BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER MITSOTAKIS OF GREECE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 6, 2020 BACKGROUND PRESS CALL BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS ON THE VISIT OF PRIME MINISTER MITSOTAKIS OF GREECE Via Telephone   1:47 P.M. EST      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Good morning.  Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman.  I just want to thank everyone for being here today.  This call is a background briefing for Prime Minister Mitsotakis's visit with President Trump tomorrow.  Just up front, the rules are: This briefing is on background with attribution to a senior administration official, and there will be an embargo on the contents of this call until the call is completed.      Here is the run of show for today: Our first speaker will be [senior administration official].  Our second speaker will be [senior administration official].  After he has completed his remarks, we will open up for a few questions.      So, with that, over to you.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  Thanks.  And thank you for everyone on the line for tuning in.  This is a historic moment for U.S.-Greek relations.  I know my colleague, who has come to join us from Athens, will have more to say on this subject in a minute, but we are at a high-water mark.  The relationship between our two countries has perhaps never been better.  Let me offer you some examples.      Greece has long been a pillar of stability and prudence in the Balkans and eastern Mediterranean.  This is even more valuable now when they are in the midst of profound changes since the end of the Cold War.  Greeks' example in building its democracy and sustaining its democracy have been critical symbols and offer lessons learned for neighbors in the Balkans and the region.      In security, the recently amended MDCA demonstrates the increasingly close security partnership between our two countries, which will enhance both the security of Greece and indeed NATO throughout Greece’s region.      On energy, the United States also supports Greece’s emergence as a regional energy hub that will expand access and enhance the reliability of critical energy sources for Greece and its neighbors.  Reliable access to energy is critical to both economic development and stability in the region.             On the business side and private investment, Greece is taking a number of impressive steps to improve its business climate, which is the key to attracting American investors and bringing closer together the private sector in both our countries.      The United States and Greece also share a common approach on the security of 5G wireless technology for digital cellular networks, including the importance of using trusted vendors for all parts of 5G and legal and policy frameworks for evaluating suppliers of network equipment.      Let me close by underlining once again the successes that this country has had in improving its relationship with Greece to a point perhaps never reached before in our history.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  Thank you.  Happy New Year, everybody.  Let me just pick up where my colleague left off and just emphasize, from my standpoint, how much of a watershed moment this visit represents.  Prime Minister Mitsotakis is advancing a vision of a shared future in which the United States and Greece are steadfast partners working together to tackle issues in a critically important region.      I think especially for the audience outside of Greece, I would emphasize how quickly things are changing in Athens under this government's leadership.  Greece is transforming itself from a source of problems, things that people worried about, the financial situation, et cetera, to a source of solutions and, as my colleague said, a pillar of stability that is a critical part of America's wider strategy for the eastern Mediterranean.      I think we all take great satisfaction in the notable progress that we have seen in the U.S.-Greece relationship during the Trump administration to the point where, in a poll last year, 73 percent of Greeks view the United States as their ally of choice, and that is a change for the good.      Prime Minister Mitsotakis, of course, and much of his cabinet have studied and worked in the United States.  They understand our country well, and they also understand the importance of the economic opportunities that the United States offers: the strength of our entrepreneurial culture, the power of our capital markets, and the importance of leveraging that as Greece seeks to emerge from the decade of crisis.      A major focus, I expect, for Prime Minister Mitsotakis’s visit over the next three days will be to get the word out that Greece is open for business and to inform American investors about how much the business environment in Greece has changed because of steps like the development bill to reduce bureaucratic red tape that was passed last year, the elimination of capital controls, property tax reductions, and the 1.2  billion euro in tax cuts that were ratified by the Greek parliament last month.      We know that Prime Minister Mitsotakis is thinking big, and American companies are responding, whether it’s firms like Cisco and Pfizer that have already announced plans to expand their footprint in Greece, leveraging the country’s talented labor force and its important geostrategic position, and also the many companies that are taking a new look at Greece, recognizing the strength of its human capital, the importance of Greece’s emerging entrepreneurial and start-up culture.      We’re also very focused on the maritime and infrastructure sectors.  We were very pleased by the success that we celebrated last month with the grand reopening of the Neorion, Syros shipyard, led by an American company that has invested 18 million euros.  And we are looking for American investors to grow their footprints in port privatizations in Alexandroupoli, in Kavala, and Volos.      We also see increased American investor interest in the renewable energy sectors -- companies like GE, Ameresco, and Invenergy.  And, of course, one of the great bright spots of the U.S.-Greece agenda right now, which I’m sure will be part of the discussions at the White House tomorrow, is the progress that we have seen in Greece’s role in advancing European energy diversification: the completion of the TAP pipeline; the inauguration of the IGB pipeline; the commencement of U.S. LNG exports to Greece, a very important example of how we are working together to build European energy security and diversification.      My colleague mentioned already the revised Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement that was signed during Secretary Pompeo’s visit in October.  And I would just underline, from an American perspective, what I see every day: the quality of the cooperation between our forces -- whether it’s Souda Bay, or Larissa, or Stefanovikio -- where we're working together as NATO Allies, but also as countries with shared values and shared strategic interests in terms of the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean.      I should also note -- because the Prime Minister has already spoken when he was in Florida -- about the importance of the eastern Mediterranean bill, which was signed into law by President Trump on December 20th and recognizes significant U.S. security interests in the eastern Mediterranean.      And now we have the announcement on January 2 of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus moving ahead with the EastMed pipeline accord.  We see this as a natural complement to what Secretary Pompeo set in motion when he traveled to Jerusalem last March for the first U.S., Greece, Israel, Cyprus three-plus-one.      We are committed to continuing to invest in this forum, using it as a mechanism to bolster energy security, but also to promote political stability and economic growth in a region where we are seeing resumed great-power competition and where we want to work as closely as we can with our partners and countries that share our democratic values and interests.      I finally want to note the importance that we place on the fact that Minister of Education Kerameus is part of the Prime Minister’s delegation.  We’ve seen fantastic progress on the education front.  We’re supporting these initiatives because we believe that these kind of economic partnerships and exchanges not only help to educate future generations, but they help our country and help societies to understand each other better.  So this is an investment for the future.  I’m confident Prime Minister Mitsotakis, as a Harvard and Stanford graduate, understands that very well.      So I would just conclude by noting that this visit is both a recognition of our enhanced strategic partnership, but also a reflection of the Trump administration’s commitment to build momentum for the future at a very propitious moment in our bilateral relationship, at a moment when the stakes are as high as they’ve been in a long time.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you very much.  Okay, Operator, at this time, we are -- can open up for Q&A.      Q    Hello?      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  We can hear you, sir.  Go ahead, please.      Q    Hi, yes.  My question -- I'm Dimitris (inaudible) from ERT, national television of Greece.  And I have a question regarding the tension that we have right now in eastern Mediterranean with Iran after the action by the U.S. against the Iranian general.  Do you think that this will be part of the discussion?  And do you foresee any role for Greece in this tension?  Because, traditionally, Greece have very good relations with the Arab world, and now the strategy is -- a very enhanced strategic relationship with the U.S.      And, as you know, it's very tense right now after what happened in Iran with the Iranian general.  And Greece is also a member of the European Union.  And by going to (inaudible), you can say that Prime Minister Mitsotakis is the first European leader of -- country member of the European Union that will be in the White House after what happened Iran and during the tension -- the high-rise tension in the region of Greece, the eastern Mediterranean, the Persian Gulf.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Good afternoon.  Thank you for the question.  This is [senior administration official].  We have been maintaining a large number of very intensive conversations and briefings with all of our NATO Allies, including Greece, about this issue.  So I do expect it will come up when the President meets with the Prime Minister.  And we will continue the dialogue that we have with our allies to promote the highest degree of our shared security.      Q    My name is (inaudible).  I'm representing (inaudible) from Athens.  I would like to ask you if you are more afraid now, than three or six months ago, for the possibility of a heated incident between Greece and Turkey.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So I never make speculative comments about what's going to happen in Greek-Turkey relationship -- relations.  What I would emphasize is the high degree of convergence between Washington and Athens on these issues; our shared interest in seeing that Turkey remains anchored in the West; for the part of -- on the part of Washington, our appreciation for the steps that Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his cabinet have taken to maintain open lines of communication with Ankara.      It's important that the first phone call that the Prime Minister had after his election to office was with President Erdoğan; that Foreign Minister Dendias, the Defense Minister Panagiotopoulos, the General Christodoulou, Minister Koumoutsakos, Minister Chrisochoidis, have all engaged their counterparts.  A clear signal from Athens that Greece wishes to have a neighborly, constructive relationship with its big and important Turkish neighbor.      So I think we are -- our focus is a positive one, on encouraging the steps that Greece is taking to manage the relationship, and also our shared interest in working together, as Greece and the United States, to help manage our respective differences with Turkey in a way that does not do damage to our important NATO Alliance.      Q    Hello.  Thank you for this call.  Kristina Anderson, AWPS News.  On the education piece, will there be any specific announcements relating to STEM education memorandum of understanding or exchanges that are specific in that area?  Thank you.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  So I don’t want to scoot myself on this, but I think, as I said in my opening remarks, it's a reflection of the importance that Prime Minister Mitsotakis places on our education partnership that his minister is part of the delegation.  She has been very active working with groups like IIE -- the Institute for International Education in New York -- to encourage American educational institutions to deepen their ties with Greece.      Minister Kerameus has also taken steps to open up the Greek educational market for more students, visitors, exchange visitors, and others from the United States.      So I will leave announcement to the bosses for tomorrow.  But I think you will see that this issue features in a prominent and positive way in the work that we're doing together.  And, as I said, it's very much from an American policy standpoint.  We spend a lot of time worrying about defense cooperation and our energy cooperation, our strategic work, but education and educational partnerships is one of the best long-term investments that we can make.      Q    Yes.  Hello.  This is me?      OPERATOR:  We can hear you, sir.  Please, go ahead.      Q    Yes.  Hello, my name is Giorgos Christides; I'm the Greece correspondent for German news magazine, Der Spiegel.  My question is this: Should we expect something specific from President Trump concerning what Mitsotakis has said (inaudible) about what he calls "Turkish provocations" in the area, including drilling offshore of Cyprus or the MOU signed with Libya or any of that sort?  Because in the Greek press at least, in the analysis we read ahead of the visit, it appears there's not much hope, and President Trump has already decided not to take sides, or at least that he has good relationship with President Erdoğan and he wouldn't like to jeopardize this by making any specific statement which would be very important for the Greek side.  If there's any comment on that?  Thank you very much.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks for the question.  We have been very clear that all parties in the eastern Mediterranean should be able to work together to resolve their differences and should avoid taking steps which would be seen as provocations.      As you have noted, President Trump has an excellent relationship with President Erdoğan, as well as with Prime Minister Mitsotakis, and so we prefer to focus on the things that we have in common and pursuing the common interests we have in security in the eastern Mediterranean region, rather than to look at where there might be provocation.  Thank you.      SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Okay, great.  Thank you for your time.  It's all we have.  Just so again, on the ground rules, this is -- this was on background, attribution to a senior administration official.  And the embargo is now lifted.  Thank you.                             END                2:07 P.M. EST

West Wing Reads The Democrats and Iran

The Democrats and Iran “President Trump’s order to take out Qasem Soleimani was morally, constitutionally and strategically correct. It deserves more bipartisan support than the begrudging or negative reactions it has received thus far from my fellow Democrats,” former Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) writes in The Wall Street Journal. A few of the most important points: During the Iraq War, Soleimani oversaw three camps that trained and equipped Iraqi militias. These fighters have killed more than 600 Americans since 2003.   “Some Democrats have said that killing Soleimani will lead us into war with Iran. In fact, Soleimani and the Quds Force have been at war with the U.S. for years. It is more likely that his death will diminish the chances of a wider conflict.”   “Authority to act quickly to eliminate a threat to the U.S. is inherent in the powers granted to the president by the Constitution.”   Lieberman says Democrats should leave partisan politics at “the water’s edge” and “stand together against Iran and dangerous leaders like Qasem Soleimani.” Click here to read more. “In Washington, the decision to kill Mr. Suleimani represents the final demise of Mr. Obama’s Middle East strategy, which sought to realign American interests with those of Iran,” Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Michael Doran writes in The New York Times. Four years ago, then-Secretary of State John Kerry acknowledged that some of the $150 billion given to Iran in President Obama’s nuclear deal would end up in terrorist hands. “I think that some of it will end up in the hands of the IRGC or other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists,” he conceded in an interview, Elise Labott reported for CNN. “Soleimani had the blood of hundreds of Americans on his hands, and was in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad planning attacks on more Americans throughout the Middle East . . . Members of Congress make statements; presidents take action. And Trump’s action will make the world safer for Americans,” security expert Christian Whiton writes in Fox News.

The GoldFish Report No 424: Geopolitics Udates

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On The GoldFish Report No. 424, Louisa welcomes Benjamin Fulford of the White Dragon Society and the Red Dragon Ambassador to discuss the latest events in Iran, finance and Fires Down Under. To subscribe to Benjamin's weekly Geopolitical reports, please visit his website at : https://benjaminfulford.net To View The GoldFish Report's POTUS Reports, you can visit our BitCHute page or view the unlisted report on YouTube from our POTUS Report page on our website at www.thegoldfishreport.com The GoldFish Report Archives can be found on our NEW ARCHIVE channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaqM... Also, Louisa announces The GoldFish report Road to the White House Fund Drive and encourages viewers who wish to see The GoldFish Social Media reporting from The White House. To contribute please visit these links to pay pal or Patreon on our website at www.thegoldfishreport.com. There will be Iive streams and special interviews from the White House from the Alternative media, finally!! Only the viewers can make this happen since this is a commercial-free, viewer supported social media channel. To receive our Reports you can subscribe to our BITCHUTE Channel at https://www.bitchute.com/profile/qrAL... and to become a Patron of The GoldFish Report you can go to our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10007100 . You can also subscribe to our "NEW" YouTube channel at, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO-A..., follow us on Twitter at @ReportGoldfish, www.thegoldfishreport.wordpress.com you can also follow us and like us on our 24/7 research news page at www.facebook.com/thegoldfishreport and to help support these and other programs please visit www.thegoldfishreport.com to make a donation. Thank you for your support and Thank you for viewing. DISCLAIMER The following videos were created for educational purposes only. The content of this material strictly for research purposes, and readily available to the general public via the Internet. Viewing of the GoldFish Reports acknowledges that senders and recipients hereby agree to this disclaimer, thus releasing the source author from any and all personal liability. Also, individuals who alter or deviate from this source material, may be exposing themselves to the full extent of law. THE OPINIONS AND HYPOTHESES OF OUR GUESTS AND GUEST CO-HOSTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GOLDFISH REPORT POTUS UPDATE. AN OPINION AND HYPOTHESIS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NEWLY PRESENTED RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE. THE GOLDFISH REPORT POTUS REPORT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMATION THAT MAY BE UNKNOWINGLY INACCURATE, ALTHOUGH WE DO OUR BEST TO PRESENT FACTS, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD EVENTS AND HOW THOSE MAKING THE DECISIONS MAY IMPACT OUR LIVES. VIEWER DISCERNMENT IS ADVISED. FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of criminal justice, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Copyright 2020 The GoldFish Report. All rights Reserved.

ON-THE-RECORD PRESS CALL BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, AMBASSADOR ROBERT O'BRIEN ON RECENT ACTIONS IN IRAQ Via Telephone

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2020

ON-THE-RECORD PRESS CALL BY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, AMBASSADOR ROBERT O'BRIEN ON RECENT ACTIONS IN IRAQ Via Telephone   5:20 P.M. EST      MR. ELLIOTT:  Thank you, Operator.  Good evening, everybody, and thank you for joining this -- what was going to be a background briefing on yesterday's operation against terrorist leader Soleimani.      We are -- what was going to be our senior administration official is actually National Security Advisor, Ambassador Robert C. O'Brien.  And he has made the decision to have this all on the record, but all of his remarks are embargoed until the call concludes.  So at the conclusion of this call, you can use anything (inaudible) this call on the record.  In other words, this is no longer a background briefing; this will be an on-the-record call.          So, Ambassador O'Brien will give brief remarks, and then we'll go into a Q&A.  We have less than 15 minutes, so we're going to make it quick, but try to have as many questions as possible.  So what I would ask is for your -- in your question, don’t have multiple questions.  Just have one per outlet, and then we can go on, and that way we can more (inaudible) be able to ask questions.      With that, I'll turn it over to Ambassador O'Brien.  Go ahead, sir.      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  Thank you, John.  Happy New Year to everybody who's on the line.  It's obviously an important couple of days for the United States and for the world.      As you know from having seen President Trump and having heard from Secretary Pompeo and the Department of Defense, the President directed the United States military to carry out a decisive operation against the terrorist leader, Soleimani, in order to protect American personnel.  This was designed to prevent further bloodshed.  This was a defensive action.      Soleimani was in the Middle East, in Iraq, and traveling around the Middle East.  He had just come from Damascus, where he was planning attacks on American soldiers, airmen, Marines, sailors, and against our diplomats.  So this strike was aimed at disrupting ongoing attacks that were being planned by Soleimani, and deterring future Iranian attacks, through their proxies or through the IRGC Quds Force directly, against Americans.      As President Trump said today, this action was taken to stop a war, not to start a war.  President Trump has been very clear he's offered to talk without preconditions, at any time, with Iran.  And he continues to seek a peaceful resolution with Iran.  Unfortunately, those efforts by the President have been rebuffed.      Soleimani has a long history of attacking Americans.  And there are at least 600 Americans that were killed with these shaped explosives -- IEDs -- that were used in Iraq on a regular basis, and there were many, many more Americans that were maimed, losing arms, legs, their limbs, because of his activities.      He's also been involved in activities such as supporting the Assad regime and their brutal efforts in Syria, which has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives in Syria, and was involved in, most recently, in putting down the protests in Iran at the cost of countless -- probably over a thousand lives of Iranian citizens.      The most notable example of his activities in the past couple of weeks was the attack on the K-1 Air Base, on December 27th, which resulted in the lives -- the loss of life of one American contractor and the injury to four of our service men and women.      So this was something that the President felt was necessary to do.  The President exercised America's clear and inherent right of self-defense to counter this threat.  It was a fully authorized action under the 2002 AUMF and was consistent with his constitutional authority as Commander-in-Chief to defend our nation and our forces against attacks like those that Soleimani has directed in the past and was plotting now.      So, with that introduction, I'm happy to take some questions from you.  I am traveling with the President now, so unfortunately my time is a bit limited.  And so let's go straight into questions.  Thank you.      Q    This is Kim Dozier from TIME.  You say that this means we're not closer today to war, but we're hearing threats of retaliation from the Iranian regime and also predictions from various diplomats I've spoken to that negotiations -- there's no way they can start now.      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  Thank you, Kim.  Look, Iran has two choices here; they just got two roads to go down.  One is further escalation.  And pursuing that path will lead to nowhere for the Iranian people or for the regime.  And the United States will not be intimidated by threats from our adversaries.  And we've made it very clear that should Iran retaliate or escalate -- and again, this was us disrupting a plot that their leadership was well aware of, that Soleimani was involved with.  They know what they were up to.  We had the right to self-defense; they understand that.  If they choose to escalate, that would be a very poor decision, in my view, for the Iranian regime.      The alternate path is to sit down with the United States, for Iran to give up its nuclear program, for Iran to stop its regional escapades and proxy wars in the Middle East, to stop taking hostages, and to behave like a normal nation that's part of the community of nations.  In that case, as the President said today, Iran has a fabulous future -- you know, a terrific future for the Iranian people.  They're hardworking people.  They're smart people.  They're innovative people.   And there's no reason that Iran shouldn’t be a great country.  But it will not be if it continues down the path of war and terrorism and its nuclear program.      So we hope that they choose the right path, but that's really going to be up to the Iranian leadership.  You know, our -- we hope they choose the right path.      Q    Thanks.  Brian Karem, Playboy Magazine.  Going forward, do you anticipate that you'll be briefing the Gang of Eight or any other members of Congress about future moves the President makes regarding Iran?      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  So we have been -- thank you, Brian.  We have been briefing members of Congress over the past 24 hours.  And senior administration officials and the President have been reaching out to members of Congress and providing them with initial information regarding this most recent situation.      We expect to be giving classified briefings to members of Congress in the coming week, when they return from recess.  They're scattered around the United States now, as all of you know, on their holiday recess, but we expect them to be back next week.      And we will be further engaged with Congress, the Gang of Eight, as well as relevant committee chairmen and key members of the House of Senate.  We'll continue those briefings, and we expect to a have very good dialogue with Congress, going forward.  And all appropriate notifications for -- that are required by law that we need to make, the administration will make on a going-forward basis.      Q    Hey, Ambassador.  It's (inaudible) from PBS NewsHour.  Thanks for doing this.  I want to ask about the nature of the authorization that the President gave.  We had a senior Defense official the other day say the authorization came before the strike, sometime before the strike.  So can you just talk about, if you're willing, when that authorization came, and in general, the thought process behind the President authorizing this strike such that commanders on the ground could take it without his direct authorization in the seconds or minutes before?  Thanks.      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  Sure.  Look, we became aware of what Soleimani was doing in the Middle East.  Obviously, it was in the context of the attack on our base, the subsequent attack on the U.S. embassy.  We became aware of what he was doing in the region and the plots that he was involved with.      And the President made the decision that it would be -- while there's always a risk in taking decisive action, there's a greater risk in not taking that action.  And the President just was not prepared to risk the lives of American service men and women and our diplomats, given Soleimani's history and his efforts to further destabilize the region and the imminent nature of the attacks that he was planning on Americans in Iraq and in other locations.      So once the President had that information and the national security principals were aware of that information, that was a very straightforward decision for the President to make the call on this.  And that took place -- I'm not going to get into specifics, but it did take place ahead of the attack, but the President was kept apprised on an ongoing basis of how the operation was proceeding and was informed of the operation on a very regular basis and very shortly after it was concluded.      So I was with him at the time that the operation was concluded, and (inaudible) notification from the commanders.  So it was something that we've seen for -- it had been going on for several days, and the President made the decision that we had to move and take action to protect Americans.      Q    Hi, this is Laurie Mylroie, Kurdistan 24.  Were there elements from Iraq -- Iraqi militias or Iraqi political figures -- involved in this plot (inaudible) Qasem Soleimani?      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  Thanks, Laurie.  I don’t want to get into specific details, but Soleimani is well known for using proxies in Lebanon, in Syria, in Yemen, and in Iraq.  And there were certainly Iranian proxy forces that had engaged with the K-1 base, as well as the embassy, but I don’t want to get into specific details of who he was meeting with and what the plans were.  But rest assured that Soleimani was continuing his long-time practice of working with Iranian proxies in Iraq and in the region to further his goals.      Q    Hi, this is Jeff Schogol with Task & Purpose.  I understand that intelligence is a sensitive matter, but given the enormity of the situation, can you say what were the targets of Soleimani's planned attacks and what evidence do you have that he was planning them?  Thank you.      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  Thanks.  It's a good question.  And, as you know, it's extraordinarily sensitive.  The enormity of the situation is the fact that this guy -- you know, terrorist -- had operated for many, many years, over 20 years, as the head of the IRGC Quds Force with, basically, on a carte-blanche basis in the Middle East, conducting attacks against his own people in Iran, against the people of the region, and against Americans.  And so, you know, to the extent there's -- this enormity is record in bringing mayhem to the region.      As far as intelligence on what his plans were and what the targets were, I'm not going to get into this at this point.  But at some point, that may be something we can discuss, but it's not something I can discuss at this time.      And, John, I think we can do one more question here.  I'm being told we can do one more question.      MR. ELLIOTT:  Perfect.  Go ahead, Operator.      OPERATOR:  Your line is unmuted.      Q    Hi, this is Bryant Harris with Al-Monitor.  The Iraqi parliament is having an emergency session on Sunday.  It looks like they may be voting on kicking out U.S. troops, you know, in large part to retaliate for the strike on Soleimani.  So, before you made the strike, did you consider the possibility that Iraq may kick out U.S. troops?  And if Iraq does kick out U.S. troops, what does this mean for the counter-ISIS campaign going forward?      AMBASSADOR O'BRIEN:  Thanks, Bryant.  We're aware of the meeting that's scheduled for tomorrow.  The United States has invested enormous amounts of blood and treasure in helping the Iraqi people, our friends in Iraq, build up a democracy after Saddam Hussein and the brutal regime that he operated for many, many years about this regime that was -- in a tough region was particular in its cruelty to its own people.      So the American people have been extraordinarily generous with their lives and with their treasure to the people of Iraq, to help them move forward.  So, you know, we'd certainly be very disappointed if there was some sort of adverse decision by the Iraqi parliament, the Council of Representatives, with respect to our continued ability to assist the people of Iraq.      I think one of the things that was interesting is, last night, you saw people going to Tahrir Square to celebrate that Soleimani and his yoke were no longer on the people of Iraq.  You've seen the people of Iraq attack -- including Shias in Iraq -- attack the Iranian embassy -- the Iranian consulate in Basra.  You've seen protests in Iraq against Iran's infringement on Iraq sovereignty.      So we really look at the operation that took place.  It was an operation that was in support of the people of Iraq, that was in support of a sovereignty of Iraq against oppressors from Iran and specifically against Soleimani and the IRGC Quds Force.      So we're certainly -- we’ve invested a lot in the future of Iraq and the friendship that we have with the Iraqi people, so we're looking forward and hopeful that we'll have a good relationship with Iraq going forward.  Certainly, there's some high tensions after what's happened.  But again, I look at those people going out into Tahrir Square to demonstrate in favor of the United States and to celebrate a bit of a new lease on freedom as a very positive sign with Iraq.      As far as do we consider what could happen as a result of this operation, we certainly considered all aspects.  We have a fantastic national security team, starting with the President, the Vice President, with Secretary Pompeo, Secretary Esper, Chairman Milley, Gina Haspel, Joe Maguire.  We have a really extraordinary team.  That team put in some very heavy work to get prepared and to brief the President and to make this decision.  And so we looked at all types of contingencies of what could happen in the post-operation, including our relations with the government of Iraq and the people of Iraq.      And again, my hope is that the -- you know, and I think we've seen it -- that the people of Iraq will be grateful for the fact that we're defending Iraqi sovereignty, whereas Iran is interfering and meddling with the government of Iraq.  And that's been -- that was one of the reasons for the protests that took place over the past several months.      MR. ELLIOTT:  Thank you, Ambassador O'Brien.  Everyone on the call, that was the last question.  The embargo is now lifted.  Once again, this was all on the record today, and so that embargo is now lifted.  Thanks for joining the call and have a great weekend, everyone.                                 END            5:38 P.M. EST

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2020

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON THE KILLING OF QASEM SOLEIMANI Mar-a-Lago Palm Beach, Florida   3:13 P.M. EST      THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  Well, thank you very much.  And good afternoon.      As President, my highest and most solemn duty is the defense of our nation and its citizens.      Last night, at my direction, the United States military successfully executed a flawless precision strike that killed the number-one terrorist anywhere in the world, Qasem Soleimani.      Soleimani was plotting imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel, but we caught him in the act and terminated him.      Under my leadership, America’s policy is unambiguous: To terrorists who harm or intend to harm any American, we will find you; we will eliminate you.  We will always protect our diplomats, service members, all Americans, and our allies.      For years, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its ruthless Quds Force -- under Soleimani’s leadership -- has targeted, injured, and murdered hundreds of American civilians and servicemen.      The recent attacks on U.S. targets in Iraq, including rocket strikes that killed an American and injured four American servicemen very badly, as well as a violent assault on our embassy in Baghdad, were carried out at the direction of Soleimani.      Soleimani made the death of innocent people his sick passion, contributing to terrorist plots as far away as New Delhi and London.      Today we remember and honor the victims of Soleimani’s many atrocities, and we take comfort in knowing that his reign of terror is over.      Soleimani has been perpetrating acts of terror to destabilize the Middle East for the last 20 years.  What the United States did yesterday should have been done long ago.  A lot of lives would have been saved.      Just recently, Soleimani led the brutal repression of protestors in Iran, where more than a thousand innocent civilians were tortured and killed by their own government.      We took action last night to stop a war.  We did not take action to start a war.       I have deep respect for the Iranian people.  They are a remarkable people, with an incredible heritage and unlimited potential.  We do not seek regime change.  However, the Iranian regime’s aggression in the region, including the use of proxy fighters to destabilize its neighbors, must end, and it must end now.      The future belongs to the people of Iran -- those who seek peaceful coexistence and cooperation -- not the terrorist warlords who plunder their nation to finance bloodshed abroad.      The United States has the best military by far, anywhere in the world.  We have best intelligence in the world.  If Americans anywhere are threatened, we have all of those targets already fully identified, and I am ready and prepared to take whatever action is necessary.  And that, in particular, refers to Iran.      Under my leadership, we have destroyed the ISIS territorial caliphate, and recently, American Special Operations Forces killed the terrorist leader known as al-Baghdadi.  The world is a safer place without these monsters.      America will always pursue the interests of good people, great people, great souls, while seeking peace, harmony, and friendship with all of the nations of the world.      Thank you.  God bless you.  God bless our great military.  And God bless the United States of America.  Thank you very much.  Thank you.                           END            3:18 P.M. EST

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2020 President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: Richard M. Mills, Jr. of Texas, to be Deputy Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the Rank and Status of Ambassador, and Deputy Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations, and Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during his tenure of service as Deputy Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations. Richard M. Mills, Jr., a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, currently serves as the Charge d’Affaires ad interim of the U.S. Embassy to Canada.  Prior to that, Mr. Mills was the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.  He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon and the U.S. Embassy in Valetta, Malta.  Other assignments include service as the Senior Democracy Advisor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, a Political Officer at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations and in various diplomatic roles at U.S. Embassies in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.  Mr. Mills earned his B.S. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law, and an M.A. from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. C. J. Mahoney of Kansas, to be Legal Adviser at the Department of State. Ambassador Mahoney has served as Deputy United States Trade Representative, Investment, Services, Labor, Environment, Africa, China, and the Western Hemisphere since March 2018.  Before joining the Office of the United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Mahoney was a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP, where his practice focused on international disputes and arbitration.  Before joining Williams & Connolly, he served as a law clerk to Associate Justice Anthony M. Kennedy at the Supreme Court of the United States.  A native of Russell, Kansas, Ambassador Mahoney holds an A.B. in Government from Harvard College and a J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Law Journal.

Four Nominations Sent to the Senate

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 3, 2020 NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:      Andrew Lynn Brasher, of Alabama, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Eleventh Circuit, vice Edward E. Carnes, retiring.      Joshua M. Kindred, of Alaska, to be United States District Judge for the District of Alaska, vice Ralph R. Beistline, retired.      Matthew Thomas Schelp, of Missouri, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri, vice Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr., retiring.      Stephen A. Vaden, of Tennessee, to be a Judge of the United States Court of International Trade, vice Delissa A. Ridgway, retired.

President Donald J. Trump Announces Presidential Delegation to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 1, 2020 President Donald J. Trump Announces Presidential Delegation to Switzerland to attend the World Economic Forum Today, President Donald J. Trump announced the Presidential Delegation that will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 20 to January 24, 2020. The Honorable Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury, will lead the delegation. Members of the Presidential Delegation:       The Honorable Steven Mnuchin, Secretary of the Treasury (Lead)       The Honorable Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce        The Honorable Eugene Scalia, Secretary of Labor       The Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation       The Honorable Robert Lighthizer, United States Trade Representative         The Honorable Keith Krach, Under Secretary for Growth, Energy and the Environment, Department of State       The Honorable Ivanka Trump, Assistant to the President and Advisor to the President       The Honorable Jared Kushner, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the President         The Honorable Christopher Liddell, Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Coordination

The GoldFish Report No. 422: New Years Eve Livestream w/ A'drieiuous

The GoldFish Report No 422 YouTube Video Link

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On The GoldFish Report No. 422, Louisa welcomed back A'drieiuous, a Pleaidian from New Lyra, who was shot down by the U.S Government and held as a prisoner for two years before being released, only to be left behind by his mate who became gravely ill in captivity. A'drie's story is compelling and thought provoking and gives us hope that good changes are coming for humanity. A'drieuious has launched his new radio station called Ascension radio, formerly Wolf Spirit radio, and you can listen in online at https://radio.mpaq.org or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AscensionRad.... To receive our Reports you can subscribe to our BITCHUTE Channel at https://www.bitchute.com/profile/qrAL... and to become a Patron of The GoldFish Report you can go to our Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10007100 . You can also subscribe to our "NEW" YouTube channel at, and https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO-A..., follow us on Twitter at @ReportGoldfish, www.thegoldfishreport.wordpress.com you can also follow us and like us on our 24/7 research news page at www.facebook.com/thegoldfishreport and to help support these and other programs please visit www.thegoldfishreport.com to make a donation. Thank you for your support and Thank you for viewing. Visit our NEW Vimeo on Demand to view our Educational Country Roads Reports at this link here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/thegoldfis... To View our NEW Educational Bullet Points Reports use this link here: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/174952 For viewer support of The GoldFish Report's Project "The Road to the White House", Please donate at www.thegoldfishreport.com at out PayPal or become a patron at https://www.patreon.com/user?u=10007100. To View The GoldFish Report's POTUS Reports, you can visit our BitChute page or view the unlisted report on YouTube from our POTUS Report page on our website at www.thegoldfishreport.com DISCLAIMER The following videos were created for educational purposes only. The content of this material strictly for research purposes, and readily available to the general public via the Internet. Viewing of the GoldFish Reports acknowledges that senders and recipients hereby agree to this disclaimer, thus releasing the source author from any and all personal liability. Also, individuals who alter or deviate from this source material, may be exposing themselves to the full extent of law. THE OPINIONS AND HYPOTHESES OF OUR GUESTS AND GUEST CO-HOSTS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GOLDFISH REPORT POTUS UPDATE. AN OPINION AND HYPOTHESIS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITH NEWLY PRESENTED RESEARCH AND EVIDENCE. THE GOLDFISH REPORT POTUS REPORT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INFORMATION THAT MAY BE UNKNOWINGLY INACCURATE, ALTHOUGH WE DO OUR BEST TO PRESENT FACTS, OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF WORLD EVENTS AND HOW THOSE MAKING THE DECISIONS MAY IMPACT OUR LIVES. VIEWER DISCERNMENT IS ADVISED. FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of criminal justice, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. Copyright 2020 The GoldFish Report. All rights Reserved.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 1, 2020

Presidential Message on National Mentoring Month Throughout National Mentoring Month, we recognize the selfless individuals who devote their time, energy, and expertise to ensure that future generations of Americans are better prepared to lead their communities, drive our economy, and safeguard our cherished freedoms. Each day, countless Americans impart valuable wisdom to our Nation’s young people.  This guidance helps these future leaders transition into adulthood with the confidence and skillsets needed to pursue their American Dream.  From teachers and coaches to business owners and faith and civic leaders, these mentors come from all walks of life and are united in their shared goal of improving the lives of America’s youth. To achieve their full potential, our youth need the encouragement and support of mentors in their communities.  During National Mentoring Month, we are reminded of our responsibility to help foster environments where children and young adults can best develop their skills and embark on life’s journey with confidence and purpose. This month, I encourage all Americans to seek opportunities to enrich the lives of others and be a positive influence in the lives of young Americans.  Through our joint efforts, we can empower the next generation to succeed and to strengthen our great Nation.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 1, 2020 Presidential Message on the 50th Anniversary of the National Environmental Policy Act Signed into law on January 1, 1970, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires Federal agencies to consider and inform the public of the environmental effects of proposed major Federal actions.  NEPA’s enactment was the culmination of legislative efforts to establish a national environmental policy and incorporate the consideration of environmental issues into the Federal Government’s decision-making processes.  Today, on the 50th anniversary of this milestone legislation, we take the opportunity to reflect upon NEPA’s goals of protecting our Nation’s natural resources and recommit to ensuring a safe, healthy, and productive environment for all Americans. From commuting to work or school and turning on lights at home to having access to clean, reliable drinking water, the daily activities of all of our citizenry are affected by NEPA’s requirements.  Many projects involving the construction of roads, bridges, highways, airports, transmission lines, conventional and renewable energy projects, broadband deployment, and water infrastructure, as well as management activities on public lands, such as grazing, forest management, wildfire protection, and environmental restoration projects, must undergo Federal environmental review before they can proceed.  While the goals of NEPA remain the same as they did 50 years ago, the environmental review process designed to improve decision making has become increasingly complex and difficult to navigate.  Project sponsors and ordinary Americans seeking decisions on permits from the Federal Government can face significant uncertainty and delays that can increase costs, derail important projects, and threaten jobs for American workers and labor union members. To improve Federal agency coordination and make environmental reviews and permitting processes far less time-consuming, I directed Federal agencies to implement a One Federal Decision policy for major infrastructure projects.  Under this policy, agencies are working to complete environmental reviews within 2 years.  Additionally, I directed the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to modernize the Federal environmental review and decision-making process.  As a result, CEQ has conducted a thorough review of its NEPA implementing regulations and will soon issue a proposal to update those regulations to address the many concerns my Administration has heard from hardworking Americans, small businesses, and State and local officials.  Moreover, my Administration is delivering on my promise to continue cutting burdensome regulations and has issued almost eight deregulatory actions for every one new regulation imposed over the past 3 years, helping unleash the full potential of America’s economy. My Administration remains committed to improving the environmental review and permitting process while ensuring environmental protection.  This will benefit our economy and environment while also enhancing the quality of life for current and future generations of Americans.  Today, we celebrate NEPA’s 50th anniversary and its role in protecting our environment as we look forward to improving its implementation for the 21st century.

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 1, 2020 Presidential Message on National Biotechnology Month   During National Biotechnology Month, we recognize the enormous potential of biotechnology to improve people’s lives here in the United States and around the world.  Its applications hold boundless possibilities for economic growth, national security, healthcare, manufacturing, and agriculture.  Using biotechnology, we can develop new ways to treat cancer, manufacture medicines, generate plastics, and provide America’s farmers and ranchers the tools they need to help feed, fuel, and clothe the world’s growing population, which is expected to surpass 9 billion by 2050. The United States has made remarkable advances in this critical technology over the past two decades thanks to our unique research and innovation, harnessing the strengths of the private sector, academia, and government.  The American spirit of discovery has emboldened scientific pioneers across sectors to integrate biology with an amazing diversity of other fields, from manufacturing to computer science, driving biotechnology forward. As the field continues to develop, the biotechnology industry already improves lives through its substantial economic contribution.  Biotechnology has stimulated the creation and growth of small businesses, generated new jobs, and encouraged agricultural, medical, and industrial innovation.  Advances in biotechnology are benefiting Americans in every corner of our Nation, from urban centers to rural communities.  For every one job in biotechnology, nearly two more jobs are created in other sectors across rural America. To foster an environment of growth in this emerging field, my Administration continues to reduce unnecessary regulations, break down barriers to entry into the market place, and improve global competitiveness.  Last year, I took executive action to streamline the regulatory process and facilitate innovation for agricultural biotechnology products.  These changes will provide farmers and developers with greater certainty and clarity about the review process, enabling private sector innovation and investment, as well as potentially increasing the nutritional value of food and producing crops with better yields. My Administration has pursued policies to encourage innovation, drive job growth, and ensure the American workforce is prepared for the 21st century economy.  We have supported an increased flow of information about these emerging technologies; accelerated the process and improved the consistency for approving new technologies, making them available as quickly and safely as possible; promoted both intellectual property protection and open international markets for biotechnology inventions and products; launched sweeping STEM education and workforce training initiatives; and encouraged private-sector investment and small business development through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that I signed into law during my first year in office. As we mark the start of National Biotechnology Month and a new decade of American ingenuity, we recognize the importance of American leadership in maintaining science- and risk-based review and regulation of biotechnology products, promoting and safeguarding critical biotechnology infrastructure and data, and preparing the next generation of biotechnology scientists, engineers, and innovators.  Together, we can ensure this booming, innovative industry continues to foster economic growth and American innovation.