Trump has ‘no plan’ to exit Afghanistan by Christmas, key lawmaker says

WASHINGTON ― Weeks after the U.S. military was blindsided by President Donald Trump’s assertion that all U.S. troops will be out of Afghanistan by the end of the year, a top lawmaker on defense says there was no actual plan to withdraw troops by Christmas.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith on Thursday echoed U.S. officials who have reportedly said there were not aware of the plan and received no actual order to accelerate the gradual pullout they’ve been executing. The military will continue a gradual pullout, Smith said.

“I think the idea of bringing those numbers down as the president has done makes a lot of sense,” Smith, D-Wash., said at a Center for New American Security. “Now, there’s been sort of a plan to do that and there’s sort of been a tweet we should get out by Christmas. Well, there’s no plan to get out by Christmas, there’s just not. The White House hasn’t submitted one and the Pentagon doesn’t have one.”

The topic has featured in the presidential race between Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, who have both suggested that America’s longest war needs to end. Biden wants to pull “the vast majority” of U.S. troops out of Afghanistan while Trump’s second-term agenda would continue to reduce the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Election Day is Nov. 3.

During his election campaign four years ago, Trump pledged to bring all troops home from “endless wars,” at times triggering pushback from military commanders, defense leaders and even Republican lawmakers worried about abruptly abandoning partners on the ground. Trump is responsible for initiating historic peace talks with the Taliban, now proceeding with the Afghan government.

In a wide-ranging interview about Democratic foreign policy ideas, Smith favored an aggressive drawdown and was confident a combination of partners and intelligence could contain the threat of a transnational attack from Afghanistan. The risks of maintaining a military presence, he said, need to be weighed against the costs in blood and treasure.

“If you’re waiting until there’s peace in Afghanistan … that’s not going to happen,” he said, adding: “We’ve been there almost 20 years now. I think it’s pretty clear that our military is not going to solve that problem.”

https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2020/10/29/trump-has-no-plan-to-exit-afghanistan-by-xmas-key-lawmaker-says/

Military Industrial Complex perhaps??!!=

Leading Gunmaker Boosts Production, Still Can’t Meet Surging Demand

One of the nation's largest gunmakers has massively ramped up production—and still can't meet unprecedented demand.

Sturm, Ruger & Company said it increased production 50 percent over last year, including a 15 percent surge in the second and third quarter of 2020 alone, according to an earnings report released Wednesday.

Even with increased production, Ruger's gun inventory remains "near historic lows" due to record demand, said CEO Christopher Killoy.

"Consumer demand showed no signs of letting up during the quarter," he said, because of "concerns about personal protection and home defense" caused by "civil unrest," activists' calls to defund the police, and "the continuing COVID-19 pandemic."

Killoy said the company began hiring at a "modest, albeit growing, rate" in June after shutting down all new hiring in March because of coronavirus concerns.

Even with the increased production and new hires, the company believes limited supply restrained its record-level sales over the last few months. The company expects demand to continue surging through the rest of the year.

The demand has already led to massive revenue increases for the company. It reported a nearly $100 million jump in sales over the first nine months of 2020 as compared to 2019. That jump added up to $399.6 million in sales over that time, nearly tripling the company's earnings per share.

Ruger is one of only two publicly traded American gun companies. Its public reports to investors provide some of the best insight into how gun companies are handling the record demand for guns and coronavirus precautions. The other publicly traded company, Smith & Wesson, has seen similar sales and production spikes over the past several months.

Industry experts expect demand for guns to rise again this fall because of both the holiday season and the presidential election, in which Democratic candidate Joe Biden has pushed for strict new gun-control measures.

https://freebeacon.com/coronavirus/leading-gunmaker-boosts-production-still-cant-meet-surging-demand/

Horowitz: Why are public health 'experts' ignoring proactive ways to neutralize COVID-19 while promoting failed drugs?

Stock up on vitamins that are proven to help against the virus

Why not educate people on how to fortify their bodies against their likely inevitable exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus rather than selling them the false promise of avoiding the virus without any knowledge of how deal with it? Why are the politicians peddling medical advice while the health care industry is selling us politics?

At present, there is no effective way to stop the spread of or somehow hide or run from the coronavirus. There is also no vaccine and there is unlikely to ever be a fully effective one, especially for the most vulnerable people. The best tool we currently have is to effectively treat the symptoms early on with cheap drugs and vitamins, especially when taken as a prophylaxis. Yet, especially as it relates to the anti-malaria drug Hydroxychloroquine, it remains the one thing our government and media will shun, and in some states, even ban rather than promote.

Additionally, it has been proven that vitamin D and zinc fortify the immune system and help ward off serious illness. Every American knows they "need" to wear a mask and isolate themselves, despite the fact that these destructive measures have failed to stop the spread. What they have not been told is to stock up on vitamins that are proven to help against the virus. The reason is because that would empower people rather than scare them into submission. That is why so many medical doctors seem to be ignoring the opportunity to offer medical advice and are seizing the opportunity to offer us political advice and run our lives.

That is why seven months into this virus, people are still in the dark about the best way to fortify their immune system or ward off symptoms early on – or what to even watch for in terms of early symptoms. The formula from our government is essentially this: "shut up, mask up, and avoid getting a virus that 60 million Americans likely already got, and if you get it bad, we will just put you on Remdesivir and a ventilator."

https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/horowitz-why-are-public-health-experts-ignoring-proactive-ways-to-neutralize-covid-19-while-promoting-failed-drugs

A Biden Administration Would Rewrite NDS, Toss 500-Ship Navy Overboard, Lawmaker Says

A Joe Biden administration is likely to rewrite the National Defense Strategy, scuttle the plan for a 500-ship Navy and spend less on the military, the top House Democrat on defense issues said Thursday.

A push to rename military bases honoring Confederate generals and leaders would also get a boost if former Biden, the former vice president under Barack Obama, defeats President Donald Trump next Tuesday, said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.

The progressive wing of the Democratic party is expected to argue for major cuts in defense budgets to pay for expanded domestic programs, but Smith said he's opposed to drastic reductions.

"They want to reshift priorities" away from defense spending, Smith said of the progressives.

However, major reductions in the current proposals for a defense budget in the range of $741 billion are probably off the table, Smith said in a virtual "fireside chat" hosted by the Center for a New American Security.

In the Democratic party platform he endorsed, and in previous responses to a survey conducted by the Military Officers Association of America, Biden appeared to suggest a middle way between the hawks and doves on defense spending.

"We can maintain a strong defense and protect our safety and security for less," Biden said in the MOAA survey. "The real question is not how much we invest – it's how we invest."

One of the major differences in how Biden or Trump would govern on national security concerns their approaches to implementing the current National Defense Strategy, which has the military shifting away from counterterror operations to preparing for potential conflict with Russia and China, Smith said.

"It appears they want to start two separate cold wars" with Russia and China, Smith said of Trump and the Republicans who support him. "I think that is an extraordinarily dangerous approach. I do not support that."

Military and administration rhetoric regarding China is only getting stronger. On Wednesday, Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said China posed a threat "beyond any comparison" to the American way of life. While traveling this week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also made headlines when he put the Chinese Communist Party on blast, saying the nation's government was no friend to democracy.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/10/29/biden-administration-would-rewrite-nds-toss-500-ship-navy-overboard-lawmaker-says.html

Bobulinski Says He Was Questioned by FBI Agents For 5 Hours as a “Material Witness” in Ongoing FBI Investigation Focused on Hunter Biden

A Justice Department official confirmed with Sinclair reporter James Rosen that in late 2019, the FBI opened up a criminal investigation into “Hunter Biden and his associates,” focused on allegations of money-laundering, and that it remains open and active today.

Tony Bobulinski told James Rosen in an interview that the FBI interviewed him with counsel present for 5 hours on October 23rd as a “material witness” in an ongoing investigation focused on Hunter Biden and his associates.

Tony Bobulinski is the CEO of Sinohawk Holdings which was a partnership between the Chinese operating through CEFC/Chairman Ye and the Biden family.

Hunter Biden’s associate-turned-whistleblower Tony Bobulinski came forward and provided documents and his electronics to senate investigators and FBI officials to be examined.

Bobulinski confirmed his 3 cell phones were examined by the FBI.

Tony Bobulinski said he is a material witness in connection with the discussion with the Biden family, CEFC and other operations around the world involving other countries.

Bobulinski described how Jim Biden and Hunter Biden went behind his back and did a shady side deal with CEFC and got a $5 million “interest free loan” from the Chinese energy firm.

On August 8, 2017, $5 million was wired from a CEFC-affiliated investment vehicle to the bank account for Hudson West III, which spent the next year transferring $4,790,375 million directly to Hunter Biden’s firm, Owasco, according to Senate documents.

Senate investigators described how the Chinese state owned energy company wired the $5 million “loan” to Hunter’s firm through an investment vehicle — to the bank account for Hudson West III –which then dispersed the money to Hunter’s firm (money laundering).

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/10/bobulinski-says-questioned-fbi-agents-5-hours-material-witness-ongoing-fbi-investigation-focused-hunter-biden-video/

>>11348830

>>11348788

PEDOPHILES CREATE GAYS & PEDOPHILES

Dark Web - The Australian Connection & New Arrests. CONTENT WARNING!!!

>>11349233

indeed