Catching Up On Stuff 3/7/25, Legal, Russia, Iran, Syria
All sorts of stuff going on. Let’s start with the legal updates. Briefly. Trump 2.0 gets some important wins:
A judge in the nation’s capital declines to block DOGE from Treasury systems
AP ^ | Updated 10:32 AM EST, March 7, 2025WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge in Washington refused Friday to block employees of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency from accessing Treasury systems containing sensitive personal data for millions of Americans.
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In Washington, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly previously restricted DOGE’s work at Treasury to two employees with read-only access, with the Trump administration’s cooperation. One of those workers later resigned after being linked with social media posts that espoused racism; Musk said he would be rehired.
The judge saw which way the wind is blowing.
Hampton Dellinger Backs Down, Ends Legal Battle Against Trump After DC Circuit Court Allows Firing to Proceed
Gateway Pundit ^ | 3/6/25 | Jim HoftHampton Dellinger has finally backed down and ended his legal battle against President Trump.
President Trump fired Hampton Dellinger, the Special Counsel for the Office of Special Counsel last month, however, the Biden holdover continued to fight Trump in court and was successful because the case was assigned to a corrupt Obama judge.
However, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday evening allowed President Trump’s firing of Hampton Dellinger to proceed.
The appeals court granted a motion to stay Judge Amy Berman Jackson’s order reinstating the Biden holdover.
This next one is rather interesting. The judge in this case characterized the suit by USAID contractors as essentially “a contract dispute.” Sooner or later, I expect the SCOTUS to say the same thing with regard to the case involving Trump’s refusal to pay on USAID contracts (different judge). In fact, except for some underhanded dealing, both cases should have been consolidated under the judge in this article.
Federal Judge Denies USAID Contractors Emergency TRO to Block Trump’s Termination of Their Contracts
The judge said any harm the contractors face is “directly traceable” to changes the government has made to their contracts, suggesting relief should be sought through a different avenue.
Also interesting, because it impacts on a key Dem money laundering op. Do they smell a major investigation coming?
ActBlue in CHAOS: Democrat Money Laundering Giant is Imploding As Top Staff Rush For The Exits
The nonprofit, which has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars to all levels of Democratic campaigns over the years, is now facing internal havoc. Given ActBlue’s major influence in processing election donations, the group’s current instability could also greatly affect the Democrat party.
Trump is finding out that the diplomacy thing isn’t so easy when you don’t hold the right cards. Please don’t hold your breath on this one. Judge Nap, who is currently in Moscow for an interview with FM Lavrov, says he’s hearing that Trump’s threats were occasioned by massive Russian strikes near Kiev. Also, during the past week, Russia has struck centers of foreign military personnel at least twice, inflicting heavy casualties.
Despite this “report”,
Putin Said To Be "Ready To Agree" To Ceasefire... With Conditions That Are Unacceptable To Ukraine
don’t hold your breath:
ayden @squatsons
“I am strongly considering” means it’s not going to happen and even if he did what’s the difference between 24,000 active sanctions and 25,000 active sanctions?
No leverage, no pressure, no resolution.
Russia isn’t going to be bullied.
The mountain is trying to go to Mohammed, or something like that.
President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran asking to open negotiations regarding the Iranian nuclear program, the president revealed Friday. The letter, sent Wednesday, was addressed to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The details of the letter’s contents were not made public.
The request for talks is a pivot from Trump’s first term, when he withdrew from the Obama-era JCPOA agreement with Iran and instituted a “maximum pressure” campaign that attempted to prevent Iran from nuclearizing with American sanctions.
Iran has so far not responded to the request.
It wasn’t long ago that Trump was once again touting his “maximum pressure” campaign, how effective it had been—a bit like the threats of more tariffs and sanctions on Russia. Zerohedge has a fuller account. Personally, I’m calling BS on Trump’s version of what his letter said:
Trump Sends Letter To Ayatollah Urging Fresh Nuclear Negotiations
Trump himself revealed the overture in a Friday interview with Fox Business, a first such significant engagement of the administration with Tehran, which is somewhat surprising given Trump's tone regarding Iran has been hawkish, especially on the prior campaign trail. Wide-ranging sanctions are still on the banking, energy, and defense sectors - and have been for years.
"I’ve written them a letter saying I hope you negotiate, because if we have to go in militarily, it’s going to be a terrible thing for them," Trump confirmed to Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo.
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Trump has recently brought back 'maximum pressure' on Iran, and has even this week advanced the possibility of cracking down on sanctions-busting Iranian oil exports on the high seas, using naval intervention. Clearly this is part of the big stick package of actions meant to push Tehran to the table.
Right—naval action? Like against the Houthis? Like shut down the Persian Gulf and start WW3?
An earlier Fox News interview in February marked the point at which Trump first laid out that Iran has two choices. "Everybody thinks Israel with our help or our approval will go in and bomb the hell out of them," Trump had said at the time while discussing potential Israeli military action against Tehran.
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But Iranian leaders have balked at Trump's extended hand. While it's unclear what the reaction will be from the newly sent letter, both the Iranian president and Ayatollah have earlier explained that a perfectly good deal was already in effect - the 2015 JCPOA under Obama - but that Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of it in April 2018.
The Ayatollah has said that Iran simply can't trust Washington to abide by any deal, given any future administration can overturn it, just as Trump did.
Yeah, I remember that Russia was pretty ticked off at Trump’s unilateral ending of that arms control treaty. That was another time that a country decided negotiating with DC was a mug’s game.
Courtesy of the unholy triumvirate—DC, London, Tel Aviv—Trump torments the people of Syria with their for real jihadi regime imposed by us:
This stance reinforces Israel’s ongoing agenda of territorial expansion and occupation, particularly in the Golan Heights. Netanyahu’s overarching goal appears to be the systematic weakening and fragmentation of Syria, ensuring it remains under Israeli occupation, devoid of a central government, and mired in sectarian conflict.
This environment of “controlled chaos” would prevent Syria’s recovery after more than a decade of war, turn it into a failed state, and empower Israel under the pretext of minimizing any potential threats from the new Syria.
Fragmenting Syria
This approach is not new. It has been a consistent element of Israeli policy since the state’s establishment, applied in various contexts and regions, including Lebanon.
Demilitarizing the area south of Damascus would hinder the Syrian government’s authority, potentially leading to a weakened state presence. This could enable the formation of Israeli-backed local militias pushing for a “state within a state”.
Israel’s strategy also aims to encourage other minority groups in northern Syria to challenge the Syrian government, thus fragmenting the country, even if only in a de-facto manner.
And so:
'Civil War Is Now Official' - Syria Erupts Into Worst Bloodshed Since Assad's Fall
Any lingering delusions that Syria could emerge from its Western-imposed, regime-change victimhood and enter an era of peace and stability were obliterated on Thursday, …
So America, Turkey and Israel helped Osama bin Laden's guys take over Syria – what's the worst that could happen, right?
Okay, I know you're remembering that time Obama and Brennan created the ISIS Caliphate 10 years ago and then Iraq War III to destroy it again. Fair point. https://t.co/LvOD8Qvb1C
— Scott Horton (@scotthortonshow) March 6, 2025
Meanwhile, to the extent that Israel's government wants Syria to become a failed state, there are smiles aplenty in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as the chaos and bloodshed mount...
Why do people hate us?
RT:
On Friday, the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia called on Washington to ease sanctions on Russia, particularly in the fields of aviation, investment, and banking, claiming that they have been harming both Russian and American businesses.
The Kremlin also said this week that Western sanctions against Moscow would have to be lifted to mend relations between the US and Russia. Both nations agreed to work on restoring ties following a high-level meeting in Saudi Arabia last month.
Russia has repeatedly stated that it was open for peace talks, but has opposed a temporary ceasefire with Kiev, arguing that a true settlement of the conflict requires a permanent long-term solution addressing its root causes.
Russia demands that Ukraine demilitarize, denazify, adhere to a position of neutrality, and recognize the territorial “realities on the ground.” It also opposes any NATO presence on Ukrainian soil.
Sane nations don't desire failed states as neighbors.