Trump casts himself as pandemic patron, personalizing the

government’s spread of cash and supplies

2 hrs ago

"President Trump often speaks of federal payments coming to many Americans as an act of his own benevolence, calling the bipartisan stimulus legislation “a Trump administration initiative” and reportedly musing about printing his thick-and-jagged signature on the government checks.

Trump touts the deployment of the USS Comfort to New York Harbor in personal terms, saying it was his choice to allow the hulking Navy hospital ship to be used to for coronavirus patients — and even traveling to “kiss it goodbye” before its trek north.

And Trump talks about the Strategic National Stockpile of ventilators and medical equipment being shipped to hard-hit states as if it were his own storage unit, with governors saying they recognize that in turn they are expected to tread gingerly with him or risk jeopardizing their supply chain."

moar:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-casts-himself-as-pandemic-patron-personalizing-the-governments-spread-of-cash-and-supplies/ar-BB12siyj

U.S. commander in Afghanistan and Taliban discuss violence

reduction in Doha meeting

APRIL 11, 2020 / 4:47 AM

"KABUL (Reuters) - The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan met Taliban leadership in Doha to discuss the need to reduce violence in the war-torn country, spokesmen for both sides said on Saturday, as continued clashes threaten to derail a fragile peace process.

The meeting between Taliban leaders and General Scott Miller, commander of U.S. forces and the NATO-led non-combat Resolution Support mission in Afghanistan, took place on Friday night. It came as the insurgent group accuses U.S. forces of breaching an agreement signed between the two sides in February.

“General Miller met with Taliban leadership last night as part of the military channel established in the agreement,” a spokesman for U.S. Forces in Afghanistan told Reuters. “The meeting was about the need to reduce the violence,” he said.

The February pact between the United States and the Taliban, under which international forces will withdraw in phases in exchange for Taliban security guarantees, is the best chance yet of ending the 18-year U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan."

moar:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-taliban/u-s-commander-in-afghanistan-and-taliban-discuss-violence-reduction-in-doha-meeting-idUSKCN21T0B2

make it quick now!