Friday, August 27, 2021

General McKenzie | Aug. 27, 2021

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

Isalamic State suicide bombers attacked crowds of people gathered Thursday outside Kabul airport hoping to flee Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, killing dozens including 13 US troops, as President Joe Biden vowed to hunt down those responsible
Kabul Airport Blasts LIVE Updates: At least 60 Including US Military Personnel Dead; Biden Vows to Avenge Deaths

"We will not forgive. We'll not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay," Biden vowed to avenge deaths.​

Aug. 27 - At least 60 people, including children and US military personnel, were killed after 2 explosions rocked the Kabul airport amid a chaotic evacuation effort from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan on Thursday. Explosions took place outside the Abbey Gate – where US and British forces have been stationed – and at a nearby hotel — where the processing of refugees takes place.


Meanwhile, speaking at the White House US President Joe Biden vowed to carry on with evacuating people fleeing Afghanistan. He also pledged that the US would hunt down those behind the attacks and make them pay. “We will not forgive. We’ll not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” Biden vowed to avenge deaths. He asserted he had ordered the Pentagon to plan how to strike ISIS-K, the Islamic State affiliate that claimed responsibility. Notably, the attack came after warnings there could be militant attacks, as nations evacuate people ahead of the August 31 deadline.     source from

Related Articles:

'Priority Remains to Evacuate People': NATO Chief After Kabul Airport Blasts
Twin Blasts Outside Kabul Airport Kill Dozens; Taliban Condemn Attack, Suspect Role of ISIS | Key Points
France President Emmanuel Macron Urges Utmost Caution After Kabul Blasts

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Kenneth Franklin McKenzie Jr.[2] (born 1956 or 1957) is a United States Marine Corps general who currently serves as the 14th commander of the United States Central Command.[3] He served as Director of the Joint Staff assuming the job on July 5, 2017 after having previously served for two years as Director of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5) on the Joint Staff.[4] He assumed his current assignment on March 28, 2019.     from Wikipedia
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says Afghan withdrawal will make terror fight harder

Date Published on April 20, 2021

In a blunt assessment Tuesday, the top U.S. general for the Middle East told Congress it will be extremely difficult but not impossible for the U.S. to find, track and take out counterterrorism threats in Afghanistan once all American troops are withdrawn.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said that armed drones, which can now get to a location within minutes from bases in Afghanistan, will have to be positioned much farther away. And he acknowledged that the U.S. has no agreements yet with neighboring countries to base troops, but is working on a plan.

“I don’t want to make light of it, I don’t want to put on rose-colored glasses and say it’s going to be easy to do,” McKenzie told the House Armed Services Committee, adding that if the U.S. needs to go back into Afghanistan because of a threat, it will require significant intelligence support. “It will be harder to do that, it is not impossible.”


​McKenzie declined to say what recommendations on Afghanistan he gave to President Joe Biden, who last week ordered the full withdrawal of the more than 2,500 remaining U.S. troops by Sept. 11. He said he had full opportunity to provide his advice to the president...     more



还有1500名美国人等待撤离!美放狠话让阿富汗或成“国际弃儿”!20210826 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Aug 27, 2021

Saturday, August 21, 2021

Garry Reid | Aug. 21, 2021

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

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Garry Reid: Our US military has done an outstanding job supporting [the SIV] effort. @USNorthernCmd and the @USArmyNorth, operating from @ArmyFortLee, Virginia, have provided housing, food, medical, and other services to these Afghans.

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Garry Reid is currently serving as the Director for Defense Intelligence (Intelligence and Security) (DDI (I&S)), reporting directly to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)). In this capacity he is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policy and resources to conduct HUMINT, counterintelligence, security, sensitive activities, intelligence analysis, intelligence sharing, and partner engagement programs. On behalf of the USD(I), Mr. Reid oversees the activities of DoD intelligence and related elements, coordinates these activities within the US Intelligence community and US interagency, and provides regular reporting of these activities to Congress. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Reid served as a Special Assistant for Mission Integration, advising the USD(I) on issues concerning warfighter support, intelligence and security, technical collection and special programs, and intelligence strategy, programs and resources.      source from

As White House scrambles on Afghanistan, Biden faces some of most dire days of his presidency

Aug. 20 - Two photographs of President Joe Biden this week neatly illustrated the White House's fight to contain the fallout of the biggest crisis of his presidency.

In the first, he sat alone at Camp David, staring upwards at a bank of video monitors surrounded by 18 empty leather chairs. Even some White House officials wondered whether the imagery, including him in a polo shirt, was helpful.

Three days later, when Biden was back at the White House, the picture was much different. He sat in suit and tie at the head of the Situation Room conference table, mask hanging off one ear as he scowled toward the assembled members of his national security team. The same team assembled a day later to "manage efforts in Afghanistan," the White House said.

Biden has found himself caught this week in some of the most dire days of his seven-month-old presidency, accused of badly botching the end of America's longest war even by some of his most reliable allies at home and abroad. The White House has scrambled to explain the chaos in Afghanistan through briefings, speeches and interviews -- even as Biden himself remains defiant in his decision and insists the American people are behind him.

At the same time, officials have sought to proceed with their regular business, scheduling an announcement on Covid vaccine boosters for Wednesday and making clear Biden was still focused on his domestic agenda, including the infrastructure bill making its way through Congress. He spoke Thursday with Democratic lawmakers not about Afghanistan, but about his jobs and infrastructure agenda -- a sign the President is intent on maintaining forward momentum, despite the calamity in Kabul...     more


阿富汗新政权待建 极端组织会否趁乱反扑? 20210820 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Aug 21, 2021

Friday, August 20, 2021

NATO | Aug. 20, 2021

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

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Taiwan president thanks Biden for 'rock solid' support amid China threats
Presidential Office thanks US president for vowing to 'respond' if China attacks

Date published on Aug. 20, 2021

... Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen's (蔡英文) administration on Friday (Aug. 20) thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for demonstrating a "rock solid" commitment to Taiwan following his pledge to "respond" if Taiwan was attacked by China.
During an interview with George Stephanopoulos of ABC News on Wednesday, the host pointed out that China has exploited the situation to make comparisons between Afghanistan and Taiwan. "You can already see China telling Taiwan, 'See? You can't count on the Americans.'"
Biden reacted by saying the U.S. has made a "sacred commitment to Article Five" that if any country attacks NATO allies, "we would respond" and added that it would be the "same with Taiwan"...     more

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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO/ˈneɪtoʊ/FrenchOrganisation du traité de l'Atlantique nordOTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 28 European countries and 2 North American countries. The organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.[3][4]

NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The NATO headquarters are located in HarenBrussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium.

​Since its founding, the admission of new member states has increased the alliance from the original 12 countries to 30. The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia on 27 March 2020. NATO currently recognizes Bosnia and HerzegovinaGeorgia, and Ukraine as aspiring members.[5] An additional 20 countries participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme, with 15 other countries involved in institutionalized dialogue programmes. The combined military spending of all NATO members in 2020 constituted over 57% of the global nominal total.[6] Members agreed that their aim is to reach or maintain the target defence spending of at least 2% of their GDP by 2024.      from Wikipedia

PARTNERS

​​NATO cooperates with a range of international organisations and countries in different structures. Below is a list of these partners with links to web pages on their relations with NATO as well as links to their information servers...     more



the boy & slide
《花生漫畫》西元1953八月/"Peanuts" on August 14, 1953

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four-thirty rolls
《花生漫畫》西元1953八月/"Peanuts" on August 15, 1953

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some of us have to be dogs…
《花生漫畫》西元1953八月/"Peanuts" on August 16, 1953

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Saturday, August 14, 2021

Tunisia | Aug. 14, 2021

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

Tunisian President Kais Saied, who has suspended parliament, waves as he walks with security guards in central Tunis on August 1, 2021 

US envoys press Tunisia president on democracy

Aug. 14 - A US delegation on Friday urged Tunisian President Kais Saied swiftly to restore democracy more than a month after he suspended parliament, raising charges of a coup.

Jon Finer, the deputy national security advisor, and the top US diplomat for the Middle East, Joey Hood, traveled to Tunis and met both Saied and civil society leaders.

Finer delivered a message from President Joe Biden "urging a swift return to the path of Tunisia's parliamentary democracy," a White House statement said.

The White House advisor also "discussed with President Saied the urgent need to appoint a prime minister designate who would form a capable government able to address the immediate economic and health crises facing Tunisia," it said.

Saied on July 25 froze parliament for 30 days, lifted parliamentary immunity and sacked the prime minister as well as other top officials.


The largest party in parliament accused him of staging a coup, charges dismissed by Saied.

His intervention came amid mounting economic and public health concerns triggered by one of the world's worst outbreaks of Covid-19.

Tunisia was the birthplace of the Arab Spring revolts a decade ago and had often been described as the Arab world's biggest success story in transitioning to democracy.     source from
Tunisia,[a] officially the Republic of Tunisia,[b] is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a part of the Maghreb region of North Africa, and is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east; covering 163,610 km2 (63,170 sq mi), with a population of 11 million. It contains the eastern end of the Atlas Mountains and the northern reaches of the Sahara desert, with much of its remaining territory arable land. Its 1,300 km (810 mi) of coastline include the African conjunction of the western and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Basin. Tunisia is home to Africa's northernmost point, Cape Angela; and its capital and largest city is Tunis, located on its northeastern coast, which lends the country its name.     from Wikipedia


U.S. Discusses Urgent Need For Tunisia Prime Minister-designate -White House

The U.S. deputy national security adviser met Tunisia's president on Friday and discussed the urgent need to appoint a prime minister designate to form a capable government, the White House said.


​Aug. 14 - The U.S. deputy national security adviser met Tunisia’s president on Friday and discussed the urgent need to appoint a prime minister designate to form a capable government, the White House said.

​The adviser, Jonathan Finer, delivered a message to President Kais Saied from U.S. President Joe Biden, “reaffirming his personal support, and that of the Biden-Harris Administration, for the Tunisian people and urging a swift return to the path of Tunisia’s parliamentary democracy," the statement said.

Finer traveled to Tunis with U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood, the statement said.

It said he “discussed with President Saied the urgent need to appoint a prime minister designate who would form a capable government able to address the immediate economic and health crises facing Tunisia."

“Empowering a new government to stabilize the economy will also create space for an inclusive dialogue about proposed constitutional and electoral reforms," it added.     source from
The Roots of Tunisia’s Current Political Crisis

​As Tunisia’s political crisis continues, it is crucial to understand how the disputes between the President and legislative branch have unfolded over the past few months, contributing to Tunisia’s economic and public health emergencies.

Jul 30 - Since the parliamentary and presidential elections of 2019, Tunisia has experienced unprecedented political turmoil and fundamental divisions due to the weakened state of the Tunisian parliament and the political struggles between ruling institutions. These factors have dominated the overall scene and upset the priorities of those in power who were already in conflict, especially the power struggle between the two leaders of the executive authority—which has most recently expanded as president Kaïs Saïed removed the prime minister and suspended parliament.

This is the public unfolding of a behind-the-scenes war between the prime minister, the president, and parliament—one which has disrupted attempts at economic reform and revitalization to prepare for the post-COVID-19 phase and identify the country’s basic problems with regards to driving growth, providing job opportunities, and improving the purchasing power of citizens.​..     more

Readout from NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on Senior Administration Officials Travel to Tunisia

AUGUST 13, 2021•STATEMENTS AND RELEASES

Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer, joined by Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood, traveled to Tunis and met today with President Kais Saied of Tunisia. During the visit, he delivered a message from President Biden reaffirming his personal support, and that of the Biden-Harris Administration, for the Tunisian people and urging a swift return to the path of Tunisia’s parliamentary democracy. Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Finer discussed with President Saied the urgent need to appoint a prime minister designate who would form a capable government able to address the immediate economic and health crises facing Tunisia. Empowering a new government to stabilize the economy will also create space for an inclusive dialogue about proposed constitutional and electoral reforms in response to the widely expressed demands of many Tunisians for improved living standards as well as honest, effective, and transparent governance. Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Finer also met with civil society leaders and conveyed U.S. support for civil society’s active participation in building a democratic and prosperous future for all Tunisians.
阿政府要跟塔利班谈分权 美英“脚底抹油”忙撤离 20210813 |《今日关注》CCTV中文国际
Aug 14, 2021

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Mischief Reef |Mar. 25

  WH keeping public in dark on what Biden demanded of China’s Xi over arming Putin​ Mar. 18 - The White House was tight-lipped Friday about ...