Beltway Insider: Trump Hosts French PM; Merkel Visits; DMZ Line; Bill Cosby; Avengers Shock

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 29 April 2018 17:07

Written by Janet Walker

President Donald Trump hosted French President Emanuel Macron, along with the French Delegation to the White House this week for a series of bi-lateral meetings and to honor the United States oldest ally with the first State Dinner.

According to Gallup, President Trump job approval, over the past week, decreased by one percentage point to 38% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased by two percentage points to 57%.

Trump Host French PM For First Official State Dinner

President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence, hosted French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigette Macron, along with members of the Senior Staff, government and honored guests to this administration's first official State Dinner.

"President Macron, Brigitte, Melania and I are profoundly honored to host you and your entire French delegation for our first official State Dinner.  Tonight, we celebrate nearly two-and-half centuries of friendship between the United States and France. The veins that link our nations are forged in battle, strengthened through trial, and defined by the timeless principles that make us who and what we are: respect for life; love for our neighbors; pride in our traditions; defense of our heritage; and reverence for the rights bestowed on us through grace and the glory of God," the President said during the toast.

Macron responded, "Mr. President, dear Donald, Madam First Lady, dear Melania:  It is an honor for Brigitte and me to be here with you in this legendary place, the White House, for this sumptuous dinner surrounded by friends of France. We have always been there for the appointments of this joint history.  And this is the reason why today we have no alternative but to be there also for an appointment with history. There is a joint willingness on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean to build our countries, to make them stronger — greater, you would say — and more solid." 

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The State Dinner capped a day of meetings between the two nations as they traveled to Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, remembering the century old alliance forged in the trenches of hardship, remaining strong in peace and faithful in war, the two leaders renewed those bonds.

Focusing on the global front, on alliances that have withstood political wrangling and bi-partisan finger pointing, Trump and Macron concentrated on agreements that were created to end the plague of regimes based on hate, the scourge of ISIS, terrorism, and wayward global dictators, who violate proliferation of life treaties, destabilize regions, dehumanize people without thought or concern.

The recent pacts between Russia, Iran and Syria were discussed with President Trump praising the newly elected Macron's decisive action.

"Two weeks ago, following Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad's barbaric use of chemical weapons against his own people, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom joined together to strike at the heart of the Syrian chemical weapons program.  These actions were designed to establish a strong deterrent against the use of these heinous weapons. President Macron, I thank you for your leadership in this effort.  And it was a well-executed effort at that.  And I thank you and the members of the French military for their courage and their great skill," President Trump said.

The two, along with European allies Germany and Great Britain, also announced their continued dedication to stopping the development of nuclear weapons by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as well as Iran. All agree weapons of Mass Destruction must be kept from those who exhibit such volatile behaviors and deep, generational, hatred of neighboring nations.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel Visits White House

President Trump also welcomed German Chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House as global conflicts dictate leaders of the G7 Nations have a unified directive in the escalating Russia Syrian alliance and the maximum pressure North Korean campaign.

"The close friendship between America and Germany is built on our shared values. It predates America's independence and extends to the deep bond the two countries share today. It is the foundation of a very, very, hopeful future," the President said.

This is the second meeting of the President and Chancellor having met last July during the G20 Summit hosted by Germany and set forth an a two fold agenda focusing on Cooperation on Jobs and Trade with both Merkel and Trump working to enhance economic cooperation through collaboration on apprenticeships and women's financial empowerment.

Trade between the two nations has increased exponentially over the same period in 2017.

The Chancellor has also remained firm in apprenticeship and retaining programs which serve a two fold purpose, reeducating the disenfranchised, the educated refugee and assisting in acclimating them as quickly as possible into life and alleviating financial burdens and continuing to assist Germans who lost employment during the great recession of 2009/2010 which collapsed the global economy and permanently closed manufacturing or other industries.

Using apprenticeship to develop the employees able to compete on global stage in technology and other projected growth industries modernize economies and prepare local economies for growth.

Additionally Merkel, who won an unprecedented fourth term, has become known as the most powerful women in Europe. Even as the global coalition has agreed the Islamic State has been downgraded, the lull in the regime does not equate to an end in the power behind the network.

Recent attacks in France tell the world otherwise. The Islamic State terror network remains as much a threat today as it was on November 13, 2015. The perception of the strength of ISIS in Europe and as it relates to the United States are different.

The second bi-lateral topic between the two leaders focused on Germany's continued partnership on internationals security and counter terrorism. With a pledge of more than $6billion in assistance related to the Syrian crisis, Germany under Merkel has led the effort for sanctions against Assad.

Merkel has continued to be a partner with the coalition, a dedicated leader to her people, a pillar to the global community is leading he fight against terrorism, regimes and the Islamic State.

No government could accurately say she along with global G7 partners have not effectively downgraded and destabilized the Islamic State network. With Assad remaining in power an northern Syria a safe zone for Islamic State soldiers, until he's government is dismantled and he is removed from power the threat of an uprising is expected.

DMZ Line - North Korean and Republic of Korea Enter Historic Summit

An historic meeting between North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-In began with Jong-Un crossing the border into the Republic of Korean shaking hands with his counterpart at the start of an historic summit.

"We are hopeful that talks will achieve progress toward a future of peace and prosperity for the entire Korean Peninsula.  The United States appreciates the close coordination with our ally, the Republic of Korea, and looks forward to continuing robust discussions in preparation for the planned meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Kim Jong Un in the coming weeks," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said via a released statement.

Over the past year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has continued to test Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles, ICBM's, terrorizing the Korean Peninsula and targeting nations as far west as the United States. This continued taunting by Jong-Un invoked a condemnation and retaliation in the strongest language possible from the president who moved forward taunting Jong-Un back.

The war of words escalated between the two which brought the United States to formalize a maximum pressure campaign. Effectively creating a package of sanctions meant to squeeze the isolated leader. In the meantime, an earthquake which register seismic movement near the ICBM launch site of created some sort of loss of power, possibly even crippling the launch site. No nuclear activity was detected which lead scientists and others to determine the activity was non-nuclear related.

"The president has not changed his appraisal of Kim Jong-Un but he wants to have the ability to sit down and have these conversations.  And in that process, they have been open with their willingness to denuclearize, and that's certainly been the focus and what we have been pushing for and expect to happen. We think that the maximum pressure campaign is working.  But again, we're not going to let up on that campaign until we see some of the words that they've made go into concrete action.  But they're moving in the right direction," Sanders said.

The historic summit between the two nations ended with North Korea signing a pledge to pursue peace on the peninsula laying a foundation for the upcoming summit with President Trump.

Bill Cosby Found Guilty - The Slow Wheels of Justice

Bill Cosby, once known as the beloved Dr. Cliff Huxtable, America's Dad, has been convicted on three counts of sexual assault in a second trial, which may have the once bankable funny man spending the rest of his life in prison.

The victim, (and even as her identity is well known and reprinted it is the policy of this publication not to publish the names of sexual assault victims), which was one of more than 60 women, over 50 years, who came forward with similar accounts that included using star power to arrange meetings, working sessions, auditions, introductions each resulting in the entertainer drugging the women with Quaaludes followed by rape.

The cover up exploded when a comedian Hannibel Buress, in October 2014, worked the story into his standup routine. The performance went viral and the fall out of Cosby's fifty years of sexual assault, rape, drug induced rape, child sexual assault in ten different states and Canada, sent shockwaves throughout the world. As people, fans, populations, just could not get their minds around with the facts or the entertainment industry alleged involvement in the cover up.

A July 27 – August 9, 2015 New York Magazine Cover in went to press with an explosive cover with 35 Cosby's accusers, predominately white women. It appeared that at least five of the 35 victims pictured were African Americans and many high profiled African American women have also stepped forward with the all too familiar account of an encounter with the serial rapist. The victim who prevailed in stopping this predator was also African American.

The media spotlight worked and the destruction of the well-constructed wall of protection began to crumble.  

Kim Wall Killer Found Guilty; Sentenced to Life

Prosecution for any victim of sexual assault is another story. With the majority of states still operating under the second rape theory, along with archaic statutes which limit the time a victim can come forward and prosecution can commence.

When physical violence is not associated with the victims injuries, the "he said/she said" story of consent  belief used by detectives and prosecutors is a more easily believed and acceptable theory. The range of course depends, an incapacitated female lying unconscious anywhere seems to fall under the permissible boundaries of our archaic system of law and judicial system.

This antiquated system, may lighten the load for overloaded judicial system, actively contributes to situations such as Cosby's who may be the nations most notorious serial rapist who used celebrity, and his bankability to cover a multitude of crime and effectively stops women from receiving justice.

Oddly and finally, after a first trial initiated in December 2015, resulted in a hung jury, the second trial in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania based on allegations from 2004 resulted in a guilty verdict.

The sentencing phase which could reflect the duality of the entertainers past fifty years of life and the courage of more than 60 women who finally received some level of justice, has yet to take place and with a sentencing recommendation of 30 years, the maximum total for each count, the entertainer may live out his days behind bars.

Cosby has been ordered to surrender his passport and has been placed on house arrest until sentencing hearing. He's bail has not been revoked. Of course an appeal is planned.

Avengers Shock-Did Disney Dress Up The Domination of Europe For A Megahit ***Spoiler Alert***

Walt Disney Studio Pictures and Marvel Entertainment have done it again with Avengers: Infinity Wars collectively creating a mega hit bringing together the superhero fantasy world for what appears to be one final hurrah for some of the much loved characters.

Granted it is a fantasy world where characters are often "killed" and resurrected with a plausible explanation. The newest hit stretches the theory of resurrection as evil, which appears to dominate throughout and systematically kills off every protector of good, is a topic unto itself.

Fans worldwide may be unconcerned believing that while the ending produces a culling of the world's protectors, from Iron Man to even the most recent addition, the beloved Black Panther, there is no continuity from one to the next and Infinity Wars is simply a stand along installment and not part of the larger episodic sequels audiences have come to expect.    

Aesthetically the film is brilliant. The subliminal similarities to historical evil regimes and global dominations may be so embedded [not if you play it backward you'll hear 'Paul is Dead'], or unknown, with the filmmaking giant depending on a lack of historical intelligence, that the similarities to the domination of Europe by Hitler's Nazi Regime are lost in the explosive visuals.

And even more shocking is the tolerance to anti-Semitic messaging. Slow it down, one may say, and granted the words don't appear in text that would be obliterated by the visuals, which peak and provide the intense, dazzling sequences as evil, which appears to win the day, rolls over each planet and world with unprecedented power.

Has Disney/Marvel reached into history, to the killing machine of Hitler dressing up the horrors of the regime whose depth of evil even now known, shocks and sickens, to create a box office megahit?

It certainly appears so. Of course, it is only a theory.

For more information on President Donald Trump: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com