Jordan's Angry Tribes | People and Power

Jordan and its Hashemite monarchy have long been regarded as stable fixtures in a region often beset by political uncertainty.

But King Abdullah II is under growing pressure to reboot a struggling economy, institute constitutional reform, and stand firm against a controversial US-Saudi scheme, the so-called "Deal of the Century" to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

We sent filmmakers Mariam Shahin, Nada Issa and George Azar to find out why these pressures are becoming difficult for the government to ignore and what effect they are having on the kingdom's delicate demographic balance - between increasingly angry members of its indigenous tribes, known as "East Bankers", and Palestinians who have fled here in the past six decades and become citizens.

Kim Darroch's Fall from Grace Casts Chill over Washington Ambassadors

THE GUARDIAN: Fellow envoys say they have made similar observations about the Trump administration and deplore the lack of support from Boris Johnson for their UK counterpart

It was like a tennis match with an empty umpire’s chair. On Friday, the British ambassador’s residence in Washington hosted a Wimbledon Watch Party and English Breakfast, with two giant TV screens showing the men’s semi-final. In the ballroom there were bacon and eggs, orange juice and buck’s fizz and, of course, strawberries and cream. But there was no ambassador.

Kim Darroch had left for a planned holiday a day early, officials said, after a “rough week” in which his leaked memos led to abuse from Donald Trump and his resignation, though the ambassador does intend to return for an unspecified period. The embassy considered cancelling the annual Wimbledon event but a mood of “keep calm and carry on” prevailed, not least because of Darroch’s love of tennis. » | David Smith in Washington | Saturday, July 13, 2019

Will There Be Another War in the Gulf? | Inside Story

The United States, UK and Iran all agree: they don't want war; but tensions are rising by the day. Iran accuses Britain of being a servant of the US as it demands the return of an oil tanker seized off Gibraltar.

It’s been suggested British Royal Marines boarded the vessel at the request of America. And the UK is looking at boosting its military presence in the Gulf after an apparent close encounter with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard just days later.

The US, meantime, is turning the screw further on Iran's already faltering economy, and Britain finds itself in an awkward position. It's working with Europe to try and save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which the US has abandoned. But it also needs to maintain close ties with Washington as it seeks to leave the European Union.

The situation with the tanker has infuriated Iran with the foreign minister demanding Britain return the ship or face what he called 'the consequences'.

Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, research fellow at RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute; Mohammad Marandi, head of American Studies Department at the University of Tehran; Phil Diacon, managing director of Dryad Global, a maritime security risk management company

Trump Planning Mass Immigration Raids

Trump: “I don’t call them raids”.Ana Kasparian and John Iadarola, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

Trump Parade Is Total Disaster

Trump’s Fourth of July Parade is set to be a total disaster. Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian, and Ron Perlman hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

Iran Warns Western Powers to 'Leave Region' amid Gulf Crisis

THE GUARDIAN: Foreign ministry demands release of Iranian oil tanker UK seized last week

Iran has called on Britain to release its seized oil tanker and warned foreign powers to “leave the region because Iran and other regional countries are capable of securing the regional security”.

The Royal Marines seized the tanker last week on suspicion it was breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, told the IRNA news agency: “This is a dangerous game and has consequences ... The legal pretexts for the capture are not valid ... The release of the tanker is in all countries’ interests.”

Iran has said it will take reciprocal measures if its tanker is not released. » | Patrick Wintour and agencies | Friday, July 12, 2019

Is the UK's Special Relationship with US Under Threat? – Inside Story

What started as a leak of secret diplomatic memos to a British tabloid newspaper has led to the resignation of a top ambassador and questions about the UK's position in the world.

Kim Darroch felt compelled to quit as Britain's envoy in Washington after a row over leaked memos. The diplomat had described Donald Trump and his administation as insecure, inept and dysfunctional. The U.S. President responded with a barrage of angry tweets, calling Darroch "very stupid."

Boris Johnson, Britain's likely next prime minister, refused to publicly support the ambassador. So how will this incident affect the UK's ties with its closest ally?

Presenter: Martine Dennis Guests: Crispin Blunt - Conservative member of the British parliament Nancy Soderberg - Former U.S. Ambassador the the U.N. Matthew Parris - Columnist for The Times newspaper, and a former conservative British MP.

The UK's Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch Resigns over Leaked Memo Branding Trump 'Incompetent'

BUSINESS INSIDER: The UK's ambassador to the US has resigned after his comments labeling Trump "dysfunctional" were leaked to the press.

Darroch entered the eye of a diplomatic storm this week after remarks he made disparaging the Trump administration were leaked to the Mail on Sunday newspaper over the weekend.

In the notes, the UK ambassador to the US said that Trump's government was "uniquely dysfunctional" and added: "We don't really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal.

He also described Trump's presidency as "incompetent," and "inept."

Trump on Tuesday tweeted that Darroch was a "very stupid guy" and a "pompous fool."

Following the row Darroch said it was now "impossible" for him to remain in post. » | Adam Bienkov | Wednesday, July 10, 2019

Big Names Drop as Epstein Sex Scandal Grows

Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein remains in jail on Tuesday, charged with running a sex trafficking ring of underage girls, as calls grow louder for US Labor Secretary Alex Acosta to resign and former US President Bill Clinton makes a public statement. Meanwhile, a top White House official is ramping up the rhetoric of “maximum pressure” on Iran and critics fear that a potential US-India tariff war could hurt US wallets after President Trump called India’s tariffs on U.S. goods “unacceptable.” Finally, we’ll hear from experts about what could happen if an asteroid hits the Earth.

Jeffrey Epstein, Called ‘Terrific’ by Trump, Charged with Sex Trafficking | The Last Word | MSNBC

Trump friend Jeffrey Epstein has been charged with sex trafficking of underage girls. He pleaded not guilty. Trump's now-Labor Secretary Alex Acosta gave Epstein what many critics called a sweetheart deal in 2008. Lawrence O'Donnell discusses the fallout of the charges with Berit Berger and Tim O'Brien.

Germany Rebuffs US Order to Send Troops

The US has asked Germany to deploy training forces, logistical experts and technical workers to north-eastern Syria to support Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces against what remains of Islamic State in the region. A former German chancellor replied that his country “isn’t a banana republic.” RT America’s Michele Greenstein joins Rick Sanchez with the details.

The Guardian View on Undiplomatic Language: Don’t Pander to Donald Trump

THE GUARDIAN: The US president is angry at the British ambassador’s frank assessment. His reaction reinforces Kim Darroch’s verdict on his administration

Though the president of the United States has fired off another volley of insults, his primary target – the British ambassador, Kim Darroch – has done nothing but his job. The national interest would hardly be served by Her Majesty’s chief representative in Washington sending back sanitised and euphemistic dispatches. Governments rely upon thorough, honest and frank information and advice from their diplomats. Sir Kim’s unflattering assessments of Donald Trump and his administration are embarrassing; but the problem was the leaking of the documents, not their drafting.

If the memos are unusually strong stuff, that is because the US administration is a wholly abnormal one. Indeed, the ambassador’s verdict of a dysfunctional, faction-riven and inept White House is not only blindingly obvious to any observer but looks decidedly diplomatic when set beside some of the accounts which have emerged from the leaky Trump administration itself. There are multiple reports of senior figures describing him as an idiot, a moron or unhinged. » | Editorial | Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Christchurch Mosque Killer’s Theories Seeping into Mainstream, Report Warns

THE OBSERVER: Call to tackle extreme white nationalist ideas propagating hatred and violence gaining traction on social media

The extreme rightwing ideology that inspired the Christchurch mosque killer has been promoted so effectively by the far right that it has entered mainstream political discourse, new analysis reveals.

Researchers have found that organised far-right networks are pushing a conspiracy known as the “great replacement” theory to the extent that references to it online have doubled in four years, with more than 1.5 million on Twitter alone, a total that is rising exponentially.

The theory emerged in France in 2014 and has become a dominant concept of the extreme right, focusing on a paranoia that white people are being wiped out through migration and violence. It received increased scrutiny after featuring in the manifesto of the gunman who killed 51 people in the Christchurch attacks in New Zealand in March.

Now the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), a UK-based counter-extremist organisation, has found that the once-obscure ideology has moved into mainstream politics and is now referenced by figures including US president Donald Trump, Italian interior minister Matteo Salvini and Björn Höcke of the German Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). » | Nosheen Iqbal and Mark Townsend | Sunday, July 7, 2019

Who is EU Commission President Nominee Ursula von der Leyen? | DW News

The 28 EU member countries have agreed on their nominees for the bloc's top jobs. In a surprise move the leaders nominated. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was nominated for EU Commission President. The conservative Christian Democrat and former Labor Minister and Minister for Families was nominated to replace Jean-Claude Juncker after most of the front-runners for the post were rejected. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel was one of the names being floated for the EU top job. But in a last minute reshuffling the liberal PM was nominated to replace Donald Tusk as EU Council President. International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde received unanimous backing as the next president of the European Central Bank. If confirmed she would be the first woman to head the ECB. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell was nominated as High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The socialist would replace Federica Mogherini as the EU's top diplomat. But the biggest hurdle in this political race has still to be cleared. The European Parliament has to approve the line-up, and the Social Democrats have already set themselves against it.

What Does the World Think of Boris Johnson?

He's the favourite to become our next Prime Minister in just three weeks' time. But Boris Johnson has only held one ministerial post - a two year stint as Foreign Secretary.

Ivanka Trump Isn’t a Diplomat. So Why Is She Acting Like One?

Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter of the President, acted like an unofficial Secretary of State during a trip to Japan and South Korea for the G20. But with no international relations or foreign policy credentials, should she be playing the role of a diplomat?

Die Suche hat ein Ende: Von der Leyen als EU-Kommissionspräsidentin nominiert

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Die deutsche Bundesverteidigungsministerin Ursula von der Leyen soll Jean-Claude Juncker beerben. Die Chefin des Internationalen Währungsfonds, Christine Lagarde, soll künftig der EZB vorstehen.

(dpa) Die EU-Staaten haben die deutsche Verteidigungsministerin Ursula von der Leyen offiziell als Präsidentin der EU-Kommission nominiert. Die Entscheidung fiel am Dienstag bei einem EU-Sondergipfel in Brüssel, wie EU-Ratspräsident Donald Tusk auf Twitter mitteilte.

Die neue Kommissionschefin muss aber noch vom EU-Parlament bestätigt werden. Dies soll planmässig Mitte Juli geschehen. Von der Leyen wäre die erste Frau an der Spitze der Brüsseler EU-Behörde. » | dpa | Dienstag, 2. Juli 2019

Mika Brzezinski on Trump Attacking Her: ‘It Has Gotten Scary’

MSNBC “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski revealed intimate details about her and husband-co-host Joe Scarborough’s fraught relationship with President Trump, claiming the conflict has made her concerned about her security, family and privacy and worrying that “anything goes” with Trump. "It has gotten scary,” Brzezinski said in an interview with the Yahoo News show “Through Her Eyes.” “And we've made changes in our life to deal with the fact that it has gotten scary.” Brzezinski also isn’t shy about taking a fair measure of credit for the show's success, saying it was her husband’s idea, but she’s “the reason it’s still going.”

Ivanka Trump Faces Criticism for G20 Involvement | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Ivanka Trump was at her father's side for several meetings at the G20, and new video posted by the French government shows the first daughter having an awkward chat with world leaders.

Boris Johnson: Playing the Clown for the Media Circus? | The Listening Post (Full)

Startling Numbers Show How Bad the Wealth Gap Really Is in America

The wealth gap in the United States has been getting worse for decades, but few understand just how bad things really are. Since 1989, the top one percent has gained $21 trillion in wealth while the bottom half has lost more than $900 billion. The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, and that isn’t an accident. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Remembering Stonewall: On 50th Anniversary, Leaders of Uprising Look Back on Sparking LGBTQ Movement

Fifty years ago today, just after midnight, at 1:30 in the morning on June 28, 1969, New York City police officers raided a gay- and trans-friendly bar called the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village. As the police began dragging some of the patrons out, the community fought back, sparking three days of rioting. Their historic resistance launched the modern-day LGBTQ movement and became known as the Stonewall uprising. We hear the leaders of the Stonewall uprising in their own words, in a radio documentary produced by Dave Isay in 1989 called “Remembering Stonewall.”

Wildfire in Spain as Europe Roasts

Several countries have broken their June temperature records after a huge reservoir of hot air from the Sahara engulfed Europe.

Hundreds of firefighters have struggled to contain a major wildfire in northeastern Spain. The Spanish military has sent a unit of 120 specialists to help local firefighters battle the flames, which have sent thick plumes of smoke high into the air above the Catalonia region.

Boris Johnson’s Talk of ‘Global Britain’ Is about to Look Even More Ridiculous

THE GUARDIAN: While the favourite to be Britain’s next prime minister feeds his public disinformation, the EU is homing in on a huge trade deal

Three years after the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum, the UK is no closer to figuring out how to leave the European Union – and what comes next – than it was when the result was announced. And now a Conservative party leadership election to replace the outgoing prime minister, Theresa May, is in full swing. To those of us watching from the outside, the debate between the candidates confirms that they have learned nothing whatsoever from the past two years of negotiations with the EU.

Sadly, this comes as no surprise, given that the lead candidate is Boris Johnson, the leave campaign’s most prominent architect and a man who continues to dissemble, exaggerate and disinform the public about Brexit. In 2016, Johnson and his fellow Brexiteers duped a narrow majority of UK voters into thinking that leaving the EU would somehow furnish the NHS with an additional £350m per week. He also drummed up fears that Britain’s EU membership would somehow lead to mass immigration from Turkey(which happens to be the homeland of his paternal great-grandfather, Ali Kemal).

Though Johnson will most likely soon find himself in a position where he must make good on his promises, he continues to spread untruths. Chief among them is the myth that Britain can tear up the withdrawal agreement that May negotiated with the EU, withhold its financial commitments to the bloc, and simultaneously start negotiating free-trade deals. To Johnson’s followers, however, he is more prophet than politician: only he can deliver a mythical “true Brexit” that will bring the prosperity promised during the referendum campaign. » | Guy Verhofstadt | Thursday, June 27, 2019

Boris Johnson's Brexit Deal Claims Rubbished by Guy Verhofstadt

THE GUARDIAN: EU Brexit coordinator likens Tory frontrunner’s claims to ‘false promises’ of referendum

Boris Johnson’s claims about the prospects of rewriting the Brexit deal have been compared by the European parliament’s Brexit coordinator to the “false promises, pseudo-patriotism and foreigner-bashing” he is said to have used to win the EU referendum.

The suggestion from the Conservative leadership frontrunner that he will be able to dump Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, withhold the UK’s £39bn divorce bill and still negotiate a free-trade deal in Brussels was savaged by Guy Verhofstadt.

The former prime minister of Belgium said Johnson’s assertion during the current leadership campaign was a myth. In a withering assessment of the race between Johnson and Jeremy Hunt, who also claims he will be able to renegotiate the deal, Verhofstadt said it appeared they had “learned nothing whatsoever”.

The EU has repeatedly said it will not renegotiate the agreement and that the UK will crash out unless the House of Commons ratifies the full package, including the protocol containing the Irish backstop for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. » | Daniel Boffey in Helsinki | Thursday, June 27, 2019

Trump's "Deal of the Century" Just Means More Israeli Occupation of Palestinian Land

Ali Abunimah discusses Jared Kushner's presentation of his peace plan's economic portion in Bahrain this week. He dangled fifty billion dollars for the Palestinian economy, but no freedom, political rightsm, nor an end of the Israeli occupation.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — June 27, 2019

Tunisia: Twin Suicide Attacks Target Police

Two suicide blasts rocked the Tunisian capital on Thursday, according to the country's interior ministry, killing at least one police officer with several people wounded.

The first blast was caused by a suicide bomber targeting a police patrol on Tunis' central Charles de Gaulle street, not far from the French embassy. Two police officers and three civilians were injured, according to the interior ministry. Body parts were strewn in the road around the police car, an AFP news agency correspondent said. The loud explosion was heard throughout the surrounding neighbourhood.

A second attacker blew himself up shortly afterwards near a police station elsewhere in the capital, the interior ministry said. Four people were injured in the attack. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the incidents.

Analysis: UN Rapporteur Criticises Saudi’s Khashoggi Murder Probe

Agnes Callamard, the United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, has criticised the Saudi Arabian investigation into the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents. Callamard, who presented her report into the killing on Wednesday, said the investigation failed to examine who may have ordered the killing, adding that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, and other senior officials should be investigated over the murder. "The investigation carried out by the Saudi authorities has failed to address the chain of command," she told the UN Human Rights Council.

Exclusive: 'The Middle East Does Not Need Another War' Says Iraqi President

The president of Iraq, Barham Salih, tells Sky News about his fears over heightening tensions between America and Iran.

Prince William Says It's Fine If His Children Come Out as LGBT | 5 News

Prince William has said it would be 'absolutely fine' by him if any of his children come out as LGBT in the future. The Duke of Cambridge was visiting an LGBT charity which helps young people who have been made homeless because of their sexuality.

Boris Johnson May Be the Next Prime Minister of Britain. Who Is He?

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Boris Johnson, Political Escape Artist, Lands in Hot Water. Again »

Islam and Democracy: What's the Problem? | UpFront

In a special edition of UpFront, recorded before Ennahda's announcement, Mehdi Hasan speaks to a panel of experts, analysts and activists about whether there can be a balance between Islamic and democratic values.

Iranian President Calls White House 'Mentally Retarded'

Jeremy Hunt is not just a Tory leadership hopeful, he is, in fact, also the Foreign Secretary, and today he told parliament he could not envisage any situation in which the UK joins the US in a war with Iran.

Donald Trump announced new sanctions yesterday, but Iran's President has responded by calling them "useless, outrageous and idiotic," adding that the White House appears to be "afflicted by mental retardation".

Seriously? Pompeo Seeks Saudi Advice on ‘Bad Behavior’

Author and professor of international human rights Dan Kovalik joins Rick Sanchez to unpack western canards about Iran and double-standards in discussions of “terrorism.”

President Trump's Full, Unedited Interview with Meet The Press | NBC News

President Donald Trump sat down for an exclusive interview with Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd on Friday, June 21st, 2019.

Is the US an Honest Broker between the Israelis-Palestinians?

Iran Says 'Idiotic' New US Sanctions Have Closed Path to Diplomacy

THE GUARDIAN: Foreign ministry spokesman accuses Trump administration of destroying peace and security

Iran says the US decision to impose sanctions on its supreme leader and other top officials is “idiotic” and has permanently closed the path to diplomacy between Tehran and Washington.

Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on Monday against the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and top military chiefs, in an unprecedented step designed to increase pressure on Iran after Tehran’s downing of an unmanned American drone. Khamenei is Iran’s utmost authority who has the last say on all state matters.

Washington said it would also impose sanctions this week on Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, who negotiated the 2015 nuclear deal with the US and other major powers and has spearheaded Iranian diplomacy since.

Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, described the White House as “afflicted by mental retardation” and said the sanctions against Khamenei were “outrageous and idiotic”, especially as the 80-year-old cleric has no overseas assets and no plans to ever travel to the US. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Iran vs. America: What's Next?

Jamal Abdi updated us on the new sanctions on Iran. Trump’s Iranian sanctions are designed to force Iran into accepting what the US wants. The Iranian sanctions are Trump and Pompeo wanting the Iranian administration to change. The US sanctions on Iran are making it harder for moderate Iranians to protest their government rather than easier. The military strikes against Iran which were stopped ten minutes before launch and has confused both Iran and the US. Are economic sanctions ever successful? John Bolton and Mike Pompeo are running the world and running Trump. They want military action, not economic ones. Will there be a regime change in Iran as a result of the new economic sanctions?

Why Finland Has the Best Education System in the World

A segment on the approach to education in Finland taken from "Where To Invade Next" by Michael Moore.

I Was Boris Johnson’s Boss: He Is Utterly Unfit to Be Prime Minister

THE GUARDIAN: The Tory party is about to foist a tasteless joke upon the British people. He cares for nothing but his own fame and gratification

Six years ago, the Cambridge historian Christopher Clark published a study of the outbreak of the first world war, titled The Sleepwalkers. Though Clark is a fine scholar, I was unconvinced by his title, which suggested that the great powers stumbled mindlessly to disaster. On the contrary, the maddest aspect of 1914 was that each belligerent government convinced itself that it was acting rationally.

It would be fanciful to liken the ascent of Boris Johnson to the outbreak of global war, but similar forces are in play. There is room for debate about whether he is a scoundrel or mere rogue, but not much about his moral bankruptcy, rooted in a contempt for truth. Nonetheless, even before the Conservative national membership cheers him in as our prime minister – denied the option of Nigel Farage, whom some polls suggest they would prefer – Tory MPs have thronged to do just that.

I have known Johnson since the 1980s, when I edited the Daily Telegraph and he was our flamboyant Brussels correspondent. I have argued for a decade that, while he is a brilliant entertainer who made a popular maître d’ for London as its mayor, he is unfit for national office, because it seems he cares for no interest save his own fame and gratification. » | Max Hastings | Monday, June 24, 2019

Jared Kushner Now a Target in DOJ Money Laundering Investigation

Jared Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump and son-in-law of the President, is now the target of a DOJ investigation looking into potential money laundering that occurred at Deutsche Bank. There are many transactions in and out of his account that had been flagged as suspicious, and the DOJ can no longer ignore the evidence that is right in front of their faces. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains what’s happening.

Trump Shrugs Off Khashoggi Killing by Ally Saudi Arabia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — President Trump on Sunday shrugged off the brutal dismembering of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, just days after a United Nations report described how a team of Saudi assassins called Mr. Khashoggi a “sacrificial animal” before his murder.

The U.N. report urged an F.B.I. investigation into the slaying. But in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Mr. Trump said the episode had already been thoroughly investigated. He said the Middle East is “a vicious, hostile place” and noted that Saudi Arabia is an important trading partner with the United States.

“I only say they spend $400 to $450 billion over a period of time, all money, all jobs, buying equipment,” the president told Chuck Todd, the show’s moderator. “I’m not like a fool that says, ‘We don’t want to do business with them.’ And by the way, if they don’t do business with us, you know what they do? They’ll do business with the Russians or with the Chinese.” » | Michael D. Shear | Sunday, June 23, 2019

Boris Johnson as PM Would Be 'Catastrophe' for UK, Say Scottish Tories

THE GUARDIAN: Fears that Tory frontrunner’s zeal for Brexit would boost support for independence

Senior Scottish Conservatives fear Boris Johnson’s election as Tory leader could be a “catastrophe” for the UK, because it is likely to turbo-charge the campaign for Scottish independence.

Senior Tories believe Johnson’s zeal for Brexit will immediately boost support for a fresh referendum – a view echoed by Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, on Sunday. Johnson as prime minister would be “devastating, disastrous” for the party and make the case for independence stronger than ever, she said.

Scottish Tories fear Johnson’s election is a foregone conclusion given his sizeable lead among English Tory activists and members, a lead that could withstand the revelations about his late-night row with this girlfriend Carrie Symonds.

“He would have to be guilty of criminality on a huge scale to be stopped,” said one senior Conservative colleague and critic. “Our job is to move this from being a catastrophe to a challenge.” » | Severin Carrell | Sunday, June 23, 2019

Urges to Launch an Attack, Trump Listened to the Skeptics Who Said It Would Be a Costly Mistake

THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — He heard from his generals and his diplomats. Lawmakers weighed in and so did his advisers. But among the voices that rang powerfully for President Trump was that of one of his favorite Fox News hosts: Tucker Carlson.

While national security advisers were urging a military strike against Iran, Mr. Carlson in recent days had told Mr. Trump that responding to Tehran’s provocations with force was crazy. The hawks did not have the president’s best interests at heart, he said. And if Mr. Trump got into a war with Iran, he could kiss his chances of re-election goodbye.

However much weight that advice may or may not have had, the sentiments certainly reinforced the doubts that Mr. Trump himself harbored as he navigated his way through one of the most consequential foreign policy decisions of his presidency. By his own account, the president called off the “cocked & loaded” strike on Thursday night with only 10 minutes to spare to avoid the estimated deaths of as many as 150 people.

The concerns that Mr. Trump heard from Mr. Carlson reflected that part of the presidential ID that has always hesitated at pulling the trigger. Belligerent and confrontational as he is in his public persona, Mr. Trump has at times pulled back from the use of force, convinced that America has wasted too many lives and too much money in pointless Middle East wars and wary of repeating what he considers the mistakes of his predecessors. » | Peter Baker, Maggie Haberman and Thomas Gibbons-Neff | Friday, June 21, 2019

Will the US Attack Iran? | Inside Story

There's an intense debate in Washington about how to deal with Tehran following the downing of a U.S. drone. A tense standoff between the U.S. and Iran, following the downing of an American surveillance drone in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian state television has been showing what it says is drone wreckage retrieved at sea. American media say President Donald Trump ordered air strikes against military targets in Iran - but then later changed his mind.

Congressional leaders were briefed on the incident and called for a robust response, but they also told the president to act with caution. So what does this mean for an already tense region?

Presenter: Peter Dobbie | Guests: Mohammad Marandi, Head of American Studies at the University of Tehran; Hillary Mann Leverett, CEO of the political risk consultancy Stratega and a former U.S. State Department official; Sahil Shah, Policy Fellow at the European Leadership Network

Attacking Iran, US Will Open the Gates of Hell – George Galloway

Film-maker, writer and a renowned orator #GeorgeGalloway shares his point of view on dangerous US-Iran tensions.