Worldwide Condemnation of Trump Immigration Ban
Deutsche Welle reported on January 28:
“Airlines across the globe are turning back would-be passengers from countries affected by a US immigration ban that bars them from entering the United States. Leading political and business figures moved quickly to condemn the ban… keeping citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia or Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days. The executive order has also been applied to people with permanent residence permits, known as green cards.
“In Europe, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel decried the order during a press conference with his French counterpart, Jean-Marc Ayrault, in Paris. Gabriel said Trump’s refugee policy contradicted America’s Christian traditions of ‘love thy neighbor.’ During the same press conference, Ayrault said the policy ‘can only worry us,’ and that ‘welcoming refugees who flee war and oppression is part of our duty.’…
“In the United States, Democrats called the measures ‘un-American.’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tweeted late on Friday, ‘Tears are running down the cheeks of the Statue of Liberty tonight as a grand tradition of America, welcoming immigrants, that has existed since America was founded has been stomped upon.’… In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted on Saturday ‘To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength. Welcome To Canada.’…
“A study from the US Cato Institute found that foreigners from the seven nations affected by the immigration ban have killed zero Americans in terrorist attacks on US soil between 1975 and the end of 2015.”
Bild wrote on January 28 that a high official within the Trump Administration confirmed that the seven countries listed are probably just the beginning, and that the government was considering very aggressively which countries were to be added. See also the next articles.
More to Come
The New York Times wrote on January 27:
“Announcing his ‘extreme vetting’ plan, the president invoked the specter of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Most of the 19 hijackers on the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pa., were from Saudi Arabia. The rest were from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Lebanon. None of those countries is on Mr. Trump’s visa ban list.”
The Los Angeles Times wrote on January 27:
“President Trump signed an executive order Friday that temporarily halts the nation’s refugee program and ushers in the most sweeping changes in more than 40 years to how the U.S. welcomes the world’s most vulnerable people… Trump’s action, seen as part of his campaign pledge to ban Muslims from entering the country, sparked an international outcry, given the historic role that the U.S. and other industrialized nations have long played in embracing victims of war and oppression. The last major change in U.S. refugee policy came during the Vietnamese resettlement programs of the mid-1970s.
“In the ABC interview, Trump said… residents of countries left out of the ban – Afghanistan, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia – will nonetheless face what he calls ‘extreme vetting’…
“Critics called Trump’s order a betrayal of long-held American ideals… Several of those who condemned Trump’s order noted that it was signed on Holocaust Remembrance Day, a reminder that thousands of Jews fleeing Nazi Germany were denied safe harbors in the United States and elsewhere, forcing them back to Nazi-controlled territory, where many were murdered. ‘Donald Trump is retracting the promise of American freedom to an extent we have not seen from a president since Franklin Roosevelt forced Japanese Americans into internment camps during World War II,’ said Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect in New York City.”
Will Even “Dreamers” Be Affected?
Reuters reported on January 30:
“Divisions have emerged among advisers to President Donald Trump over whether to rescind a signature policy of his predecessor, President Barack Obama, that shields young immigrants from deportation, according to congressional sources and Republicans close to the White House. Even though Trump campaigned on a promise to roll back Obama’s executive orders on immigration, the Republican has so far left intact an order safeguarding 750,000 people who were brought to the United States illegally as children, known as the ‘dreamers.’
“The issue has become a flashpoint for White House advisers divided between a more moderate faction such as chief of staff Reince Priebus and immigration hardliners Stephen Miller and Steve Bannon, said a former congressional aide who has been involved with immigration issues in Washington.
“Priebus has said publicly that Trump will work with Congress to get a ‘long-term solution’ on the issue. Meanwhile, Miller, said to have mastered the thinking of his former boss and anti-immigration advocate Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee for U.S. Attorney General, as well as Bannon, former head of right-wing Breitbart News, have pushed Trump to take a harder approach and rescind the protections…
“House Speaker Paul Ryan told a woman protected by DACA, at a townhall hosted by CNN Jan. 12, that there should be a solution for people like her to get ‘right with the law’ and not be separated from their families. Just two days prior, Sessions, a Senator, told a Senate panel considering his confirmation that it would ‘certainly be constitutional’ to repeal DACA…”
British, French and German Citizens Affected by Trump Ban
The Telegraph wrote on January 28:
“The US State Department said that Britons with dual nationality with the countries Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen will be stopped at the American border for the next 90 days…
“Politicians said tens of thousands of Britons could be caught up in the border chaos as Mr Trump’s new immigration rules impact on holidays and business trips.
Der Spiegel added on January 28 that Trump’s ban includes tens of thousands of Germans with dual citizenship, including a parliamentarian of the Green party, who has a German and an Iranian passport. In this context, Bild Online added on January 29: “Horror at Ban: Trump also Locks out Germans.” Subsequent developments changed this picture somewhat, but we still can’t be sure as to what extent, as some of the following articles discuss.
Merkel Slams Trump over Muslim Travel Ban
The Local wrote on January 29:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday slammed the restrictions on immigration imposed by US President Donald Trump, saying it was ‘not justified’ to target people based on their background or religion… Merkel’s condemnation comes a day after she spoke by phone with the new US president, when they discussed a range of issues from relations with Russia to the situation in the Middle East and NATO.
“Statements released by both sides after the call made no mention of the immigration ban, but Seibert on Sunday said Merkel had reminded the US billionaire of his human rights responsibilities.”
The Local wrote on January 30:
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday reaffirmed her criticism of a US travel ban slapped on travellers from seven countries, saying it smacked of anti-Muslim bias. ‘The essential and also resolute fight against terrorism in no way justifies general suspicion against people of a specific faith, in this case people of the Muslim faith or people of a certain background,’ she told reporters in unprompted remarks about measures enacted by US President Donald Trump. ‘This approach in my view contradicts the basic tenets of international aid to refugees and international cooperation,’ she said…”
Schulz Slams Trump
Deutsche Welle wrote on January 29:
“Martin Schulz, the Social Democrat’s nominee to challenge Angela Merkel… has also slammed US President Donald Trump’s clampdown on minorities as an ‘intolerable’ taboo breach… Schulz accused US President Donald Trump of attacking minorities in the United States with ‘shameless and dangerous’ statements… Germany and Europe… had to make it clear to Trump that international human rights also apply to him, Schulz insisted…”
Trump Retaliates by Attacking Germany—“Top Trump Aide Blasts Germany for ‘Exploiting’ US on Trade”
AFP wrote on January 31:
“A top economic adviser to US President Donald Trump bashed Germany for exploiting an undervalued euro to take advantage of its trading partners, the Financial Times reported Tuesday. The public rebuke of a major trading partner is the latest example of the brash tactic that has become a feature of the new US administration, with Trump himself using public attacks and Twitter to criticize businesses and allies, including Mexico.
“Peter Navarro, who advised Trump during the campaign and heads the White House’s new National Trade Council, said in an interview with the FT that Germany ‘continues to exploit other countries in the EU as well as the US with an “implicit Deutsche mark” that is grossly undervalued.’…
“German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking in Stockholm, deflected the criticism, saying the currency value is the responsibility of the European Central Bank… France’s Finance Minister Michel Sapin hit back saying, ‘The decisions of the new US administration pose a serious risk to the world trade order.’ He warned that ‘history reminds us that protectionist retreats are the worst of solutions,’ and said neither France nor Europe ‘will be able to watch helplessly what might risk being a dislocation of our economic institutions.’”
“Arnold Schwarzenegger Says Trump’s Refugee Ban ‘Makes Us Look Stupid’”
Newsmax wrote on January 30:
“Arnold Schwarzenegger… said that the new president’s executive order on refugees and immigration was poorly vetted and that it ‘makes us look stupid’ when the White House ‘is ill-prepared to put this kind of’ directive out there. Schwarzenegger [was] was governor of California from 2003 to 2011…
“‘To go and ban people who have a green card, that means that the United States of America has given you permission to work here permanently and you are on the way to permanent citizenship. … I was in that position. … It’s crazy. It’s crazy and makes us look stupid when the White House is ill-prepared to put this kind of executive order out there,’ he said. Schwarzenegger is an immigrant from Austria, who came to the United States in 1968.”
These statements were run in European papers as the “quote of the day.” How “stupid” and “crazy” we look can be seen in the next article.
US Handcuffs Five-Year-Old Boy for Hours
The Mirror wrote on January 30:
“The White House says a five-year-old boy was held for five hours and reportedly handcuffed because he could have been a ‘threat’ to the United States. The boy was one of more than 100 people detained for hours at airports across the country, after Donald Trump signed an Executive Order banning travel from seven majority Muslim countries.
“In a briefing tonight, Donald Trump’s Press Secretary Sean Spicer said: ‘To assume that just because of someone’s age and gender that they don’t pose a threat would be misguided and wrong.’ The boy, who was identified by Senator Chris Van Hollen as a US citizen who lives in Maryland, was detained at Washington DC’s Dulles airport on Saturday. He was seen being showered with kisses by his mother, who is believed to be Iranian-born, after they were reunited.
“Senator Van Hollen said it was ‘outrageous’ that the boy had been held for so long – adding that he was detained despite giving the authorities advance notice of his arrival. When he called to see if he had been released, Senator Van Hollen said airport authorities refused to say.”
Major Tech Firms Oppose Trump’s Executive Order on Travel Ban for Muslims
Forbes wrote on January 29:
“Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is adding his voice to those who are alarmed and upset by President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration — and he’s upping the ante on corporate responses, vowing to hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years. Trump’s executive order… has sparked an outpouring of criticism, including from chief executives and founders across America.
“Airbnb founder and CEO Brian Chesky said his company will offer free housing to refugees and anyone not allowed in the U.S.; Google co-founder Sergy Brin joined a protest at San Francisco International Airport; and the CEOs of Tesla, Facebook, Apple and Microsoft have tweeted, emailed or otherwise publicly voiced disapproval.”
Wired added on January 30 that in addition, the following tech firms are opposing the order, so far: Viber, Uber, Slack, Elon Musk, Facebook, Twitter and Lyft.
Google Asks All Travelling Employees to Return to USA Immediately
Newsmax wrote on January 28:
“Alphabet Inc.’s Google delivered a sharp message to staff traveling overseas who may be impacted by a new executive order on immigration from President Donald Trump: Get back to the U.S. now. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai slammed Trump’s move in a note to employees Friday, telling them that more than 100 company staff are affected by the order…
“The comments underscore a growing rift between the Trump administration and several large U.S. technology companies, which include many immigrants in their ranks and have lobbied for fewer immigration restrictions. Pichai’s note echoed similar statements from tech peers voicing concerns about the harm such policies could have on their businesses… ‘We are advising our clients from those seven countries who have green cards or any type of H-1B visa not to travel outside the U.S.’ said Ava Benach, a partner at immigration law firm Benach Collopy LLP…”
“It Took Her Long Enough”—May Disagrees
The Independent wrote on January 29:
“Theresa May ‘does not agree’ with a contentious ban on immigration implemented by Donald Trump, Downing Street has said. In a statement released late on Saturday evening, and responding to mounting anger from within her own party, the Prime Minister passed judgment on the President’s executive order on immigration…”
The Times of Israel added on January 29:
“Iraqi-born MP Nadhim Zahawi tweeted that he had had ‘confirmation that the order does apply to myself and my wife as we were both born in Iraq,’ even though the pair have British passports. ‘A sad, sad day to feel like a second class citizen! Sad day for the USA,’ he added… Olympic champion runner Mo Farah, born in Somalia, was another British citizen potentially affected by the ban…
“Tory MP Sarah Wollaston called Trump ‘a sickening piece of work’ and demanded that he not be allowed to address both of Britain’s Houses of Parliament when he makes a state visit later in the year, when he will be hosted by Queen Elizabeth II…”
“Clearly a Muslim Ban”
The Mirror wrote on January 30:
“Tonight, British MPs passed a motion calling on Donald Trump to repeal the Muslim ban. It came after former Labour leader Ed Miliband was granted an emergency debate on the Muslim ban. In a passionate speech during the debate, Mr Miliband said: ‘It clearly is a Muslim ban. Why do I say that? Because it was the president’s original intention.’”
Many Jews Strongly Oppose Trump’s Immigration Ban by Referring to the Holocaust
The Times of Israel wrote on January 29:
“… many Jews saw something akin to what their forebears endured as they attempted to flee Nazi-occupied Europe. Some noted cruel irony in the president’s order coming down on Friday, which was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Chava Brandress, a corporate lawyer, said she belongs to a pro-bono legal listserv, and her email ‘began exploding’ Saturday afternoon with tales of foreign nationals being detained after landing at Dulles. ‘I felt, “I can’t understand how this is happening again,”’ said Brandress, 36, recalling how Jews, fleeing Nazi persecution, were turned away from US shores…”
Newsmax wrote on January 26:
“Anne Frank and her family – led by father Otto Frank’s late and futile attempts – were denied entry visas into the U.S. during World War II… Otto Frank’s efforts to get his family to the United States ran afoul of restrictive American immigration policies designed to protect national security and guard against an influx of foreigners during time of war…
“Anne Frank died at the age of 15 in a German concentration camp, but… Anne Frank could be a 77-year-old woman living in Boston today – a writer.”
The Travel Ban and Green Card Holders
JTA wrote on January 31:
“Among the travelers delayed for hours by the Trump administration’s executive orders banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries were seven people with ties to the Syrian Jewish community… federal authorities had detained the seven people for over six hours disembarking at Port Canaveral from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. At least three of them were U.S. born… One woman, the mother to the three U.S. natives, was Syrian but was not a citizen. She had permanent residency – a green card – and had lived in the United States for 20 years.
“… there have been multiple instances since President Donald Trump issued the order last Friday of authorities detaining green card-holding travelers who have citizenship in one of the seven banned countries, one of which is Syria…”
Israelis with Dual Citizenship Still Affected
The Times of Israel wrote on January 31:
“The US Embassy in Tel Aviv has clarified that President Donald Trump’s travel ban will largely not affect the tens of thousands of Israeli Jews born in Middle Eastern countries. A Tuesday statement said the controversial executive order would not be enforced against Israelis from those countries unless they possess a valid passport from one of the seven Arab countries banned under the directive. ‘If you have a currently valid US visa in your Israeli passport and were born in Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen, and do not have a valid passport from one of these countries, your visa was not cancelled and remains valid,’ the statement said.
“Regarding those Israelis born in the seven countries who do have a valid passport from one of those countries, the embassy did not have definitive information, but seemed to indicate this would be handled on a case-by-case basis. ‘Authorization to enter the United States is always determined at the port of entry’, it said in the statement. ‘Similarly, we continue to process visa applications for applicants born in those countries, so long as they do not have a valid passport from one of those countries…’
“… Israel is home to around 140,000 people born in the seven countries covered by the Trump order, including around 45,000 Iranians and 53,000 Iraqis… The majority are over the age of 65 and many fled persecution. Their Israeli passports say where they were born, but most do not retain citizenship in their birth country. Israel has no diplomatic relations with any of the seven countries…
“Trump’s order was met with near-immediate condemnation from world leaders across the globe, with presidents, prime ministers and senior government members from the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Turkey, Iran and a host of other countries panning the initiative.”
However, this ruling regarding Israelis with two valid passports creates further confusion, as nothing was said before in this respect regarding other nationals with dual citizenship, including Brits, Germans, French, Canadians or Swiss nationals.
Foreign Airlines React
AFP wrote on January 28:
“Foreign airlines are barring Iranians from traveling to the United States following President Donald Trump’s temporary order barring visas for seven Muslim countries, travel agents in Tehran said Saturday. Two agencies told AFP they had been instructed by Etihad Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines not to sell US tickets or allow Iranians holding American visas to board US-bound flights… An Iranian studying in California who was visiting home said Saturday that she could not return because her ticket had been cancelled under the new restrictions.”
Affected Countries Retaliate
Reuters reported on January 28:
“Iran said on Saturday it would stop U.S. citizens entering the country in retaliation to Washington’s visa ban against Tehran and six other majority-Muslim countries announced by new U.S. President Donald Trump. ‘While respecting the American people and distinguishing between them and the hostile policies of the U.S. government, Iran will implement the principle of reciprocity until the offensive U.S. limitations against Iranian nationals are lifted,’ a Foreign Ministry statement said.
“‘The restrictions against travel by Muslims to America… are an open affront against the Muslim world and the Iranian nation in particular and will be known as a great gift to extremists,’ said the statement, carried by state media. The U.S. ban will make it virtually impossible for relatives and friends of an estimated one million Iranian-Americans to visit the United States.”
Newsmax wrote on January 30:
“Iraqi lawmakers voted Monday to call on the government to enact a reciprocal travel ban on Americans if Washington does not withdraw its decision to bar Iraqis, officials said… The travel restrictions, which come on the heels of repeated assertions by Trump that the US should have stolen Iraq’s oil before leaving in 2011, risk alienating the citizens and government of a country fighting against militants the president has cast as a major threat to America.”
Nomination of Supreme Court Judge Receives Mixed Reactions from Jewish Community
JTA wrote on January 31:
“President Donald Trump nominated to the Supreme Court Neil Gorsuch, a federal judge known to favor protections of religious belief in the public square and for business owners. The nomination, likely to trigger a vigorous confirmation battle, is already splitting the organized Jewish community, with the Reform movement expressing concerns and an Orthodox Union official describing his record as ‘encouraging.’…
“Gorsuch, 49, is on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Denver covering six Western states. He would replace one of the high court’s most stalwart conservatives, Antonin Scalia, who died last year.
“Among his opinions most attracting Jewish interest was Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby in 2013, when the appeals court upheld the right of a private business to reject the government mandate to provide contraceptive care under employee health plans. The Obama administration had offered leeway on such coverage to faith-based nonprofits but would not extend them to private businesses.
“Gorsuch joined the majority in the appeals court ruling, which was upheld the next year by the U.S. Supreme Court… Gorsuch has also favored displays of crosses on public lands, and has tended in his rulings toward the rights of gun owners, in favor of the death penalty and against abortion rights…
“The nomination is likely to face a fight, with Democrats suggesting they may filibuster. Democrats are still stung by the refusal of Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to allow a hearing for President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Scalia, Merrick Garland, a moderate judge… Garland, had he been confirmed, would have brought to four the number of Jewish justices on the court.”
Newsmax added on January 31:
“Gorsuch has strong academic qualifications, with an Ivy League education: attending Columbia University and, like several of the other justices on the court, Harvard Law School. He also completed a doctorate in legal philosophy at Oxford University, spent several years in private practice and worked in George W. Bush’s Justice Department…
“As long as Kennedy and four liberals remain on the bench, the court is not expected to pare back abortion rights as many U.S. conservatives fervently hope. The Supreme Court legalized abortion in the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling. In June, the justices ruled 5-3 to strike down a Texas law that restricted abortion access, with Kennedy and the liberals in the majority… If any of those three is replaced by a Trump appointee, conservatives would be eager to bring cases challenging the Roe v. Wade ruling in the hope it would be overturned, long a goal for many Christian conservatives.”
Trump’s First Military Attack Since Becoming President
Deutsche Welle reported on January 29:
“In the first confirmed US raid under Donald Trump’s presidency, at least 14 militants were killed in Yemen, along with a US soldier and several civilians…
“The raid targeted the homes of three tribal chiefs linked to al Qaeda, tribal sources told AFP… But Apache helicopters also targeted a school, a mosque and a medical facility…
“It was the first military attack… attributed to the United States since President Donald Trump took office on January 20. Yemen was one of the seven Muslim-majority countries listed on Trump’s immigration ban. “
Trump’s Safe Zones—a Declaration of War?
Global Research wrote on January 28:
“A… draft EO authorizes the establishment of safe zones for Syrian civilians, saying ‘(p)ursuant to the cessation of refugee processing for Syrian nationals, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the Secretary of Defense, is directed within 90 days of the date of this order to produce a plan to provide safe areas in Syria and in the surrounding region in which Syrian nationals displaced from their homeland can await firm settlement, such as repatriation or potential third-country resettlement.’…
“It lacks details of where they’ll be located, how they’ll be protected, how much the scheme will cost, whether a no-fly zone will be implemented, and the risk of US/Russia confrontation over this very sensitive issue. Safe zones will illegally redraw Syria’s map, violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity, what Damascus and Moscow strongly oppose.
“Last year, Joint Chiefs chairman General Joseph (‘fighting Joe’) Dunford said implementing safe and no-fly zones ‘require(s) us to go to war with Syria and Russia.’ Former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Martin Dempsey warned about greater intervention in Syria, including the perils of establishing safe and no-fly zones, saying it could involve thousands of US troops.
“Costs could run ‘in the billions.’ The plan requires ‘hundreds of ground and sea-based aircraft, intelligence and electronic warfare support, and enablers for refueling and communications.’ Dempsey estimated over $1 billion a month in cost, explaining around 70,000 US troops would be needed, warning the entire scheme could backfire. Greater regional conflict could follow, turning a bad situation into potential disaster.
“Syria needs humanitarian aid, peace, stability, reconstruction, and employment for its displaced people so they can begin rebuilding their lives. Obama’s war wrecked them. Greater US intervention for the wrong reasons risks escalated conflict instead of all-out efforts to resolve it. Trump’s safe zones scheme sounds more like a declaration of war than a good faith effort to end it.”
Donald Trump the Least Popular US President in at Least 40 Years
Yahoo News reported on January 30:
“It took former President George W. Bush 1,205 days to reach a majority disapproval rating. Former President Barack Obama crossed that threshold in 936 days. And President Donald Trump did it in just over a week.
“The Republican, who was sworn in on Jan. 20 as the least popular president in at least 40 years, hit majority disapproval in a record eight days, a new Gallup poll… finds. As of Saturday, 51 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump.
“Trump’s majority disapproval rating comes after a tumultuous first week in office… By contrast, it took at least several hundred days for the majority of Americans to disapprove of the past five presidents…”
“Stocks Fall Most This Year”
Newsmax on January 30:
“Major U.S. stock indexes posted their largest drop so far in 2017 on Monday as investors worried that a curb on immigration ordered by Donald Trump was a reminder that some of the U.S. president’s policies are not market-friendly. An executive order issued by Trump on Friday banned immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries…
“Airline stocks fell, with American Airlines down 4.4 percent and United Continental down 3.6 percent. At least one analyst cited worries over the travel ban to the United States. ‘The concern is that (Trump’s) travel ban starts to encompass more countries or that there are more stringent restrictions on travel to the U.S.,’ or other countries retaliate, said Stifel analyst Joseph DeNardi…”
Brexit Under Way
BBC News reported on February 1:
“MPs have voted by a majority of 384 to allow Prime Minister Theresa May to get Brexit negotiations under way. They backed the government’s European Union Bill, supported by the Labour leadership, by 498 votes to 114. But the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrat leadership opposed the bill, while 47 Labour MPs and Tory ex-chancellor Ken Clarke rebelled.
“The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law. The prime minister has set a deadline of 31 March for invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, getting official talks with the EU started… Talks with the EU are expected to last up to two years, with the UK predicted to leave the 28-member organisation in 2019.”
Tusk Attacks Trump, Pleads for European Unity
Deutsche Welle wrote on January 30:
“The Trump administration has joined Russia, China and radical Islam as a geopolitical challenge for the European Union, EC President Donald Tusk said in a letter. Tusk also called on EU member states to stand together. In a letter to the European Union’s (EU) national leaders, European Council (EC) President Donald Tusk said Tuesday that the bloc’s current challenges ‘are more dangerous than ever before in the time since the signature of the Treaty of Rome 60 years ago.’
“Tusk highlighted an ‘assertive China,’ ‘Russia’s aggressive policy’ in Eastern Europe, and ‘radical Islam’ as key external threats to the EU. These factors ‘as well as worrying declarations by the new American administration all make our future highly unpredictable,’ he said, referencing the Trump administration.
“Tusk’s [letter] reflects the worries of many European national leaders regarding the Trump presidency. ‘Particularly the change in Washington puts the European Union in a difficult situation; with the new administration seeming to put into question the last 70 years of American foreign policy,’ Tusk wrote.”
Der Spiegel wrote that Tusk did “right” in responding in this way to the “provocations of the White House,” and that it is hoped that the European leaders will support Tusk in this and not shy away from it.
“EU Needs Strong Military Force”
The Prague Daily Monitor wrote on January 30:
“The European Union cannot further rely on doing without a military force if it wants to keep influence on the international scene, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek [said]. The EU has too long believed that it can do with ‘soft capabilities’ only, but it needs to enhance its defence capability in future, otherwise its influence will decline, Zaoralek said. A similar effect could be seen in connection with the recent peace talks on Syria in Astana, Kazakhstan, to which the EU was not invited, Zaoralek said.
“‘A ceasefire is being discussed by those who have weapons and are present in Syria, but we are unwilling to make a military intervention in the country. As a result, we have been ousted from [the negotiations] that concern us immensely. All of us know that the fate of Syria, its peace and reconstruction are crucially tied with the safety and fate of Europe,’ Zaoralek said.
“The EU has not intervened in the Syrian conflict by sending in soldiers, but mainly by providing humanitarian aid to the afflicted regions. This, however, will not be enough in [the] future, if the EU is to keep influence on the international scene, Zaoralek said… He said he would welcome it if the EU started to intensively work on forming its own military units…
“The debate on forming a European military has been promoted in Brussels by Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka… and the idea was jointly supported by the Visegrad Group (V4) comprised of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.
“Europe’s capability of making a military intervention and acting unitedly is also crucial in relation to the USA, Zaoralek said. A number of EU countries, many of which are members of NATO, consider their NATO membership a guarantee of their safety. However, the new U.S. president, Donald Trump, previously said the USA would ponder on whether to help them as a NATO ally, if attacked, if their spending on defence failed to meet their promises…”
Trump–Nightmare for Europe?
Deutsche Welle wrote on January 30:
“The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator said Donald Trump’s presidency is the newest threat to the European Union. Speaking to a group of scholars at a public policy institute in London, Guy Verhofstadt said the EU is facing a three-pronged attack from radical Islamists, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and now US President Trump. ‘I have just come back from US and my view is that we have a third front that is undermining the EU… and that is Donald Trump,’ Verhofstadt said in a speech at the Chatham House think-tank… Verhofstadt was the prime minister of Belgium for nine years, and has been a member of the European Parliament since 2009…
“In addition to Verhofstadt’s recent trip to the US, Trump’s choice for ambassador to the EU – Ted Malloch, a long-time EU critic – raised eyebrows when asked by a BBC presenter on Friday why he wanted to be the US ambassador to the EU. ‘Well,’ he replied, ‘I had in a previous career a diplomatic post where I helped bring down the Soviet Union, so maybe there’s another Union that needs a little taming.’”
Will Trump Make Europe Great Again?
ETF Daily News reported on January 30:
“Donald Trump’s promise to put America first might actually help make Europe great again.
“First, while the new U.S. administration aims to discourage imports into the U.S. and boost domestic production, European exporters should still be able to increase their market share in the U.S. for some time…
“Switching demand away from foreign to domestic goods could work eventually, but in the near term, there simply isn’t enough quality and capacity in U.S. manufacturing to fill the gap. Most of the ‘Make America Great Again’ hats that Trump supporters were sporting at the inauguration were manufactured in China or Vietnam, and it will take a while, and a major relative price change, before we see the more affluent Americans favor Chevrolet, Lincoln, Chrysler and Jeep over BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Range Rover.
“Second, the prospect of a more protectionist U.S. administration, together with existing local pressures from populist movements, will likely provoke policy responses in Europe aimed at stimulating domestic demand and potential growth…
“Third, a more isolationist U.S. foreign and defense policy could catalyze a new joint European defense initiative. Committing to a common defense budget, financed by joint issuance, to counter actual or perceived external threats is a much easier sell than other forms of fiscal union…”
Is Ivanka Trump Really Jewish?
The Times of Israel wrote on January 26:
“Last summer, Israel’s religious authorities issued a ruling that raised doubts about her conversion to Judaism… President Donald Trump’s daughter converted to Judaism under a prominent Orthodox rabbi in Manhattan before her 2009 marriage to Jared Kushner, an observant Jew. In its ruling last July, an Israeli state religious court rejected the legitimacy of another conversion by the same rabbi. Although it didn’t directly affect Ivanka Trump, it raised questions as to whether Israel’s powerful religious establishment would recognize her as being Jewish.
“But in early December, just weeks after Trump’s election victory, Israel’s chief rabbis said they would work to change the rules for recognizing conversions performed abroad – and they singled out Ivanka Trump… Israeli activists say the sudden policy change appears to be an attempt to curry favor with the new US president. Ivanka Trump’s husband has been appointed a senior adviser to Trump and is expected to focus on Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts… ‘The timing is certainly suspicious,’ said Rabbi Seth Farber, director of ITIM, an organization that represents converts seeking recognition from the rabbinate. ‘My biggest fear is that the rabbinate will find some way to find Ms. Trump kosher, to recognize her conversion, but leave thousands of other converts behind, simply saying they’re not Jewish enough for us.’
“… Israel’s Orthodox establishment does not recognize conversions performed by the more liberal Reform and Conservative streams of Judaism, to which most American Jews belong… Secular Israelis often wed in civil ceremonies abroad to avoid the rabbinate, while many ultra-Orthodox Jews dismiss the rabbinate’s certification of kosher food as too lax…”
Is Jared Kushner’s Influence Diminishing?
JTA wrote on January 31:
“Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump have been called the two most influential Jews in America, owing to their proximity to Ivanka’s dad. But is Shabbat preventing them from having the president’s ear? That’s the contention of an article in Vanity Fair, which claims that Jared and Ivanka were unaware of the growing protests over President Trump’s ban on refugees and other travelers from predominantly Muslim countries because Trump signed the executive order close to sundown on Friday. Shabbat observance includes abstaining from electronics from Friday at sundown until Saturday night, and usually renders observant Jews incommunicado for that 25-hour period.
“The article says Shabbat may also have been to blame for Ivanka’s tweet, posted just after midnight Sunday morning, showing her and Jared in the formal wear they wore during that night’s exclusive Alfalfa Club dinner, at the same time that protesters were massing in airports nationwide against what critics were calling a ‘Muslim ban.’ Because Shabbat had just ended, the article says, Ivanka was only ‘obliquely’ aware of the unrest…
“Trump signed the order at 4:42 p.m. Friday. Candle-lighting, the moment when many observant Jews begin Shabbat observance, came in at 5:06. Sundown, the latest possible time by which Shabbat must begin, was 18 minutes later, at 5:24. Shabbat ended Saturday at 6:08 p.m…
“Shabbat hasn’t been an obstacle to other observant Jews in senior government roles. Jack Lew, a Shabbat observer who served as President Obama’s chief of staff and treasury secretary, would get on the phone during moments of crisis…
“Perhaps the most famous Orthodox Jew in government, former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, also made Shabbat observance work with his obligations to the country. During the debate over universal health care in 2010, Lieberman once walked five miles across Washington, D.C. so he could attend synagogue and then participate in a vote, according to The Hill. The article also said Lieberman answered his phone during ‘times of national emergency.’
“Even Jared and Ivanka themselves have reportedly bent the rules of Shabbat in deference to their new advisory roles. The couple allegedly received a rabbi’s permission to travel in a car after sundown on January 20 so they could safely attend post-inaugural events… Jewish law prohibits the observant from discussing their business matters on Shabbat, although wide latitude is giving for those involved in public safety or life-saving professions.
“Others have speculated in the past that Shabbat has undermined the moderating role Jared and Ivanka are expected to play within Trump’s inner circle. A September Huffington Post profile of Ivanka posited that some of Trump’s most inflammatory tweets came on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, when similar restrictions apply…
“The Vanity Fair’s most significant contention, at least from the perspective of Jared and Ivanka watchers, is that the couple’s influence in the nascent administration is ‘flagging.’ ‘Less than a fortnight into his new post, Kushner appears unable to control both his father-in-law and those around him. (On the same day as Trump’s visit to the Pentagon, the White House acknowledged International Holocaust Remembrance Day in a statement that omitted mention of the Jews.),’ according to the article.”
The Vanity Fair’s article of January 30 also stated this:
“Kushner appears unable to control his father-in-law—and is ‘furious’ that his efforts are being undermined… As the work week came to a close, Trump quietly announced from a wooden desk what would surely be the most controversial measure of them all: a ban on refugees from around the globe. Trump would temporarily halt migration, in particular, from seven predominantly Muslim countries, such as Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Sudan. Saudi Arabia, where the plotters behind the 9/11 attacks had hailed, was notably absent, among other nations. As others have noted, Trump has business interests in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates…
“Last week, the president personally called the Park Service on the morning after his inauguration to inquire about the size of the crowds who came to watch him take the oath of office. He subsequently delivered a widely derided speech at C.I.A. headquarters that afternoon, during which he blathered on about the media’s treatment of him and his inaugural crowd size. He then sent his press secretary, Sean Spicer, into the briefing room to falsely claim that it was the largest audience for an inauguration in history. During the tumult, some noticed the conspicuous absence of Kushner’s allegedly calming presence. ‘He wasn’t rolling calls on Saturday when this happened,’ one person close to Kushner told me last week. ‘To me, that’s not a coincidence.’…
“… his most pivotal role within Trumplandia may have been his ability to manage the more severe messages being pushed out by the likes of Stephen Bannon and Stephen Miller. As one source put it to me last week, Kushner has been the ‘secure line’ into the White House… Kushner’s influence on his boss may be flagging. Last week, Kushner spent 24 hours trying to broker a meeting between Trump and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto… Ultimately, Peña Nieto agreed… Less than 12 hours later, though, it all fell apart… the meeting was canceled. ‘Kushner was… furious,’ the source told me…”
The Vanity Fair article has received great attention in Germany as well. Bild Online published a lengthy article about the perceived fall-out between Mr. Trump and Mr. Kushner, while providing a link to the article of Vanity Fair.
The Pig-Human Embryo
National Geographic write on January 26:
“In a remarkable—if likely controversial—feat, scientists announced today that they have created the first successful human-animal hybrids. The project proves that human cells can be introduced into a non-human organism, survive, and even grow inside a host animal, in this case, pigs… The team created what’s known scientifically as a chimera: an organism that contains cells from two different species…
“In the past, human-animal chimeras have been beyond reach. Such experiments are currently ineligible for public funding in the United States… Public opinion, too, has hampered the creation of organisms that are part human, part animal.
“But for lead study author Jun Wu of the Salk Institute, we need only look to mythical chimeras—like the human-bird hybrids we know as angels—for a different perspective. ‘In ancient civilizations, chimeras were associated with God,’ he says, and our ancestors thought ‘the chimeric form can guard humans.’ In a sense, that’s what the team hopes human-animal hybrids will one day do…”
“Weird” is the right word… and an understatement.
