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Its Just Me's avatar

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/waltzs-demotion-should-begin-a-neocon-purge/

"There is no middle ground. (With neoconservatives)

A true “America First” foreign policy and neoconservatism are incompatible. Trump has said that in his first term he wasn’t aware soon enough of who on his staff might be working against him.

At only 100 days in, may he learn even sooner in his second term "

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Yes, I read that yesterday and have been thinking of using it. It seems to me most notable for the things it doesn't say.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

Remarkable that Waltz didn't understand such basics. What must the culture in NatSec agencies be like?

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/report-iran-disagreements-hastened-waltzs-ouster/

Waltz’s coziness with Israeli officials and eagerness to use military force clashed with President Donald Trump’s preference for diplomacy:

“If Jim Baker was doing a side deal with the Saudis to subvert George H.W. Bush, you’d be fired,” a Trump adviser said, referring to Bush’s secretary of state. “You can’t do that. **You work for the president of your country, not a president of another country.”**

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Joe's avatar

The use of TM SGNL by the U.S. government, as exposed in this case with Mike Waltz, highlights a tension between the need for secure communication and the legal requirement to archive records.

So why doesn't US have it's own

seems crazy

seems like an easy answer

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Oh I long for the days of the Blackberry and a sledge hammer.

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SMH's avatar

Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are!!

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Retired FL LEO's avatar

I don’t get it, many years ago a military friend told me he would NEVER bet his life on Signal being secure. Who knew they had a Signal for Dummies.

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ML's avatar

and I thought it was a toothpaste!

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JRob's avatar

Does anyone else think that we've reached the end stage of competence when we realize that our government is run by texting? I thought war plans were made by humans in secret rooms in the Pentagon. I thought foreign policy was decided in closed rooms in the White House. I thought trade strategies were decided in secure rooms at cabinet meetings. Everyone is focusing on the apps, when in fact no one at the highest level should be using them in the first place. Our government is run by children playing social games on their phones. This is the end stage of culture.

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ML's avatar

Absolutely

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doug champion's avatar

sending some insider stock tips real time?

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Mark Hazard's avatar

On the flip side:

> Are/were app vulnerabilities unknown?

> Is communication being mapped?

> Is content messaging by managed?

#honeypot

#WildernessOfMirrors

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Steghorn21's avatar

This is getting out of hand. The Israelis need to keep a much tighter control on their American servants.

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AmericanCardigan's avatar

Ha!

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Manul's avatar

First, classified information may never be stored on unclassified devices regardless of the encryption mechanisms used. An unclassified device is never authorized for the storage of classified information. If a device contains classified information, it must be protected as such, which means it can’t leave the facility in which it is used unless the proper handling procedures are followed.

Second, if the modified Signal is centrally archiving messages for later retrieval and decryption, then the keys must also be archived, which means that the communications are not private between the Signal participants. Since the modified Signal version was done by Israel, we must assume that Israel has all the archived messages and their keys. Which means that Israel is aware of everything that has been communicated using their Signal.

Third, just because a conversation is not technically considered classified, it may contain OPSEC material which is sensitive and can be exploited by one’s enemies or friends.

Finally, there is no reason to use Signal in this irresponsible fashion. There are plenty of methods for secure communications between government officials. They may be less convenient, but they are required when having classified or sensitive discussions. Standard procedures are not to talk around classified material on unclassified phones and to use classified phones even when discussing unclassified material whenever possible.

Waltz should know better and so should all the conversation participants. They were sloppy. Punishment for these sorts of behaviors include receiving a security violation and/or security clearance revocation.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

"Waltz should know better"

He did and does, that's the point. He was acting on behalf of Israel's interests. That's what the Israel Lobby pays him to do.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

The more important aspect of the possible sharing of literal texts of top Trump regime officials with the Mossad is the insight they get re internal dynamics of the Admin and its top officials.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

That is certainly one aspect. One can gleen from the information where they need to focus to shore up support or alternatively, who needs to be in the line of fire for opposition to their agenda. Hegseth has been in the line of fire as well as

Caldwell who is now gone.

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Steghorn21's avatar

I'm sure they know all that already, but it's good to get confirmation from Waltz!

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

Walz is the patsy and gives them plausible deniability.

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Velociraver's avatar

As if Waltz isn't informing Israel of everything, anyway.. he's a zio-Quisling.

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Manul's avatar

Yes. That is the OPSEC. And we should assume that Mossad has been listening for a long time. The Israelis are well known for their security software and their ability to break into iPhones and other devices. I know that the U.S. government has banned the use of Russian firm Kaspersky security products because of concerns over Russian ownership. Maybe the same should be considered for Israeli products? Maybe Mossad has the secure Signal chats of Congressmen and Senators? Great material for blackmail.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

"The Israelis are well known for their security software and their ability to break into iPhones and other devices."

Lot's of the tech ability was funded by the American tax payer so, no they won't ban them.

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TomA's avatar

The whole point of using the Signal app was to keep Israel informed in real-time of US geopolitical and military activities that relate to its interests. This was a feature and not a bug. Waltz undoubtably intended this outcome with both the use of the app and the inclusion of Goldberg on the attendees list. He was doing his job of keeping Israel in the loop. That was, and is, his primary responsibility on the Trump team. He was appointed as a Fifth Columnist. And he is not alone in that role. Is this bad for the US? Of course it is. But that is the current reality in which we live.

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Steghorn21's avatar

I'm starting to miss Rudi, Sydney and Pillow Man. At least they were reasonably competent and loved their country. What we were sold as America First is becoming America Last.

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Mark Wauck's avatar

I agree, but I can imagine that people like Veep Vance, Tulsi, and Hegseth (if he understands the issues) would be mightily upset at the thought of their literal archived chats being shared--rather than official summaries.

Now, should they have been surprised at this? That would have been very naive. As you say, he was appointed as a Fifth Columnist. Will this prove to be a wakeup call of some sort--re Trump--for presumably serious people like Vance and Tulsi? Maybe, but then, what can they do?

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Tamsin's avatar

How would serious people communicate serious thoughts, without their Israeli handlers listening in so as to alter the course of events in favor of Israeli interests.

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ML's avatar

Well, the early AP sent pigeons bearing the latest news during the battles of the Civil War…

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dissonant1's avatar

So is that how we got the term "stool pigeon"? Wow, I can still learn something new! :)

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ML's avatar

Off the top of my head I think these winged messengers were known as “carrier pigeons!” Stool pigeon I’d have to check, but I think it refers to a type of spy used as a decoy to throw someone off the scent! Could also be of use though LOL!

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Steghorn21's avatar

Yep. Israel and Ukraine are going to sink Trump's presidency unless he finds the cojones to stamp on the neocons.

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Tamsin's avatar

"General Kenobi. Years ago you served our interests in the reality-teevee entertainment wars and we were very entertained. Now I beg you to help us in our struggle against the Anglo-Zionist Empire. I regret that I am unable to convey this request to you in person, but my Signal app has fallen under attack, and I'm afraid my mission to bring you to reconsider the history of the 20th century has failed. I have placed information vital to the survival of the American Rebellion into the training data for this AI chatbot. Barron will know how to prompt it. You must get this chatbot safely installed on his phone when he visits Mar-a-Lago. This is our most desperate hour. Help me, Obi-Trump Kenobi. You're my only hope." 😐

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Mark Wauck's avatar

One imagines that MTG is getting feedback from here constituents:

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene @RepMTG

**I represent the base and when I’m frustrated and upset over the direction of things, you better be clear, the base is not happy.**

I campaigned for no more foreign wars.

And now we are supposedly on the verge of going to war with Iran.

**I don’t think we should be bombing foreign countries on behalf of other foreign countries** especially when they have their own nuclear weapons and massive military strength.

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Steghorn21's avatar

Good for her! She looks like the only man on the team!

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Mark Wauck's avatar

If Waltz was forced out because of concerns from the likes of Vance and Tulsi--and, who knows, even Trump in some weird sense--will installing Stephen Miller be an improvement? I very much doubt that.

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Cosmo T Kat's avatar

His administration is crawling with acolytes to the Straussians.

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Steghorn21's avatar

Strauss loved Waltzes, apparently.

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ML's avatar

Johann

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dissonant1's avatar

Good one!

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ML's avatar

I think we need an Elon audit of the NatSec…and perhaps of the entire government, to weed out all the dual Israel/US nationals. Redundancies (!)

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Steghorn21's avatar

Hasn't Elon jumped ship? Probably realises where this is all going.

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