherwise -- for dirty funds from "No, I haven't," Trump responded. and mob informant days – on the was meant to be the site of a outside Iceland. (The FL Group "And it's hard to overly blame hard drive of his Bayrock computer. Trump-branded tower. It became collapsed a little over a year after it Bayrock. Things like that can A Bayrock employee leaked it to ensnared in zoning debates and invested in Bayrock. The firm itself happen. But I want to see what Kriss’s attorney, who promptly filed then the national real-estate was never prosecuted; the leaders action Bayrock takes before I make it as an exhibit in court. downturn and never got built. of a number of other Icelandic a decision." (In fact, Trump had banks were prosecuted or jailed for partnered in the past in Atlantic Trump was eventually dropped from Sater's dealings in Phoenix later crimes including money City's real-estate business with men the case and Sater began carpet- landed him in court with a local laundering). he knew were mobbed up.) bombing Kriss with his own developer who had invested in the lawsuits, ultimately filing several

Revue de presse américaine du 21 juin 2017 38 separate actions that claimed, court order to untangle the managed to stay afloat all these tens of millions of dollars -- in a among other things, that Kriss has provenance of the websites, years. court case that was settled in 2013. used the courts to prosecute him discovering that their registration maliciously. tracked back to Sater’s home “Sater was a cooperating witness Sater has also entered into a war of address in Sands Point. for the Eastern District of New York words with his former Bayrock Sater also apparently kept busy and he continued going on a crime partner, Tevfik Arif. Sater claims, outside of the courtroom. Kriss says that goons once showed rampage,” says Simon. “He’s filed according to a recent article in the up at real-estate developments he all kinds of frivolous lawsuits, but Wall Street Journal, that Arif owes Kriss says that about three years was overseeing in Brooklyn, asking that’s what he does. He seems to him money -- and that if he isn't ago he started receiving threatening his employees if they knew the true have unlimited funds.” paid he'll publicize what he email from websites carrying story about their boss. Waves of describes as Arif's ties to organized versions of his name letters questioning his bona fides For his part, Sater continues to crime and to tainted dealings in (“JKrissInfo.com,” for example). He have arrived at his office and in the wear many hats. A couple of years Kazakhstan’s metals business. (A soon discovered there were mailboxes of every resident in two after he left Bayrock, the Trump Bayrock spokeswoman says that hundreds of other new websites that separate buildings where Kriss kept Organization hired him briefly as a Sater's claims about Arif are also contained false, disparaging apartments. consultant to prospect for real- baseless.) information about him. estate deals, giving him company Kriss says investors in his new business cards with his name Meanwhile, Trump is mired a probe Kriss sued the anonymous authors company, East River Partners, have engraved on them. that now pivots off sensitive topics of the websites for defamation and stood by him, but he's worried that for him and his family: their money, when the court ruled in his favor he Sater's digital vendetta may be hard More recently, Sater got enmeshed their deals and Russia – all of which was able to get a large portion of to overcome. His new lawyer, in litigation again, this time around will test his promise to testify under the sites delisted from Google. He Bradley D. Simon, says that he's the sale of an Ohio shopping mall -- oath to Mueller and his says he also was able to use the mystified by how Sater has and the alleged disappearance of investigators.

Klaas : The Donald Trump hiring crisis means America's got no talent national punchline (we almost feel veterans pulled themselves out of There's hardly anyone on Trump's sorry for you, Sean). The loyalty the running to replace Michael senior staff who has ushered a bill The United States government is that Trump infamously demands Flynn as national security adviser. through Congress. White House suffering from a new phenomenon: from subordinates is clearly not a Even Kellyanne Conway’s chief of staff Reince Priebus, the the Trump Brain Drain. For the first two-way street. husband withdrew from former Republican Party chairman, time in memory, the American consideration for a powerful Justice has never held elective office and government is having difficulty At least there are job perks. Build Department role (perhaps he had came to his job with virtually no recruiting the best and the brightest your CV with the unique experience learned some alternative facts life experience at the federal level. Two at the highest levels of power. of being subpoenaed by Congress. inside the Trump administration of Trump’s top advisers — now Practice your leader worship skills Qualified public servants are turning from a well-placed counselor?). some of the most influential people as you’re forced to proclaim your in the world — are woefully down plum government jobs fawning admiration for Trump during The Trump Brain Drain is sapping because they don't want to be unqualified relatives. And former a public Cabinet meeting. And if talent beyond the White House, too. Breitbart chief Steve Bannon has as exposed to the risks of serving in those don’t entice you, who wouldn’t Six cyber security executives President Trump's White House. much business being in the Oval jump at the chance to work for a told Reuters that Trump’s caustic Office as Russian West Wing power-brokers are beleaguered president with record attacks on intelligence agencies had lawyering up (even Trump’s lawyer ambassador Sergey Kislyak, yet low approval ratings, a hot temper, provoked a marked surge in skilled here we are. has hired a lawyer). A special and a stalled legislative agenda? hackers and cyber talent leaving counsel is reportedly investigating government agencies to pursue It gets worse. You could start a joke the president himself for possibly The United States is less safe and careers in the private sector. Even by saying “A neurosurgeon and a obstructing justice. government is less effective when lawyers, who used to flock to Trump wedding planner walked into a top talent must think twice about like moths to a litigious orange bar…” but there's a real-world The reputational risk of working for serving the president. Trump’s administration is flame, are now staying away. Four punchline. Last week, enormous, and it's not just because Less than five months into the different law firms declined to Trump appointed his of the endless spiraling scandals. Trump presidency, there is a record represent Trump not only because family’s wedding planner to run There's also the now number of vacancies. Of 558 key they feared that Trump won’t listen federal housing in New York. Her routine Trumpian ritual of sacrificing presidential appointments requiring to their legal advice but also boss, Housing and Urban his staff on his altar of self- Senate confirmation, only 43 have because working with Trump Development Secretary Ben sabotage. We all know the drill: been filled (less than 8% of the would kill recruitment for their firms Carson, is an impressive Sean Spicer or Sarah Huckabee total). And before you echo the — the trickle-down economics of neurosurgeon, but it’s hard to see Sanders or another sacrificial lamb frequently tweeted but incorrect the Trump Brain Drain in action. how operating on brains is a relevant qualification for his post. offers up a flimsy lie to protect Trump accusation that this is due to Of course, there are many, many Trump. (He fired Comey because Democrat "OBSTRUCTIONISTS”, excellent and experienced public In other words, Trump’s hiring he was too hard on Hillary Clinton!) remember that 405 of the 558 servants in the Trump decisions are compounding the Trump repays the favor by positions don’t even have a administration (Defense Secretary recruitment brain drain because contradicting his staff almost nominee yet. This snail’s pace of James Mattis, National Security many people he selects are immediately on Twitter or TV. (I selecting people — which involves Adviser H.R. McMaster and unprepared for their roles. Unless fired him because of “the Russia getting them to agree to serve — is Transportation Secretary Elaine he changes his ways, his thing.”) unprecedented in modern history. Chao spring to mind). But Trump’s presidency will continue to languish Yet working for this president has When the post of FBI director top day-to-day advisers are no from the one-two punch of his own become a bewildering exercise in opened up (through, shall we say, dream team. We must call an incompetence and the trying to figure out what’s worse: questionable means), at least unqualified spade an unqualified government’s inability to recruit top paying exorbitant legal fees, being five dedicated public servants spade. talent. tossed under the proverbial bus by publicly withdrew from your boss, or risking becoming a consideration. Several seasoned

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