State Dept. Price a no-show day after he got his butt handed to him by a reporter

The day after State Department mouthpiece, Ned Price, got his butt handed to him by Matt Lee of the Associated Press, he failed to show up for a press briefing. Price is the State Department press secretary and press briefings is his game, so what gives?

On Thursday Price was questioned by Lee who didn't let up with pursuing an answer to his probing about the existence of any evidence to back up Price's claim that the US suspects that Russia might release a fake propaganda video showing Ukraine attacking them and to which they need to respond. The evidence, according to Price, is the fact that Price is telling the press about the suspicion.  

So we are to believe Price because he said so, and if we don't, then somehow we are in bed with the Russians.

Lee wasn't having any of it. He compared Price's statement and lack of data to substantiate his claim akin to "Alex Jones territory."

But even Alex Jones might produce something more than just his words to back up his claims, whether what he produces is real or not, the latter being the case most often.

* * *

Why not subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against the tech giants.

* * *

Price refused to say whether such a video has already been created nor could he offer any tangible evidence that he would share from the podium because he's obviously doing what Brian Stelter does: making stuff up as he goes along.

So maybe Price had an upset tummy on Friday and couldn't make the presser or maybe he was told to stay away and avoid any possible followup questions on the topic. 

You make the call.

Tweet

State Dept. Ned Price gets his butt handed to him by reporter

Maybe it's a new trend, but the legacy media hasn't been holding the Biden administration's feet to the fire until Thursday.

Associated Press reporter Matt Lee did not allow State Department spokesman Ned Price to get away with a ridiculous claim that implied his words were proof of a declassified report that Russia is planning to stage a fake video of Ukrainian military attacks as a pretext for Russia to then invade Ukraine.

Price literally said that “Russia is planning to stage fabricated attacks by Ukrainian military or intelligence forces as a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine.”

He continued, “One possible option the Russians are considering, and which we made public today, involves the production of a propaganda video – a video with graphic scenes of false explosions – depicting corpses, crisis actors pretending to be mourners, and images of destroyed locations or military equipment – entirely fabricated by Russian intelligence. To be clear, the production of this propaganda video is one of a number of options that the Russian Government is developing as a fake pretext to initiate and potentially justify military aggression against Ukraine. We don’t know if Russia will necessarily use this or another option in the coming days.”

“Russia has signaled it’s willing to continue diplomatic talks as a means to de-escalate, but actions such as these suggest otherwise,” he added.

Lee was the first reporter to be called on by Price and his pushback was, well, Priceless. He demanded that Price provide evidence to back up his bull. He even went so far as to compare Price's statement to an Alex Jones claim.

“This is like Alex Jones territory you’re getting into now. What evidence do you have to support the idea that there is some propaganda film in the making?”

Considering the smackdown Lee gave Price, you'd have to believe that if it was our alleged President House Plant in place of his State Department spokesman, the outcome would have been the same. In other words, this administration is populated by amateurs who treat the American people as if we are too stupid to see what's going on. In this case, you have a government agency telling us to believe them because their words are the facts, even when they change to the new facts their words say they are and so on. Confused yet?


TRANSCRIPT: [with my comments in brackets and my italics]


NED PRICE, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: Good afternoon. We have previously noted our strong concerns regarding Russian disinformation and the likelihood that Moscow might create – seek to create -- a false flag operation to initiate military activity. Now, we can say that the United States has information that Russia is planning to stage fabricated attacks by Ukrainian military or intelligence forces as a pretext for a further invasion of Ukraine.

One possible option the Russians are considering, and which we made public today, involves the production of a propaganda video – a video with graphic scenes of false explosions – depicting corpses, crisis actors pretending to be mourners, and images of destroyed locations or military equipment – entirely fabricated by Russian intelligence.

To be clear, the production of this propaganda video is one of a number of options that the Russian government is developing as a fake pretext to initiate and potentially justify military aggression against Ukraine. We don’t know if Russia will necessarily use this or another option in the coming days. We are publicizing it now, however, in order to lay bare the extent of Russia’s destabilizing actions towards Ukraine and to dissuade Russia from continuing this dangerous campaign and ultimately launching a military attack.

Russia has signaled it’s willing to continue diplomatic talks as a means to de-escalate, but actions such as these suggest otherwise. We will continue to diligently work together with our allies and partners to expose Russian disinformation and other hybrid tactics used against Ukraine. We continue to work to prevent any effort Moscow might make to justify further military action in Ukraine. We again urge Russia to stop its destructive and destabilizing disinformation campaign, to de-escalate tensions, and to engage in diplomacy and dialogue for a peaceful solution.

Thank you.

MATT LEE, AP REPORTER: Thanks. Okay, well, that’s quite a mouthful there. So you said “actions such as these suggest otherwise” – suggest meaning that they suggest they’re not interested in talks and they’re going to go ahead with some kind of a – what action are you talking about?

PRICE: One, the actions I have just pointed to, the fact –

LEE: What action? What —

PRICE: The fact that Russia continues to engage in disinformation campaigns. 

LEE: Well no, you’ve made an allegation that they might do that. Have they actually done it?

PRICE: What we know, Matt, is what we – what I have just said, that they have engaged in this activity, in this planning activity —

LEE: Well, engage in what – hold on a second. What activity?

PRICE: But let me – let me – because obviously this is not – this is not the first time we’ve made these reports public. You’ll remember that just a few weeks ago – [It sounds as if Price is making it up as he goes along]

LEE: I’m sorry, made what report public? 

PRICE: If you let me finish, I will tell you what report we made public.

LEE: Okay.

PRICE: We told you a few weeks ago that we have information indicating Russia also has already pre-positioned a group of operatives to conduct a false flag operation in eastern Ukraine. So that, Matt, to your question, is an action that Russia has already taken. ["We told you" is not a report]

LEE: No, it’s an action that you say that they have taken, but you have shown no evidence to confirm that. And I’m going to get to the next question here, which is: What is the evidence that they – I mean, this is – like, crisis actors? Really? This is like Alex Jones territory you’re getting into now. What evidence do you have to support the idea that there is some propaganda film in the making?

PRICE: Matt, this is derived from information known to the U.S. Government, intelligence information that we have declassified. I think you know —

LEE: Okay, well, where is it? Where is this information?

PRICE: It is intelligence information that we have declassified. [If it's declassified, it can be shown and, if necessary, sources and methods can be redacted]

LEE: Well, where is it? Where is the declassified information?

PRICE: I just delivered it. [There's the "my word makes it evidence" and if you believe his word, you're a fool]

LEE: No, you made a series of allegations and statements —

PRICE: Would you like us to print out the topper? Because you will see a transcript of this briefing that you can print out for yourself. [Again, Price is saying "if I print out what I just said, will you just shut up and accept it as fact?"]

LEE: But that’s not evidence, Ned. That’s you saying it. That’s not evidence. I’m sorry.

PRICE: What would you like, Matt? [What we would all like: something to back up your claim]

LEE: I would like to see some proof that you – that you can show that —

PRICE: Matt, you have been —

LEE: — that shows that the Russians are doing this.

PRICE: You —

LEE: Ned, I’ve been doing this for a long time, as you know. [This is just a ploy to confuse the issue. How does this have anything to do with what the reporter is asking?]

PRICE: I know. That was my point. You have been doing this for quite a while. [So what?]

LEE: I have.

PRICE: You know that when we declassify intelligence, we do so in a means —

LEE: That’s right. And I remember WMDs in Iraq, and I —

PRICE: — we do so with an eye to protecting sources and methods. [Redact them]

LEE: And I remember that Kabul was not going to fall. I remember a lot of things. So where is the declassified information other than you coming out here and saying it? [BINGO]

PRICE: Matt, I’m sorry you don’t like the format, but we have — [It isn't a format. It's balderdash so far as anyone can tell]

LEE: It’s not the format. It’s the content.

PRICE: I’m sorry you don’t like the content. I’m sorry you — [he's throwing out chaff] 

LEE: It’s not that I don’t like it or —

PRICE: I’m sorry you are doubting the information that is in the possession of the U.S. Government. [what information other than him saying there is information. Price really seems to be making up information as he goes along to get along]

LEE: No, I —

PRICE: What I’m telling you is that this is information that’s available to us. We are making it available to you in order – for a couple reasons. [No he is not making it available to him. He is saying things that he cannot back up with proof other than him saying it] One is to attempt to deter the Russians from going ahead with this activity. Two, in the event we’re not able to do that, in the event the Russians do go ahead with this, to make it clear as day, to lay bare the fact that this has always been an attempt on the part of the Russian Federation to fabricate a pretext. 

LEE: Yes, but you don’t have any evidence to back it up other than what you’re saying. It’s like you’re saying, “We think – we have information the Russians may do this,” but you won’t tell us what the information is. And then when you’re asked — 

PRICE: Well, that is the idea behind deterrence, Matt. That is the idea behind deterrence.

LEE: When you’re asked – and when you’re asked —

PRICE: It is our hope that the Russians don’t go forward with this.

LEE: And when you’re asked what the information is, you say, “I just gave it to you.” But that’s not what —

PRICE: You seem not to understand — [he has to cut Lee off because the illogic is so obvious]

LEE: That’s not the way it works.

PRICE: You seem not to understand the idea of deterrence. [Price doesn't seem to understand the idea of evidence]

The dialogue between them goes on but you get the picture, and the picture is Priceless.

* * *

Why not subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against the tech giants.

* * *

It seems as if the U.S. is propagating propaganda and the press is finally not buying into it, as is usually their wont. Perhaps the Biden administration is looking to distract from their failures which keep piling up like shooting victims across the country. 

Whatever the reason, they are finally doing their job--at least in this case.

Tweet

SHOCKING: Taliban not cooperating to release trapped Americans at Mazar-i-Sharif airport

Who could have possible predicted the Taliban would not cooperate with "Big Satan" and the alleged Biden administration's State Department and refuse to help us in the evacuation of people still stranded in Afghanistan? 

C'mon, man. You're the Taliban; a religious group of guys who only did what they felt they had to do in the name of their religion.

The Biden crew has been rather closed-mouthed about what they're trying to do to get Americans and Afghan allies the hell out of Afghanistan after Joe Biden [his Indian name is "Droner of the Unknown"] gave us his self-imposed timeline in the middle of the Taliban's fighting season. It caused a crazy clusterfrack that stranded thousands of people behind enemy lines.

Two Qatar airlines flights left Kabul, Afghanistan late last week, but the Biden administration and others were mum over whether the Americans on those flights included a number of individuals who had previously been trapped, awaiting an airlift from a non-governmental organization at Mazar-i-Sharif airport. 

The silence portends to anything but hope.

The incompetently-led State Department's spokesman Ned Price told reporters Wednesday that the Biden administration has "pulled every lever available" but the Taliban refuses to go along with the program because, hey, they don't have to, which comes as no surprise to the sentient, but not so much to Joe Biden [whose alternate Indian name is "Chief Sniffing Hair"]. They also admitted that they did nothing to help in the evacuation of these people and the Taliban refuses to allow flights to leave.

‘I wanted to ask if there have been any movement on the flights out of Mazar. A week ago the Secretary said, quote, ‘Those flights need to move,'” one actual reporter asked price. “And also the Secretary had said State would be coordinating with veterans groups who are doing their own evacuation and extraction efforts. Has that been formalized? And if so, what does that look like now?”

Price tried to blow smoke into the nether regions of the press, stating that “veterans groups have played an important and welcome role in this, but other advocacy groups, humanitarian groups, lawmakers, NGOs, private companies, media organizations, a constellation of actors have come to the support of the people of Afghanistan.” He was eventually forced to admit Americans are still on the ground because his boss, Antony Blinken, is as competent in his job as Brian Stelter is at his weight loss diet.

“I am not aware that any international flights, charter flights or otherwise, have left Mazar-e-Sharif. Of course, we have had a couple charter flights from Kabul International Airport that departed last week, including with U.S. citizens onboard,” he said. They also have gum, which has as much to do with the stranded folks as his words have.

“I know that the Turks and the Qataris, and if you listen to what the Taliban are saying publicly, the Taliban as well want to see not only charter flights, but normal commercial activity resumed at Kabul International Airport on an expedited basis,” Price added, showing his trust in them. “And it’s our hope that that will be able to happen in the not-too-distant future so that in addition to the charter flights that our Qatari partners have very generously administered to date, there will be additional options for individuals to leave from Kabul International Airport. So we will continue to work on this, just as we continue to work on these overland routes as well.”

Price quickly tried to change the subject to North Korea, but the reporter didn't take the bait.

“Sorry, what is the problem in Mazar? What’s the hold-up? Is it the same issue? I mean, we talked about documentation; you guys said that it wasn’t an acceptable reason, given the circumstances, to hold the flights. And then just nothing?” the reporter pushed.

“We have been very clear that the individuals who have expressed a desire and a willingness to leave via Mazar-e-Sharif should be allowed to leave the country. There – the fact that to my knowledge a charter flight has not departed Mazar has nothing to do with anything that the State Department has or has not done, and in fact, quite the contrary,” Price admitted.

So they have been "very clear" about the "shoulds." That should scare the crap out of them. What are they waiting for?

“The State Department, as we have said, has pulled every lever available to us,” good ole Ned said. “We have gone to extraordinary lengths with not only our engagement with the Taliban, but also with these other constellation of groups on the ground and operating from afar, and also with countries in the region. And to our minds, these flights, these individuals, there is no reason they should not be able to depart. And that’s what we’re continuing to focus on.”

Words without action, without results, are just noise.

“I said we’ve used every lever we’ve had in the narrow and specific issue of charter flights leaving from the Mazar-e-Sharif airport in northern Afghanistan,” Price added later. “The question of holding the Taliban accountable is a much broader question, it’s a much more strategic question. And we’ve talked about this before.”

And how will this government, led by a man with obvious signs of senile dementia, hold the terrorists accountable? 

But here's the clincher: a source close to the Americans and Afghan allies on the ground in Mazar-i-Sharif said the "State Department has indicated to groups that they are on their own to negotiate." They added that only 21 Americans, of the perhaps hundreds stuck in Afghanistan, were on the flights that left Kabul.

The Americans and our Afghan friends for latter flights are still stuck on the ground and the Taliban is flipping us the bird.

Why not subscribe to Brain Flushings and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every time you click on an ad, you help in the fight against the tech giants.

Tweet

Houthis terrorize Saudi civilians after Biden removes their terrorist designation

"With all due respect, the fact is, we had four dead Americans! Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided they'd go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make? It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again." – Clinton shouting over Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson regarding the Benghazi cluster-frack

The Biden administration announced it would reverse the Trump administration’s designation of the Houthis as a terrorist organization on Friday. The designation was made by outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on his last day in office.

The Biden State Department said Friday that “[O]ur action is due entirely to the humanitarian consequences of this last-minute designation from the prior administration, which the United Nations and humanitarian organizations have since made clear would accelerate the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” However, they stressed that the declassification shouldn't be interpreted to mean that they were condoning the "reprehensible conduct" of the terrorist group, which is no longer to be considered as such even though they commit terrorism like Joe Biden commits verbal screwups and other errors in thinking.

So on Sunday, Biden's State Department thought it was a bad look that the Houthis were acting like terrorists by launching terrorist attacks after the Saudi-led military coalition stopped a Houthi terrorist drone strike against civilians, which are often composed of men, women, children and little babies.

The Saudi military coalition reported intercepting and destroying an armed drone launched by the Houthis from northern Yemen against civilian targets in southern Saudi Arabia.

“It was launched systematically and deliberately by the terrorist Houthi militia to target civilians and civilian objects in the south of the region,” coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliiki said.

On Sunday evening, the State Department said it was “deeply troubled by continued Houthi attacks.”

This, in turn, caused faces within the Biden State Department to morph crimson [go Tide!].

“We urge the Houthis to refrain from destabilizing actions and demonstrate their commitment to constructively engage in UN Special Envoy Griffiths’ efforts to achieve peace. The time is now to find an end to this conflict,” naive State Department spokesman Ned Price said softly.

No big deal for Biden, though. He plans to have the nation distracted with the faux impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

It's obvious that Democrats hate Trump more than they hate terrorists and illegal aliens who commit violent crimes.

Please consider subscribing to this free blog, Brain Flushings, and check out the ads on these pages. It costs nothing to subscribe and it's worth every penny. And remember, every ad you click on, you help feed my backyard squirrel and help in the fight against the China virus.

Tweet

Trump speaks with Taiwanese president, breaks protocol

New York -- President-elect Trump spoke with the President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, Friday in a move that is certain to peeve the Chinese. It is unprecedented for a U.S. president or president-elect to speak directly with a leader of Taiwan as we broke ties with the island in 1979.

Since that year, Washington has pursued a "one China" policy. We shifted diplomatic recognition of China from the government of Taiwan to the communist government on the mainland. We now recognize Beijing as representing China but continue to maintain unofficial ties with the island nation of Taiwan.

Trump's transition team said that The Donald spoke with the Taiwanese President and she offered her congratulations to him.

"During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties . . . between Taiwan and the United States. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year," the statement read.

Forgetting to put on his oven mitts, Trump later tweeted: "The President of Taiwan CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!"

Right?

The call was confirmed by a Taiwanese source with direct knowledge of the call, but requested anonymity to speak about it before an official statement was issued on it from Tapei.

The White House learned of the call after it took place, according to a senior administration official, who also requested anonymity because of the sensitive diplomatic relations involved.

China's embassy in Washington didn't respond to a media request for a comment.

The Friday call exemplifies how Trump has disregarded typical diplomatic conventions since his election to the presidency. He has apparently taken other calls from foreign leaders without guidance customarily given by the State Department which oversees U.S. diplomacy.

Tsai was elected in January via a democratic election and took office in May. While our ties with Taiwan are unofficial, they are quite close, since they split from the Chinese mainland in 1949 in a civil war. We acknowledge China's view over sovereignty, but consider Taiwan's status as unsettled.

China sees Taiwan as part of their territory to be retaken by force, if need be, if it seeks independence. The U.S. has legal commitments to help Taiwan maintain its ability to defend itself.

Ned Price, the White House National Security Council spokesman said Trump's conversation doesn't signal any change to our long-standing policy on "cross-strait" issues.

"We remain firmly committed to our 'one China' policy," Price said. "Our fundamental interest is in peaceful and stable cross-strait relations."

The White House (aka Obama) is probably quite frustrated by Trump's conversation with Tsai, but still wants to make a smooth transition.

Let's hope Trump is careful about his foreign policy dealings once he's sworn in.


Tweet

Free Range Prisoners

They're so "not dangerous" we can't
even show his face

Obama promised to end the war in Iraq, so we left Iraq and nothing ended but we lost what we had won under Bush.

Then Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay Detention Center and he allowed terrorist prisoners to leave, five of them military leaders, for the release of one of our traitors/deserters, Bowe Bergdahl. It appears we have a revolving door policy with Muslim jihadists who want to kill us.


And Obama, like Jeremiah Wright, says he's a Christian.

Now Obama is transferring six more Gitmo prisoners to Oman, which borders Yemen. Among this group of miscreants are two of Osama bin Laden's bodyguards, both of whom would just as soon behead you as look at you.

Sen. Kelly Ayote (R-NH) said of Yemen that it is "a country engulfed in civil war and that serves as the headquarters for al Qaeda's most dangerous affiliate."

All six of these terrorists call Yemen their caliphate HQ. They left Friday from Gitmo and Obama made them pinky-swear not to do bad things to Americans, except maybe Jews, as he seems to not give a rat's butt about Israel.

Congress has been trying to put restrictions on these moves, mostly because, unlike Obama, they actually believe many of the terrorists will try to reconnect with their brothers in Koran.

When Hussein Obama took the throne in 2008, there were 242 scumcrumpets in Gitmo; now there are 116. That means Barack has released 126 prisoners, and let's face it, nobody has any actual knowledge if they went back to the fight. But people who are willing to die in the name of Allah, have a good chance of doing just that.

National Security Council spokesbutt, Ned Price echoed Obama's argument that keeping Gitmo open weakens national security by draining resources, damages our relations with key allies [not Israel] and partners and emboldens violent extremists.

Let's look at what Price said:

1. Keeping Gitmo open weakens national security by draining resources. 

Yes, it definitely costs mucho dinero to keep those prisoners in Gitmo; about $2.7 million per year per prisoner. But letting them go and having them kill Americans can't be measured in money. Also, the resources we use just to hunt them down far exceeds keeping them locked up.

2. Damages our relations with key allies.

So now you know what has been damaging our relations with our key allies, like Israel and Saudi Arabia. If you believe that keeping Gitmo open does this, then you must think ISIS is an ally along with Iran. 

These are terrorists who think nothing of burning you alive, chopping off your head, stoning you to death, or throwing you off a high building. Do you really care if we hurt their feelings?

3. Emboldens violent extremists.

This is such a liberal mindset it's laughable.

If we let these morons go, do you think they will be grateful and leave us alone, or do you think they return to their 4 wives, 6 camels, and hate-filled imams as heroes? The thing that emboldens these Islamic jihadists, is the Koran. 

Read it and know.

"Even more disturbing is the fact that the administration has not provided sufficient assurances to Congress or to the public that these terrorists will not return to the battlefield. If they are not securely detained, no one should be surprised if they travel to Yemen and re-engage in terrorist activities," Sen. Ayotte said.

I would be surprised if they don't return to the battlefield. That would mean to them and to those who know them, that they are "bad Muslims" unwilling to wage jihad.

This 

Versus this

The six jihadist transfers are Emad Abdullah Hassan. Emad has been on a hunger strike for 8 years, which means he must be eating something. Actually, they force-feed him nutrients, but perhaps they should just leave him alone. He was Osama's bodyguard, which didn't help Osama all that much, as it turned out.

Emad is protesting his confinement without charge since 2002, so you know that when he has his freedom, he's going to not pick up a weapon to avenge us as he realizes now that to forgive is divine.

The other alleged bodyguards to Osama bin Laden are Idris Ahmad 'Abd Al Qadir and Jalal Salam Awad Awad (the latter being no relation to Sirhan Sirhan).  

Sharaf Ahmad Muhammad Mas'ud was a fighter at Tora Bora and was captured in Pakistan (pronounced Pahkeesthan, by Barack Hussein). He has since reformed and is captain of the Afghan knitting club, posing no danger after his freedom to kill is once again acquired.

Saa'd Nasser Moqbil Al Azani (sounds Italian, but don't be fooled) is a "religious teacher" who we believe has ties to bin Laden's religious adviser. To kill for the sake of Islam is supposed to get you into Paradise. 

And here's another Muhammad: Muhammad Ali Salem Al Zarnuki--he allegedly fought for the Taliban since 1998, but like the others, he has mended his way, given up the teachings of the Noble Koran, and ditched 3 of his 4 wives to be in compliance with Western values. (He kept the 12 year old wife.)



Tweet

Taliban Five refused to be turned

It's hard to keep a good man down, as the saying goes, and it looks like the Taliban Five may prove this true. Not that these miscreants are good men by our definition, but when it comes to being a "good" terrorist, these guys wrote the Koran.

The Obama administration, as you know, released the Taliban Five for an alleged low-life traitor, Bowe Bergdahl, but what they didn't tell their employees (that's the US citizens, by the way) is that the government tried to recruit them to turn on their own people with intel to kill them.

I mean, like how un-Islamic can we get?

Catherine Herridge of Fox News got the story. She reported that our plans were to "flip" these terrorist leaders into becoming snitches, but they wouldn't go for it, and one of her sources said that the effort was a "total failure." This was backed up by a second source familiar with the plan.

The reason for the attempt to "flip" these creeps was to increase the Obama administration's chances of  reducing terrorist recidivism. Fat chance that these guys would go against their religion when they're willing to die for it.

Josh Notso Earnest, when asked about this matter, made it sound all "hush-hush," as if knowledge of Obama's stupidity would be a security issue rather than a misreading of these Islamic jihadists. 

Obama, with his first-hand knowledge of Islam, should have known better. Perhaps he was putting himself in their sandals by figuring if it was his butt in Gitmo, he would have ratted out his own mother to get free.

Marie Harf (the "H" is pronounced like a "B") State Department Spokesbottleblond, was asked by Fox News if the men's presence [in Qatar] where they were given the hero treatment, would increase their ability to re-engage with terrorist networks.

The Mensa reject answered thusly: "I'm not sure why that would be the case. It seems like pure speculation to me."

Harf never acknowledged the notion that speculation works both ways. Did it ever occur to this Islamic-jihad-friendly administration that the Taliban Five would reconnect with their terror buddies to kill as many infidels as possible once they were freed?

The "head in the nether regions" decision to swap the 5 leaders of terrorism for a scumbag traitor without telling Congress is now the subject of a national security debate, says Fox News.

National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said, "Although we cannot detail the measures the United States and our partners take to mitigate the potential threat posed by these former detainees, it is fair to say that we remain both vigilant and in close contact on these matters. We have relied on extensive monitoring measures and travel restrictions to prevent them from threatening our interests." 

Marie Harf responded to Price, "What does 'mitigate' mean?"

Tweet