Blinken is calling for a U.S. foreign policy with "humility and confidence." Quite a departure in tone from Pompeo's call for "swagger"

If you are wondering about the Menendez-Graham proposal for returning to the Iran deal that Menendez is referring to, I've got you covered. Read this: https://t.co/ZonpUVpJjs
.@ABlinken: “President Elect Biden is committed to the proposition that Iran will not be permitted to acquire a nuclear weapon.” Says the Iran deal “was succeeding on its own terms.”

@SenateForeign
@ABlinken @SenateForeign Blinken on rejoining the Iran deal: "If Iran comes back into compliance, then we would too," using that as a platform for more negotiations. "Having said that, I think we are a long way from there."
Blinken on China: “There is no doubt it poses the most significant challenge of any nation state to the United States.”
.@SenRonJohnson is wrong, Obama never said the U.S. was "leading from behind" in Libya. That was a background quote attributed to a WH official. Blinken said the point was to stop a slaughter. Notes (correctly) Biden did not support that intervention.
@SenRonJohnson Blinken says, unprompted, that Trump largely "got it right" on China by focusing more attention on the threats and challenges there. Adds, “I have issues with the way he carried it out, in many ways."
Blinken says on balance, considering the outcomes, Trump’s decision to assassinate Qasem Soleimani “has left us less safe, not more safe.”
Blinken said Xi Jinping is now openly seeking world primacy for China and a Chinese-model for the world. “The hiding and biding has gone away and they are much more assertive in making clear that they seek to become in effect, the leading country in the world.”
I'm surprised Ron Johnson didn't bring up Hunter Biden with Blinken. That, as much as anything, shows how things are already changing on Capitol Hill post-Trump.
Blinken says it’s telling how scared Putin is of one man, Alexei Navalny. “Mr. Navalny's voice speaks for millions and millions of Russians, and that voice needs to be heard.”
Blinken agrees with Pompeo’s determination that China is committing “genocide” against Uyghurs and other ethnic groups: “That would be my judgment, as well.”

More from Government

Let me take a stab at this after years of reporting on Marine One, HMX-1, Continuity of Government, etc. None of this is definitive, but it could help explain what folks are seeing:

1.) HMX-1, which flies the VH-3D and VH-60N 'White Top' helicopters used to move... 1/X


the President and VP around, those helos being called Marine One or Two when either is onboard, need to train. The urban landing zones, including WH and VP Residence, are not simple to get in and out of. So, crews need some currency training. They are not just tasked with... 2/X

moving POTUS and VP to get them around the region and to Andrews AFB for long-haul flights, they are essential to Continuity of Government operations. This means that if a threat were to emerge, they need to be ready to snatch POTUS and VP in minutes. This is partially... 3/X

why they have a full forward operating location at Naval Support Activity Anacostia, just 3 miles from the WH. As such, practice is important and considering the state of things, it is critical now more than in any recent memory. 4/X

2.) Considering what happened last week, including mobs of Trump supporters screaming in unison to hang the VP for doing what the constitution states, absolutely despicable in every way, security has been tightened just as it has been all over. Using the helicopters instead.. 5/X
This article by Jim Spellar for @LabourList misses the point about why Labour needs to think seriously about constitutional reform - and have a programme for it ready for government.


The state of our constitution is a bit like the state of the neglected electric wiring in an old house. If you are moving into the house, sorting it out is a bit tedious. Couldn’t you spend the time and money on a new sound system?

But if you ignore the wiring, you’ll find that you can’t safely install the new sound system. And your house may well catch fire.

Any programme for social democratic government requires a state with capacity, and a state that has clear mechanisms of accountability, for all the big and all the small decisions that in takes, in which people have confidence.

That is not a description of the modern UK state.

You May Also Like