Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Wendy Sherman | July 27, 2021

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman attends a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday in Tianjin, China. 
China may be having a harder time with Biden than with Trump

On Monday, the United States’ second-most senior diplomat met with Chinese counterparts in the port city of Tianjin.

Jul 27 - ​Ahead of Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman’s visit to China, U.S. officials said the aim of this round of discussions — the second face-to-face talks between senior officials from both countries since President Biden took office — was to set “guardrails” around the increasingly fractious Sino-U.S. relationship and “keep the channels of communication open.” Coming out of the meetings, it wasn’t quite clear what markers had been laid down amid a testy airing of grievances...

...Sherman said that her administration welcomed “stiff competition” with China, but did not seek conflict. But she insisted to reporters after the meetings that China, which bristles over Western criticism of its human rights record, could not place itself above reproach. “We do expect … [Chinese officials] to understand that human rights are not just an internal matter, they are a global commitment which they have signed up for” under U.N. conventions, Sherman told the Associated Press.

Sherman also raised the matter of the pandemic and China’s conspicuous lack of cooperation with the World Health Organization’s efforts to understand its roots, an issue that is both a sensitive subject for Beijing and a source of political anger for U.S. lawmakers. “Last week, Beijing announced it would not cooperate with the WHO’s follow-up research plans,” reported my colleague Eva Dou. “Biden has supported the WHO plan, while also ordering U.S. intelligence agencies to search for evidence of how the pandemic started”...     quoted from


Wendy Ruth Sherman (born June 7, 1949)[1] is an American professor and diplomat who is serving as the United States Deputy Secretary of State since April 2021. She is a professor of public leadership and director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School,[2] a senior counselor at Albright Stonebridge Group,[3] and a senior fellow at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.[4][5]

Sherman, a social worker, served as the director of EMILY's list, the director of Maryland's office of child welfare, and the founding president of the Fannie Mae Foundation. During the Clinton administration, she served as Counselor of the United States Department of State from 1997 to 2001. She was also a Special Advisor to President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and North Korea Policy Coordinator. In the latter role, she was instrumental in negotiations related to North Korea's nuclear weapon and ballistic missile programs.[6]


She served under Hillary Clinton and John Kerry as Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2011 to 2015.[7][8] She was the fourth-ranking official in the U.S. Department of State.[9] In that role, Sherman was the lead negotiator for the Iran nuclear deal.[10] On January 16, 2021, President-elect Joe Biden formally announced Sherman to serve as United States Deputy Secretary of State under Antony Blinken.[11] On March 11, 2021, her nomination was reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[12] Her nomination was approved by the full Senate on April 13, 2021, by a vote of 56 to 42. She is the first woman to hold the position.[13][14] She was sworn into office on April 14, 2021.     from Wikipedia



中美天津会谈 中方向美方提出两份清单 20210726 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Jul 27, 2021

Wang Yi Meets with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman

Jul 27 - On the afternoon of July 26, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman in Tianjin.


Noting severe difficulties and challenges in China-U.S. relations, Wang Yi said, it requires serious consideration for the U.S. side to make correct choices as to whether the bilateral ties will head to confrontation or improvement. Your visit to China is a part of mutual contact and dialogue between China and the United States, and the two sides should enhance mutual understanding, erase misunderstanding, avoid misjudgment and better manage differences via constant dialogues...     more

JULY 26, 2021
President Biden on Americans with Disabilities Act
President Biden and Vice President Harris marked the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The legislation signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. The president and vice president were joined by members of Congress in the White House Rose Garden. Also speaking at the event was 26-year-old artist Tyree Brown, who was in a car accident that rendered her quadriplegic. 

Remarks by President Biden Celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

JULY 26, 2021SPEECHES AND REMARKS

​Rose Garden
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Madam Vice President, Tyree — you’re an inspiration.  Thank you for sharing your story.
 
Thirty-one years ago today, on the South Lawn of the White House, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act.  He surrou- — he was surrounded by disability advocates and bipartisan members of the United States Congress, just as we are today.

 
Speaker Pelosi — welcome, by the way, Madam Speaker — Chairman Leahy, Leader McCarthy, Senator Casey, Congressman Scott, Congressman La- — where is here?  There you are, Paul [Jim].  You understand this better than anybody does.  And I want to thank you, Congressman, for all your work.  And I want to thank you all for being here...     more

Statement of President Joe Biden on the Passing of Civil Rights Leader, Bob Moses

JULY 26, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

​Speaking in the spring of 1964 about his plans for Freedom Summer, Bob Moses summed up the heroic effort to register Black voters in the Deep South with a question: “What kind of society will we be?” 

Throughout his remarkable life, Bob devoted his heart and soul to lead, teach, and organize generations of Americans to answer that question by making real the promise of our nation – that we are all created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives.

He did so with uncommon grace, calm, and humility despite every bullet, arrest, and unrelenting brutality he faced.

The violent and murderous response to the Freedom Summer he organized helped galvanize support for the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965.  A celebrated educator by training and by heart, he understood education is a great equalizer and helped countless students, and our nation, realize their dreams and full potential.

From the polling stations of Mississippi and in classrooms of our nation, Bob always showed up and never, ever gave in. In his memory, let us continue his unfinished work and answer the question he asked us once before – to be a society that delivers on the promise of this nation.

With attacks on the right to vote unseen since the days of the Jim Crow system Bob helped to dismantle, I call on Congress again to pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Let us build the coalition of Americans of every race and background that he once formed to meet the urgency of the moment. And let us follow his towering legacy and ensure every American is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Jill and I send our love and prayers to Bob’s wife, Janet, their four children, and their seven grandchildren.

May God bless Bob Moses.     source from

Monday, July 26, 2021

Mustafa al-Kadhimi | July 26, 2021

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

1 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

Clarity over US troops in Iraq to dominate Biden-Kadhimi meeting
Jul 26, 2021
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Khadimi will meet US President Joe Biden at the White House later on Monday. High on the agenda is the US troop withdrawal from Iraq. Pentagon officials maintain support will continue as combat troops leave amid a continued threat from ISIL (ISIS). The US in April tentatively agreed to the withdrawal, which is part of Baghdad’s careful balancing of competing Iranian and US influence in the country.
US President Joe Biden welcomes Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi at the White House for the leaders' first meeting on Monday
Biden to welcome weakened Iraq PM amid Iran hostility

Jul 26 - ...Although Mr. Biden has initiated a pullout from Afghanistan and could soon do the same from Iraq, the U.S. will still have about 900 troops stationed in Syria. There appear to be no immediate plans to bring those forces home.

That means that even if the U.S. withdraws from Iraq, the Iran-backed militias theoretically still could target American forces in Syria or elsewhere across the Middle East.
Pentagon officials have warned that those groups will face retaliation for targeting Americans, presumably even if attacks originate from Iraq.

“We seek to make clear to Iran and Iran-backed militia groups that there will be serious consequences if they continue to attack, or to arm, fund and train militia groups that attack our people,” A Pentagon spokesperson, Cmdr. Jessica McNulty, said in a statement several weeks ago after the most recent U.S. airstrikes on the militias.


“We will take necessary and appropriate measures to defend U.S. personnel, partners and allies in the region,” she said.     quoted from


Related Articles:
Biden, Iraqi leader to discuss U.S. troops, Iran-linked drone strikes
Another drone attack on an Iraqi base housing US troops, no injuries or damage
Cameras record US choppers transferring Daesh terrorists across Iraq: Hashd al-Shaab leader



Iran-backed militia fighters march in central Baghdad, Iraq, June 29, 2021. Iraqi Shiite militias are showing a degree of defiance of their patron Iran by escalating rocket and drone attacks on the U.S. presence in the country.
Pro-Iranian Militia Commander Threatens Attacks Against US Forces Unless They Leave Iraq

Jul 25 - The commander of Iraq's self-styled pro-Iranian "resistance" forces has threatened to mount more attacks on U.S. forces inside the country if they don't withdraw.
The threat by the commander, Khais al Khazali, coincided with a drone attack overnight that targeted U.S. forces in Kurdistan.

​A U.S. coalition spokesman in Iraq confirmed in a statement Saturday that there had been a drone attack on U.S. forces at the Qiyyara base and said there had been no casualties.
In addition to promising more attacks on U.S. forces, Khazali said opposition forces would retaliate if the U.S. attacked them...     more
Iraq Expects Announcement to End US Combat Mission

Jul 23 - Members of a top Iraqi delegation expect to reach an agreement Friday with the Biden administration to end the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, the country’s foreign minister told VOA on Thursday.

In an exclusive interview with VOA’s Kurdish Service, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed the proposed nature of cooperation between his country and U.S. forces once an agreement is reached, particularly in the fight against the Islamic State group.

​“In my opinion, we will reach the agreement on Friday and then it will be announced that [American] fighting forces — I am talkingm technical matters and other issues related to the security of the forces,” Hussein told VOA...     more


Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Monday
Clarity over US troops in Iraq to dominate Biden-Kadhimi meeting

Iraqi PM will push for a clearer timeline for removal of US ‘combat’ troops as Biden seeks to stop armed group attacks.

Jul 26 - United States President Joe Biden will host Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House on Monday, the latest step in weeks of “strategic dialogue” over the future of US troops in Iraq, attacks by Iran-aligned groups, and fears of a resurgence of ISIL (ISIS).

At the top of the agenda for al-Kadhimi, the former director of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service who became prime minister in May 2020, will be attaining a more concrete timeline for the withdrawal of US “combat” troops, a category that the Biden administration has yet to define.

The US in April tentatively agreed to the withdrawal, which is part of Baghdad’s careful balancing of competing Iranian and US influence in the country...     more 


Related Articles:
Iraqi PM al-Kadhimi: Iraq does not need US combat troops
Baghdad bombing: 35 killed in attack on packed Iraq market
Coalition says Iraq base housing US troops hit in drone attack

...Upon assuming power, al-Kadhimi promised to guide Iraq through a serious financial crisis, saying the state treasury was “nearly empty” after years of waste and declining oil prices. Al-Kadhimi's cabinet vowed to reduce public spending and audit salaries granted to millions of Iraqis but retracted the plan after public criticism. In August 2020, he hired hundreds of unemployed Iraqis at the Ministry of Defense, but not enough to halt sit-ins outside other public sector offices demanding jobs. He has few allies in government and parliament is heavily dominated by pro-Iran MPs who have balked at his references to protester demands. He has also struggled to fulfill his promise to bring the security forces to justice who were allegedly responsible for the deaths of nearly 600 protesters and activists since October 2019. In addition, al-Kadhimi pledged to investigate the recent murders of journalists and political activists that have increased in the past year, but no one has been brought to justice yet.[15]

Iran and its allied Fatah Alliance opposed al-Kadhimi's appointment. In April 2020, Kata'ib Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia with close links to Iran and ties to the Popular Mobilization Forces, published a statement that accused al-Kadhimi of being culpable for the deaths of its leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and charged him with working with the United States.[1] In the meantime, al-Kadhimi directed the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) to investigate rocket attacks against the International Zone, and promised to confront the disobedient paramilitaries     quoted from Wikipedia


Absorber columns at the Gazprom PJSC Slavyanskaya compressor station, the starting point of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in Ust-Luga, Russia, on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021. Nord Stream 2 is a 1,230-kilometer (764-mile) gas pipeline that will double the capacity of the existing undersea route from Russian fields to Europe

​U.S., Germany Send Russia Warning in Draft Nord Stream 2 Accord

Jul 20 - The U.S. and Germany are close to a deal on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that would threaten sanctions and other retaliation if Russia tries to use energy as a weapon against Ukraine, according to a draft text of the deal obtained by Bloomberg News.

Under the agreement, Germany would take unspecified national action if Russia commits such actions, a decision that may mark a concession from Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had previously balked at making independent moves against the Kremlin over the gas pipeline that will run from Russia to Germany.

If Russia attempted to use energy as a weapon or commit aggression against Ukraine, Germany would take action itself while also pressing for measures at the European level, including sanctions to limit Russia’s energy exports, according to the accord.
A senior U.S. official, who asked not to be identified discussing the terms of the deal, said the language was intentionally ambiguous because the administration didn’t want to give Russia a road map of its response to any malign behavior. The official didn’t rule out that such action could include limiting gas flows from Russia to Germany.

While suggesting the possibility of limits to Russian gas flows, that language will almost certainly disappoint critics -- including many U.S. lawmakers -- who say that the Biden administration hasn’t done enough to stop the pipeline, which was more than 90% complete when President Joe Biden came into office...     more

“北风之神”-A首次参演 普京出席俄最大规模海上阅兵 20210725 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Jul 26, 2021

Saturday, July 24, 2021

ANDSF | July 24, 2021

 2 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

1 - White House News in Chinese (weebly.com)

​A family flees Panjwai district in Kandahar province on July 4, 2021, after the Taliban captured the area.

Afghanistan: Threats of Taliban Atrocities in Kandahar

Insurgent Forces Hold Hundreds; Executions of Residents Linked to Government

Jul 24 - Taliban forces that have taken control of districts in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province have detained hundreds of residents whom they accuse of association with the government, Human Rights Watch said today. The Taliban have reportedly killed some detainees, including relatives of provincial government officials and members of the police and army.

Journalists told Human Rights Watch by phone that after Taliban forces took control of Kandahar’s Spin Boldak border crossing with Pakistan on July 8, 2021, and the Spin Boldak district center on July 16, they conducted searches to identify residents who have worked for the local government or security forces. Taliban forces that control areas around Kandahar city have carried out similar searches and have evicted some residents. Local media have reported that the Taliban have taken more than 300 people into custody and have detained them in unidentified locations....     more

US strikes Taliban and captured equipment in support of Afghan forces

Jul 23 - The US military carried out two strikes against the Taliban overnight in support of Afghan forces in the Kandahar province, multiple defense officials said, targeting captured equipment.

The military has retained the authority to carry out strikes in support of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) during the final stages of the withdrawal of US troopsbut the pace of these strikes has decreased in recent weeks. According to a defense official, the US military has carried out approximately six or seven strikes in the past 30 days, mostly using drones to launch the strikes. Previously, the US launched strikes in support of Afghan forces on a more frequent basis, a different defense official said.

​"I can say that in the last several days, we have acted through airstrikes to support the ANDSF, but I won't get into technical details of those strikes," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said at a press briefing Thursday...     more
The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), also known as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), consist of:


...The ANSF are the national armed forces of Afghanistan. The NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) is responsible for the ANSF’s institutional training, education and professional development activities, as set out by the Afghan Ministries of Defence and Interior...     quoted from

Readout of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Call with President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan

JULY 23, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan.  President Biden and President Ghani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and reaffirmed their commitment to an enduring bilateral partnership.  President Biden emphasized continued U.S. support, including development and humanitarian aid, for the Afghan people, including women, girls, and minorities.  President Biden and President Ghani agreed that the Taliban’s current offensive is in direct contradiction to the movement’s claim to support a negotiated settlement of the conflict.  President Biden also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to continue supporting the Afghan security forces to defend themselves. The FY2022 request to Congress for $3.3 billion for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund prioritizes:
  1. $1 billion to ensure the Afghan Air Force and Special Mission Wing have the capabilities and maintenance to support ongoing combat operations, including by delivering additional aircraft, such as the three newly-refurbished UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters delivered to Kabul on July 16;
  2. $1 billion to purchase and deliver key supplies for Afghan forces such as fuel, ammunition, and spare parts; and
  3. $700 million to fund continued payment of salaries for Afghan soldiers.

​They deplored the loss of innocent Afghan lives, including through continued targeted killings, as well as displacement of the civilian population, looting and burning of buildings, destruction of vital infrastructure, and damage to communication networks. The United States recently announced more than $266 million in additional humanitarian assistance and released $300 million in development and other non-humanitarian assistance to help the Afghan people. The President has also requested an additional $364 million in development and other non-humanitarian assistance for the State Department and USAID for FY2022.  

President Biden urged continued work for unity among Afghan leaders on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the values on which it is based.  The two leaders discussed the importance of Afghans coming together to support their common interest in security and peace, and President Biden underscored continued U.S. diplomatic engagement in support of a durable and just political settlement.      source from
新五代机“将军”瞄准F-35 俄欲“将美一军”?20210723 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Jul 24, 2021
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds an Off-Camera Press Briefing

JULY 22, 2021

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby

Jul 22 - ...Q: Yeah, thank you so much.
Yeah, I had a question on Afghanistan. I wanted to ask (inaudible) yesterday. What -- what's the current assessment of the Pentagon of Pakistan's role inside Afghanistan? And have you seen any evidence that the Pakistani Air Force has helped Taliban in gaining grounds, especially in the Kandahar Province?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to speak for operational details here, Joe, you know that, and we -- we've talked about this before. The -- we -- we recognize that Pakistan has a stake in a stable, secure Afghanistan, the long border there, and we've long recognized that the border between those two countries has been used in the past as safe haven for some of these terrorist groups, including the Taliban, and that the Pakistani people themselves have fallen victim to terrorist attacks that have emanated from that border region.

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