Beltway Insider: Biden/Israel, Immigration Deal, Conflict Drift, Election 2024: New Hampshire, E. Jean Carroll, Challenger Explosion

Details: Category: Beltway Insider; Published on Sunday, 28 January 2024 12:14; Written by Janet Walker

As the pressure intensifies on President Biden to leverage the power of U.S. weapons in further talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, media reports of a squeeze play have been denied by the White House and greatly exaggerated.

The President's job approval rating, according to the website fivethirtyeight.com, for the period ending January 28, 2024 stay consistent at 39.1% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness stayed consistent at 55.5% of those polled who disapprove of his effectiveness. A slight 3% of the population polled have no opinion. Ratings are calculated weekly.

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Conflict Drift Moves U.S. Closer to Troop Deployment

The October 7 attack on Israel increased the possibly of a longer and more widespread conflict across the extremely volatile middle east region. U.S. troops and warships station in the Red Sea have continuously with an increasing frequency confronting Iran backed Houthi's firing drone missile attacks.

Tensions have escalated with the report that an unmanned aerial drone attack in northwest Jordan, on a U.S. compound, near the Syrian border causing heavy casualties and fatalities.

"Three U.S. service members were killed—and many wounded—during an unmanned aerial drone attack on our forces stationed in northeast Jordan near the Syria border. While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq," President Biden said in a released statement.

The White House statements stopped short of further explaining the inability of U.S. weaponry to repel the drone attacks as many European nations understand the events that are crystallizing the belief that further Israeli engagement will increase the chance of conflict drift, which in traditional domino effect, will bring the United States military into some level of active military engagement.

"Four separate drone strikes had been fired at three US bases, and the US was investigating why the T-22 base's defence mechanism did not repel the drone. Many of the American servicemen wounded have suffered traumatic brain injury, but the extent of injuries has not been disclosed. An official said the drone struck near the barracks, which would explain the high number of casualties," TheGuardian.com reported.

The Islamic Resistance has taken responsibility for the actions and has promised to escalate attacks on any U.S. installation as long as they United States continues to support Israel. Vowing "martyrdom is the prize," the resistance has sworn retaliation against all U.S. targets.

As Syria, which remains embroiled in a civil war that initiated during Arab Spring in 2011, as well as Lebanon and Iran, each of whom consider Israel an enemy and the United States an enemy by association, provide funding for both Hamas, a known terror organization and the Yemen based Houthi Rebels, who continue to receive funding from Iran, and remain loyal to the money that funds them which includes carrying out aerial drone attacks against U.S. military targets in the Red Sea are trying to bait the United State into direct conflict.

Jordanian officials have denied the terror attack on the United State installation occurred in the northwest corner of Jordan, out of an abundance of caution, and as they do not wish to be drawn into the ever-expanding middle eastern conflict.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt each have chosen to remain dedicated to maintaining peace, with Egypt using the Israel-Gaza conflict to strengthen its commitment with the United States, and Saudi Arabia, an oil rich nation, is able to manage its involvement in the external conflict while continuing to develop global partnerships.

Israel Gaza Cease Fire Possible

"American-led negotiators are edging closer to an agreement in which Israel would suspend its war in Gaza for about two months in exchange for the release of more than 100 hostages still held by Hamas, a deal that could be sealed in the next two weeks and would transform the conflict consuming the region," The New York Times reported.

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Biden Denies Media Report of Weapons Squeeze Play

The White House has come out against a story filed by NBC.com stating that the Biden Administration was considering using weapons sales with Israel as leverage to force Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into stopping the military action in Gaza and allow humanitarian assistance into the obliterated Gaza Strip region.

"Israel has a right and obligation to defend themselves against the threat of Hamas, while abiding by international humanitarian law and protecting civilian lives, and we remain committed to support Israel in its fight against Hamas. We have done so since Oct. 7, and will continue to. There has not been a change in our policy," a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said," reported The Jerusalem Post.

Biden has continued to reiterate Israel is an ally and a friend of the United States. Additionally, he has reached out to neighboring nations including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, whose country had become vital as a staging area for humanitarian assistance and refugees.

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Southern Border Immigration Deal

The southern border immigration crisis continues to worsen as the numbers of individuals seeking legal and illegal entry have increased exponentially over the last decade. The current crush of illegals immigrations attempting to find refuge in the United States has caused members of congress to present sweeping changes that include executive powers to close the border and all immigration centers if, at number reach a certain level during a week or single day.

The executive power, which would allow the president to close the borders "would be mandated after average daily migrant crossings hit 5,000 over seven days, or 8,500 in a single day. It could also be activated on a discretionary basis after average daily crossings surpass 4,000 in a week. When the authority is invoked, migrants who cross into the U.S. illegally would not be allowed to ask for asylum, and would face swift deportation to Mexico or their home country," CBSnews.com reported.

As 2024 is a presidential election year, Immigration will naturally be a sticking point for both candidates. While the United States was once a haven for immigrants, the sheer numbers of illegals attempting to enter the United States have left its borders vulnerable. Former President Donald Trump also understand the immigration issue was quickly spiraling out of control and prosed the border wall, which many say decreased the traffic in some areas. Illegals and drug runners simply took the wall as a challenge to find ways to circumvent it, even to the point or slicing through the steel and creating a hinged steel flap door.

For the presidential hopefuls, immigration issue cannot simply be a finger pointing performance report as every president over the last two decades, democrat and republican, has attempted to tackle the swelling movement of downtrodden Latin American people who hope for a better future and life in the United States.

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Coronavirus Totals

According to the World Health Organization the increase in cases resulting from the variant JN.1 have migrated in a similar pattern as the original Covid-19 virus with positive cases in Italy at 12,142 and Greece at 12,143, far exceeding the positive cases reported throughout the entirety of the European Continent. Positive cases reported in Malaysia at 29,700 are the highest the Western Pacific region.

The CDC has recommended every person from age six months, including senior citizens, should receive at least one shot of an updated covid vaccine. Vaccines and boosters are still considered the most effective agents against contracting the Coronavirus.

For the 7-day period ending January 28, 2024, the total of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide reached 774,291,287 confirmed cases, an increase over the past 7 days of 216,045 cases worldwide. The total worldwide death toll increased by 6,718 to 7,019,704 deaths. The United States has stopped providing Covid data to the World Health Organization. (Data updated January 7, 2024, from The World Health Organization).

COVID U.S. Totals

As hospitalizations and infection rates continue to rise in the United States, some jurisdictions are suggesting new mask mandates. For the 7-day period ending January 28, 2024, new Covid hospitalizations in the U.S. increased by 23,383 to 6,750,546. The coronavirus has claimed 1,172,229 total U.S. deaths, adding 2,563 deaths, over the past 7 days. (Data updated January 20, 2024, posted January 26, 2024, from the CDC).

New Hampshire Primary – Road to the White House 2024

To say former President Donald J. Trump had tumultuous week would be an understatement. The former president managed to squeak out a victory in the New Hampshire primary and by week's end a New York State jury ordered him to pay E. Jean Carroll, a New York author and columnist, whom he has denied raping, a civil settlement of $83.3 million dollars for the lies, defamation, career, and character assassination she suffered in the wake of her allegations.

Winning New Hampshire by 36,104 votes, an 11% margin over former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who has managed to surprisingly keep the momentum building for her "can do" campaign which heads in her home state of South Carolina, for the February 24 winner take all primary.

For many who are struggling to understand the political primary process, as the circus for presidential nomination begins, New Hampshire delegates were proportionately divided by the percentage of votes.

"New Hampshire awards its 11 delegates proportional to the percentage of votes the candidates receive, but only if they receive more than 10 percent of the vote," reported The New York Times.

South Carolina is a winner take all state, which if the former governor can secure a win in her home state, she will pick up 50 delegates, bringing her total to 67, to Trump's 32, and turning in what many expect to be a blow out into a real race. Both candidates are a long way from the 1,217 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

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Challenger Explosion

On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger, which up to this time had performed nine missions, spending 62 days in space. The nation was poised to watch the Space Shuttle mission launch for a historic tenth mission. On board, the first ever teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe, 37, a high school social studies teacher had won the jackpot and was chosen to be the first teacher in space. Children from around the nation were watching the launch.

It was an unusually cold day at Cape Canaveral, Florida. In fact, the Challenger lift off had been delayed for a week due to weather conditions. On January 28, 1986, Challenger was finally given the go ahead.

"Seventy-three seconds later, hundreds on the ground, including Christa's family, stared in disbelief as the shuttle broke up in a forking plume of smoke and fire. Millions more watched the wrenching tragedy unfold on live television. There were no survivors," reported The History Channel.

During the investigation, it was discovered the O-Ring seal could not perform in the extreme cold and didn't respond during the mission creating catastrophic failure.

For more information on President Joe Biden w ww.whitehouse.gov.