Vindman: Trump Praising Putin’s ‘Genius’ Is 'Deeply Disturbing'

Self-obsessed Trump’s Putin praise is morally bankrupt

 https://nypost.com/2022/02/24/self-obsessed-trumps-putin-praise-is-morally-bankrupt/

Asked in a radio interview what had gone wrong that Putin recognized the independence of two Ukrainian breakaway regions on President Biden’s watch, Trump couldn’t muster one remotely appropriate sentiment.

He immediately cited “the rigged election” of 2020, an obsession of his that is so all-consuming, it makes Ahab look uninterested in the White Whale by comparison.

He characterized the recognition of the regions that Russian separatists claim as “wonderful” and “smart,” never mind that it was a transparently cynical step to create a pretext for war.

Biden faces another global crisis. This one resonates differently at home.

 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/24/biden-foreign-policy-doctrine-stress-test-00011385

Biden advisers and allies also recognize that, in contrast to the near-uniform chorus of criticism they encountered over ending the Afghan war, Republicans are badly fractured on how to approach the unfolding conflict in Ukraine — and how hard to come down on Putin.

There’s little confidence that a new era of competition with Russia will suddenly restore the country’s political center, or take the steam out of modern partisanship. But they argue that the Republicans who have been lauding Putin — everyone from Donald Trump to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson — are playing to a winnowing crowd and will find themselves increasingly out of step with the majority of Americans.

Donald Trump Praises 'Very Smart' Putin During Mar-a-Lago Fundraiser

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-praise-putin-smart-war-ukraine-invasion-1682182

Video has emerged of Donald Trump again praising Vladimir Putin—just as the Russian president was launching his invasion of Ukraine.

At the Mar-a-Lago event, Trump mentioned the criticism he had received for those remarks, saying: "'Oh, Trump said Putin's smart.' I mean, he's taken over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I'd say that's pretty smart.

"He's taking over a country, really a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people and just walking right in."

The former president also boasted that he knows Putin "very well…almost as well as anybody in this room."

Trump, allies defend or deflect Putin’s invasion; was Romney right?

 https://www.foxnews.com/media/trump-allies-defend-putins-invasion-romney

Many GOP leaders, such as Mitch McConnell and Lindsey Graham, are backing President Biden in lining up NATO allies for imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Some are saying Biden hasn’t gone far enough – criticism that’s been fueled by the president’s decision to roll out only limited sanctions, apparently because the Russian military has entered only a couple of rebellious provinces so far.

Politico says "a vocal GOP minority on and off Capitol Hill — represented by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Ohio Senate candidate J.D. Vance, among others — has taken a third path, actively arguing against any U.S. involvement in the region while still dinging Biden. They argue that expanding the U.S. commitment to NATO is a mistake, and that the president should instead focus on countering China and securing America’s southern border."

I get the criticism of Biden. I get the argument that Ukraine shouldn’t be a top American priority. I don’t get the abandonment of the NATO alliance and indifference to a military takeover of what used to be a Soviet state. And I don’t get the praise for Putin, a man who jails and poisons his opponents and spewed all kinds of fabrications to justify his invasion, the second time in eight years he has attempted to seize a chunk of Ukraine – which he doesn’t even view as a legitimate country.

Republicans descend into foreign policy factionalism over Russia-Ukraine standoff

 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/23/republicans-foreign-policy-russia-ukraine-00010780

While Russia’s reinvasion of Ukraine this week stress-tests the Biden administration, it’s also forcing Republicans to confront their own divisions.

The GOP is all over the map politically, as Russian President Vladimir Putin tries to redraw his own boundaries. Former President Donald Trump privately has signaled a split with more isolationist voices from the MAGA wing of the party who have excused Russia’s aggression, who themselves are at odds with more establishment Republicans over how to confront Russian aggression, if at all.

Canada’s Trudeau Revokes Use of Emergency Powers

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/canadas-trudeau-revokes-use-of-emergency-powers-11645651455?mod=hp_lead_pos7

OTTAWA—In a surprise turnaround, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said his government no longer required emergency powers to deal with protests against Covid-19 restrictions, amid mounting criticism from civil-liberties groups and some Canadian politicians that the use of those measures was an abuse of state power.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

 https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-news-02-24-22-intl/index.html

The spokesman added that occupation was not the objective, echoing President Vladimir Putin's claims in a televised address earlier on Thursday.

“No one is talking about occupation, in this scenario that word is not applicable,” Peskov said. “This is a special operation. I do not think it's necessary for me to explain anything here, because the president himself gave exhaustive explanations.”

In his speech, Putin said he had decided "to conduct a special military operation ... to protect people who have been subjected to abuse and genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years," repeating a baseless claim about Ukraine's Russian-separatist-backed Donbas region.

Romney swipes Obama, Trump and Biden after Russia invades Ukraine: 'The '80s called and we didn't answer'

 https://www.foxnews.com/politics/romney-obama-trump-biden-russias-invade-ukraine-80s-called-didnt-answer

Sen. Mitt Romney laid the blame for Russia’s Wednesday night invasion of Ukraine at the policies of the three most recent U.S. presidents, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

"Putin’s Ukraine invasion is the first time in 80 years that a great power has moved to conquer a sovereign nation. It is without justification, without provocation and without honor," Romney said in a statement.

Tucker Carlson Launches Biggest Defense of Vladimir Putin Yet

 https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-vladimir-putin-russia-ukraine-fox-news-1681740

Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger also criticized Carlson for his latest comments.

"In 35 seconds here, Tucker Carlson basically said: 'Putin isn't your enemy. Your fellow American is. This is beyond dangerous, to say the least, he tweeted.

The Reagan Administration and Lebanon, 1981–1984

 https://history.state.gov/milestones/1981-1988/lebanon

On October 23, suicide bombers attacked the barracks of the U.S. and French contingents of the MNF, killing 241 American servicemen. The administration believed that the bombings, like the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Beirut that April, were perpetrated by Shi‘i militants linked to Syria’s ally Iran. Reagan responded by adopting a tough policy championed by Shultz and McFarlane, now National Security Advisor. On October 28, he signed NSDD 111, which called for broadening strategic cooperation with Israel and Arab opponents of Syria, reducing Syrian influence over Lebanon’s Druze and Shi‘a, and expanded rules of engagement regarding naval and air support for the Lebanese Army.

Hungarian Revolution of 1956—A Summary

https://www.historyonthenet.com/hungarian-revolution-2

Eisenhower was president at a time, said Congressman Walter Judd, when the world was “filled with confusion,” when a third of its people had gained their independence, and a third had lost it. “No such convulsions have ever previously occurred in all of human history.” Yet for the majority of Americans, the Eisenhower years went by so calmly—at least until the Soviets shot down an American U-2 spy plane in 1960—that they did not realize what serious dangers had been overcome. Still, there was some criticism of Eisenhower’s foreign policy, particularly the U.S. response to the failed Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

Trump's Syria pullout, aiding Russia and Turkey, is when America stopped leading the world

 https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-s-syria-pullout-aiding-russia-turkey-when-america-stopped-ncna1070551

Trump’s actions empowered American adversaries ranging from the Islamic State militant group to Iran, Russia, Turkey and the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and abandoned the local Syrian forces, especially Kurdish ones, who fought side by side with U.S. troops against ISIS. In defending his decision, Trump insisted America has nothing at stake in Syria and can let others handle an Islamic State insurgency.

Trump defends decision to abandon Kurdish allies in Syria

 https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-syria-ap-top-news-international-news-politics-ac3115b4eb564288a03a5b8be868d2e5

Even Trump’s staunchest Republican congressional allies expressed outrage at the prospect of abandoning Syrian Kurds who had fought the Islamic State group with American arms and advice. It was the latest example of Trump’s approach to foreign policy that critics condemn as impulsive, that he sometimes reverses and that frequently is untethered to the advice of his national security aides.

False Republican narrative - weak Democrat presidents encourage aggressive behavior

 Garnel Ironheart •

The desperation to divert from the weakness and ineptitude of Biden is stunning.

It was under a Democrat that Putin took the Crimea and set up Donbas. It was a Democrat's son (Hunter Biden) who got embroiled in a scandal in the Ukraine which we all know about despite the media's attempts to make the story disappear. Meanwhile it's now under another Democrat that Putin is invading Ukraine. But who's to blame? Trump!

Garnel Ironheart Again, the world's evil leaders all seem to feel more aggressive when Democrats are in the White House.

Lets look at the historic facts

Hoover - Stalin,Hitler Japan

Eisenhower - Korea, Hungary

Nixon - Surrender in Vietnam

Reagan - Lebanon 

Bush - Panama, 911, Iraq Afghanistan

Trump - Syria Turkey, Afghanistan

Which U.S. presidents led the nation into new wars?

 https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-modern-us-presidents-new-wa-idUSKBN2A22SN

Posts on social media say former U.S. President Donald Trump was “the first president in modern history” who “did not start a new war.” There have, however, been other U.S. presidents in modern history who did not enter the country into a new war. While defining military interventions can be difficult, Trump is not the only president not to start a new war during his administration.

Tucker Carlson Accused Of Promoting Russian Propaganda As Putin Masses Forces On Ukraine Border

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2021/12/08/tucker-carlson-accused-of-promoting-russian-propaganda-as-putin-builds-up-forces-on-ukraine-border/?sh=14118feb8ef3

"Tucker Carlson's support of Putin's claim that he has a historical right to protect Russian-Ukrainians is the same as if Mexico claimed a right to take Texas back. I'm sure he'd parse a tortured way out of that historical similarity, but it would be his usual absurd double-talk," said Dr. Matthew Schmidt, associate professor of National Security, International Affairs, and Political Science at the University of New Haven.

Donald Trump Is Pretending to Be Subservient to Putin, Fox News Guest Says

 https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-fox-news-trump-putin-1681660

Fox News host Pete Hegseth has suggested that former President Donald Trump's praise of Vladimir Putin is part of a strategy to "troll" the media.

Hegseth appeared as a guest on the channel's Jesse Watters Primetime on Tuesday, to discuss Trump's description of the Russian president as "savvy" and "genius" for his tactics in the Donbass region of Ukraine.

Manafort not hunter Biden

Garnel commented

The desperation to divert from the weakness and ineptitude of Biden is stunning. It was under a Democrat that Putin took the Crimea and set up Donbas. It was a Democrat's son (Hunter Biden) who got embroiled in a scandal in the Ukraine which we all know about despite the media's attempts to make the story disappear. Meanwhile it's now under another Democrat that Putin is invading Ukraine. But who's to blame? Trump! I see why Trump likes Israel so much. Like Israel, he gets blamed for everything even though most of the time he's not responsible.

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/apr/05/ex-trump-aide-paul-manafort-approved-black-ops-to-help-ukraine-president supported pro Russian puppet

Donald Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort authorised a secret media operation on behalf of Ukraine’s former president featuring “black ops”, “placed” articles in the Wall Street Journal and US websites and anonymous briefings against Hillary Clinton.

The project was designed to boost the reputation of Ukraine’s then leader, Viktor Yanukovych. It was part of a multimillion-dollar lobbying effort carried out by Manafort on behalf of Yanukovych’s embattled government, emails and documents reveal.

Putin’s absurd, angry spectacle will be a turning point in his long reign

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/21/putin-angry-spectacle-amounts-to-declaration-war-ukraine

Sergei Naryshkin, the hawkish head of Russia’s spy service, known for making aggressively anti-western statements, stuttered uncomfortably as Putin grilled him on whether he supported the decision.

“Speak directly!” Putin snapped, twice.

Eventually, when he was able to get the words out, Naryshkin said he supported “the LNR and DNR becoming part of Russia.” Putin told him that wasn’t the subject of the discussion; it was only recognition being weighed up.

Gen. McCaffrey: Trump, Pompeo's Support Of 'Murderous Thug' Putin Endangers America

Trump's Policy Of Giving Putin Everything He Wants Was No Help To Ukraine

G-d color of hair?

 Chagiga (14a). One verse says: His raiment was as white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; and [elsewhere] it is written: His locks are curled and black as a raven! — There is no contradiction: one verse [refers to God] in session, and the other in war. For a Master said: In session none is more fitting than an old man, and in war none is more fitting than a young man.   One passage says: His throne was fiery flames; and another Passage says: Till thrones were places, and One that was ancient of days did sit! — There is no contradiction: one [throne] for Him, and one for David; this is the view of R. Akiba. Said R. Jose the Galilean  to him: Akiba, how long wilt thou treat the Divine Presence as profane! Rather, [it must mean], one for justice and one for grace. Did he accept [this explanation from him, or did he not accept it? — Come and hear: One for justice and one for grace; this is the view of R. Akiba. Said R. Eleazar b. ‘Azariah to him: Akiba, what hast thou to do with Aggadah? Cease thy talk, and turn to [the laws concerning defilement through] leprosy-signs and tent-covering! Rather, [it must mean] one for a throne and one for a stool; the throne to sit upon, the stool for a footrest, for it is said: The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My foot-rest.

Ben Yehoyada(Chagiga 14a) לָא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן בִּישִׁיבָה, כָּאן בְּמִלְחָמָה

הנה נודע דמה שנגלה לעיניהם הוא בדרך שאמר הכתוב (הושע יב, יא) וּבְיַד הַנְּבִיאִים אֲדַמֶּה, שאין הנביאים רואין מראה ממש אלא כל אחד יצטייר לפניו כפי מה שיוכל להשיג ולסבול וכן כאן נצטייר לעיניהם אורות חסדים עליונים במראה שערות לבנות ועל הים נצטייר לעיניהם אורות גבורות עליונים במראה שערות שחורות ומלבד שהיה זה המראה כדי להשכילם ענין סודיי ונסתר על הארת העולמות למעלה.

עוד לימדם בזה בינה להבין ולהשכיל דכן ראוי להיות בישיבה זקן ובמלחמה בחור ויבינו בזה דבר מתוך דבר דבמלחמה צריך זרוז ומהירות במעשה המלחמה ולא יתנהגו בכבידות אלא כטבע הבחור שהוא תקיף וזריז ומהיר אך בישיבה שהוא ענין לימוד תורה לתלמידים לא טוב החפזון ומהירות אלא יתנהג בכבידות כטבע הזקן.

Gravitas Plus | Explained: The Russia-Ukraine crisis

Stars are intelligent beings

 Mishna Torah (Yesodei hatorah 3:3) All of the stars and spheres are beings, endowed with a soul, intelligence and understanding; they continue a purposeful life and are conscious of the existence of Him Who spoke and the universe sprang forth. Each and every one, according to his greatness and degree, extol and glorify the Creator as do the angels; and to the extent that they recognize the Holy One, blessed is He! they also know their own selves and the angels above them. But the intelligence of the stars and spheres is lesser than the intelligence of the angels, but greater than the intelligence of man.

Moreh Nevuchim (2:5:1) SCRIPTURE supports the theory that the spheres are animate and intellectual, i.e., capable of comprehending things: that they are not, as ignorant persons believe, inanimate masses like fire and earth, but are, as the philosophers assert, endowed with life, and serve their Lord, whom they mightily praise and glorify; comp. "The heavens declare the glory of God," etc. (Ps. 19:2). It is a great error to think that this is a mere figure of speech: for the verbs "to declare" and "to relate," when joined together, are, in Hebrew, only used of intellectual beings. That the Psalmist really means to describe the heavens' own doing, in other words, what the spheres actually do, and not what man thinks of them, may be best inferred from the words, "There is no speech, nor language, their voice is not heard" (ver. 4). Here he clearly shows that he describes the heavens themselves as in reality praising God, and declaring His wonders without words of lip and tongue. When man praises God in words actually uttered, he only relates the ideas which he has conceived, but these ideas form the real praise. The reason why he gives expression to these ideas is to be found in his desire to communicate them to others, or to make himself sure that he has truly conceived them. Therefore it is said, "Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still" (Ps. 4:5). Only ignorant or obstinate persons would refuse to admit this proof taken from Scripture. 

Moreh Nevuchim (2:5:2) As to the opinion of our Sages, I do not see any necessity for expounding or demonstrating it. Consider only the form they gave to the blessing recited on seeing the new moon, the ideas repeatedly occurring in the prayers and the remarks in the Midrash on the following and similar passages:--"And the host of heaven worshippeth thee" (Neh. 9:6); "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7). In Bereshit Rabba, on the passage--"And the earth was empty and formless" (Gen. 1:2), our Sages remark as follows: "The words tohu and bohu mean mourning and crying; the earth mourned and cried on account of her evil lot, saying, 'I and the heavens were created together, and yet the beings above live for ever, and we are mortal.'" Our Sages, by this remark, indicate their belief that the spheres are animated beings, and not inanimate matter like the elements. 

Moreh Nevuchim (2:5:3) The opinion of Aristotle, that the spheres are capable of comprehension and conception, is in accordance with the words of our prophets and our theologians or Sages. The philosophers further agree that this world below is governed by influences emanating from the spheres, and that the latter comprehend and have knowledge of the things which they influence. This theory is also met with in Scripture: comp. [the stars and all the host of heaven] "which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations" (Deut. 4:19), that is to say, the stars, which God appointed to be the means of governing His creatures, and not the objects of man's worship. It has therefore been stated clearly: "And to rule over the day and over the night" (Gen. 1:18). The term "ruling" here refers to the power which the spheres possess of governing the earth, in addition to the property of giving light and darkness. The latter property is the direct cause of genesis and destruction; it is described in the words, "And to divide the light from the darkness (ibid.). It is impossible to assume that those who rule a thing are ignorant of that very thing which they rule, if we take "to rule" in its proper sense. We will add another chapter on this subject. 

Dancing with the Moon: innovations in the Kiddush Levana in light of the first moon landing

 https://opensiddur.org/prayers/lunisolar/roshei-hadashim/kiddush-levanah/dancing-with-the-moon-innovations-in-the-kiddush-levana-in-light-of-the-first-moon-landing/

 The day after humankind’s first landing on the Lunar surface July 20, 1969, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported on a poetic and topical innovation to the Kiddush Levana, the Blessing over the Moon, by Israeli Armed Forces’ Chief Chaplain General Shlomo Goren in the IDF Siddur.

Conspiracy theories related to the Trump–Ukraine scandal

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_theories_related_to_the_Trump–Ukraine_scandal

President Trump had long felt that the conclusion of the United States Intelligence Community and the Mueller Report – that the Russian government had interfered in the 2016 election to benefit him – might undermine the legitimacy of his election as president.[13][1] He and his allies – most notably his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani – promoted the alternative narrative that the Ukrainian government had interfered to benefit Hillary Clinton, in coordination with Democrats, the digital forensics company CrowdStrike and the FBI, alleging that the Russian government had been framed.[14] The New York Times reported in November 2019 that American intelligence determined Russia conducted a yearslong campaign to frame Ukraine for the 2016 election interference.[3] Contrary to Trump's allegations, it is the consensus judgment of the American intelligence community and the Senate Intelligence Committee that it was Russia, not Ukraine, that interfered in the 2016 elections.[15]

Trump Called Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine "So Smart" In 2014

 https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/christophermassie/trump-called-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-so-smart-in-2014

Donald Trump said in an April 2014 interview that Russia's invasion of Ukraine was "so smart."

Meanwhile, in another March 2014 speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump reiterated his praise for Putin's intervention in Ukraine, saying it was smart to do it right after the Olympics, which were held that year in Sochi.

"So he has the Olympics," Trump said that May. "The day after the Olympics, he starts with Ukraine. The day after. How smart? You know, he didn’t want to do it during the Olympics. Boom. The day after. So our athletes leave, we all leave, and the day after. And you know, when he goes in and takes Crimea, he’s taking the heart and soul because that’s where all the money is. I was surprised. I heard that the other day. They were saying, most of the wealth comes right from that area.”

"That's the area with the wealth," Trump continued. "So that means the rest of Ukraine will fall and it's predicted to fall fairly quickly. Because without the money, it's like this country. If we don't make this country great, it's gonna fall. It's gonna really fall. It's already falling. You go into our airports, you go look at our bridges, you look at our roadways, we're becoming a third-world country. So when you see what they're doing in Ukraine, it's just a question of time."

Jen Psaki hits back at Trump calling Putin's invasion plan of Ukraine 'GENIUS' and calls on GOP to stand up to former president's praise of Russian autocratic leade

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10540509/Jen-Psaki-hits-Trump-calling-Putins-invasion-plan-Ukraine-GENIUS.html

• Press secretary Jen Psaki hit back at former President Donald Trump for calling Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion plan of Ukraine 'genius' and 'smart'
• She also said it was up to Republicans to ensure the issue doesn't become more politicized 
• ''As a matter of policy, we try not to take advice from anyone who praises President Putin and his military strategy,' she said at Tuesday's briefing 
• She pointed to comments Trump reportedly made to G7 leaders in 2018 when he said Crimea was a part of Russia because people there spoke Russian 
• And said that Trump had 'expressed an openness' to lifting sanctions on Russia for the 2014 invasion 
• She said Trump and Biden's different tactics were probably why Biden was able to 'rally the world' to take steps against 'Russian aggression' 
• When asked if there were concerns comments like Trump's could lead to support of Ukraine becoming a more partisan she pointed to members of the GOP 
• 'You know, I think that is up to members of the Republican Party to make the decision, to make the determination,' she told DailyMail.com 

Trump calls Putin's Ukraine strategy "very savvy"

 https://www.axios.com/ukraine-trump-putin-russia-444fd0a7-a9c9-49bd-8c18-b9e79e36b288.html

Former President Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin "very savvy" after Putin recognized two breakaway "republics" in eastern Ukraine as independent.

Why it matters: Western leaders have denounced the declaration as a violation of international law and Ukrainian sovereignty. Russian forces have moved into Ukraine under the guise of peacekeeping.

Rav Ovadiah Disses The Chazon Ish

http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/2011/02/rav-ovadiah-disses-chazon-ish.html

Rav Ovadiah spent his most recent motzei shabbos shiur dissing the Chazon Ish regarding his use of larger sizes for measurements. I actually find it a bit amusing. Here is what he said, according to the Kikar Shabbos website:

Rav Ovadia said that the measurements in halacha are all based on the size of the coin called the Drahm. This coin, he says, was not found in the hands of the Chazon Ish, but was found by Rav Chaim Na'eh. Beyond that, after the argument about the proper sizes, all the ashkenazy rabbonim supported Rav Chaim Na'eh's position, though the Chazon Ish and the Steipler stuck to their guns supporting the larger size measurements.

Trump praises Putin's 'genius' as GOP fissures grow on Ukraine crisis

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-praises-putins-genius-gop-fissures-grow-ukraine-crisis-rcna17259

As congressional Republican leaders push President Joe Biden to act more forcefully to punish Vladimir Putin for sending troops into Ukraine, former GOP President Donald Trump and some of his prominent allies have been praising the Russian leader’s style of power.

The fissures point to a growing divide in the Republican Party, between traditional foreign policy hawks who have advocated for a more confrontational U.S. posture to the Russian strongman and a Trump-aligned “MAGA” faction that has expressed some sympathy for Putin's tactics or described them as effective.

“I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius.’ Putin declares a big portion of Ukraine — Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful,” Trump told a conservative podcaster in an interview published Tuesday.

הרבנים הראשיים בהוראה חריגה: להוציא מיסיונרית שהתחזתה ליהודייה מהקבר

 https://www.israelhayom.co.il/judaism/judaism-news/article/8413749

שנים לאחר שאישה חרדית נפטרה ממחלה ונקברה בבית עלמין בירושלים – התגלה כי כל משפחתה הייתה מיסיונרית מתחזה • אנשי חברה קדישא פנו לרבנים הראשיים בשאלה כיצד לנהוג – וקיבלו תשובה חריגה בחומרתה

Cheney: Trump's 'adulation' of Putin 'aids our enemies'

 https://thehill.com/policy/international/595425-cheney-trumps-adulation-of-putin-aids-our-enemies

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said Tuesday night that former President Trump was working against American interests after he offered praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin during a Tuesday interview on "The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show."

"Former President Trump’s adulation of Putin today - including calling him a 'genius' - aids our enemies," Cheney tweeted. "Trump’s interests don’t seem to align with the interests of the United States of America."

Trump sides with Putin as Biden tries to stop a war

 https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/23/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-joe-biden/index.html

It took only 24 hours for Donald Trump to hail Russian President Vladimir Putin's dismembering of independent, democratic, sovereign Ukraine as an act of "genius."

The former President often accuses his enemies falsely of treason, but his own giddy rush to side with a foreign leader who is proving to be an enemy of the United States and the West is shocking even by Trump's self-serving standards.

As President Joe Biden reprises the fabled presidential role of leading the free world, the predecessor who wants to succeed him is showing Putin that impunity, dictator-coddling and hero worship will return if he wins back the White House. Trump's remarks on a conservative radio show on Tuesday will not only find a warm welcome in the Kremlin. They also will concern allies standing alongside the US against Russia who fear for NATO's future if Trump returns.

In MAGA World, Contempt for Biden Is Matched by Respect for Putin

 https://www.newsweek.com/maga-world-contempt-biden-matched-respect-putin-1681624

Amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, right-wing politicians and media figures loyal to former President Donald Trump have alternately slammed Democratic President Joe Biden for getting the U.S. involved, while praising Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strong and capable leader.

Most notably, Trump praised Putin's invasion into Russia as "genius" and "wonderful" in Tuesday's broadcast of the conservative talk radio program The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Trump also referred to Putin as "tough" and patriotic.

"I went in yesterday, and there was a television screen, and I said, 'This is genius.' Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine...as independent," Trump said. "Oh, that's wonderful. I said, 'How smart is that?' And he's going to go in and be a peacekeeper."

"I mean, you know, he's a tough cookie, got a lot of the great charm and a lot of pride. But the way he—and he loves his country, you know? He loves his country," Trump continued.

Russia suspends its mission at NATO, shuts alliance’s office

KA claims "NATO enmity towards Russia will only hurt the West in the end". Criticizing them for spying clearly shows a lack of love and respect.

 https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-moscow-sergey-lavrov-f03d2f2f8e3086b0490d4f9e95cdf655

Russia on Monday suspended its mission at NATO and ordered the closure of the alliance’s office in Moscow in retaliation for NATO’s expulsion of Russian diplomats.

Earlier this month, NATO withdrew the accreditation of eight Russian officials to its Brussels headquarters, saying it believes they have been secretly working as Russian intelligence officers. NATO also halved the size of Moscow’s team at its headquarters from 20 to 10.

Moscow has dismissed the accusations as baseless. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov delivered Moscow’s response Monday, announcing the suspension of Russia’s mission at NATO and the closure of the alliance’s military liaison and information offices in the Russian capital.

USC to pay $1.1 billion to settle gynecologist’s hundreds of sex abuse cases

 https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/usc-to-pay-1-1-billion-to-settle-2355868/

The University of Southern California apparently has set a record — one which parents should pray no college has reason to challenge and for which the educators and leaders at the Los Angeles campus should be sorry and ashamed.

The Trojans have announced they will pay $1.1 billion to settle lawsuits over the tawdry actions of Dr. George Tyndall, who was the lone gynecologist for young women treated in the student health service.

The school has admitted that he saw 17,000 patients in his three decades at the school and sexually abused many of them. As the Los Angeles Times reported:

Former Illinois gynecologist gets 3 years in prison for sexually abusing patients

 https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/former-illinois-gynecologist-gets-3-years-in-prison-for-sexually-abusing-patients

Former gynecologist Fabio Ortega has pleaded guilty to criminal sexual abuse.

The former NorthShore University HealthSystem doctor was sentenced to three years in prison. He pleaded guilty to abusing women during their exams.

Ortega will get credit for the past five months he has spent on electronic monitoring.

A number of women have sued Ortega and the health system over the abuse accusations.

Former student files sexual abuse suit against former UCLA OB-GYN

 https://dailybruin.com/2021/12/10/former-student-files-sexual-abuse-suit-against-former-ucla-ob-gyn

The lawsuit against Wiesmeier alleged sexual battery and misconduct, civil rights violations and emotional harm. The lawsuit further alleged that the UC Regents were aware of Wiesmeier’s conduct but did not further investigate or use safeguards to prevent sexual abuse.

UCLA spokesperson Steve Ritea said in an emailed statement that sexual misconduct is inexcusable, adding that the university published a report in June 2020 compiled by an independent UC Regents special committee investigating misconduct at UCLA Health.

The report named multiple UCLA Health physicians, including Wiesmeier and UCLA OB-GYN James Heaps, who is also accused of sexual assault. Heaps was criminally indicted on 21 counts of felony sexual misconduct in May 2021 and civil lawsuits with hundreds of plaintiffs. He has pled not guilty on all counts.

UCLA Settles Gynecologist Sex Abuse Suit for $243.6 Million

 https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2022-02-08/ucla-settles-gynecologist-abuse-suit-for-more-than-100m

The University of California has agreed to pay $243.6 million to settle allegations that hundreds of women were sexually abused by a former UCLA gynecologist, lawyers and the university announced Tuesday.

The settlement covers about 50 cases involving 203 women who said they were groped or otherwise abused by Dr. James Heaps over a 35-year career. Each will receive $1.2 million, attorneys said.

The deal was reached with the assistance of a private mediator after substantial litigation, the parties said.

The lawsuits said that UCLA ignored decades of complaints and deliberately concealed abuse.

Israeli gynecologist allegedly sexually assaulted 20 women

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-690259

Two Israeli women filed complaints on Wednesday to Israel Police against Israeli gynecologist Dr. Guy Rofe for committing sexual assault while treating the women, Ynet reported.

In total, 20 women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against Rofe, with eight of them filing an official complaint to the Health Ministry.

One of the complaints filed to the Health Ministry included allegations of rape.

Trump Truth Social User Claims App Censored Anti-Vaccine Content

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-truth-social-user-claims-app-censored-anti-vaccine-content-1681507

Peters posted on Telegram on Tuesday that he was "already being censored on Truth Social." He included a screenshot of his account with a "sensitive content" warning that advised the content may not be suitable for all audiences. To see the post, users had to click "show content."

"Want to know what I said?" Peters wrote on Telegram. "I said, 'The people in our government responsible for allowing our kids to be killed with these dangerous COVID shots, should be put on trial and executed.'"

בעקבות הפגיעה במטופלות : הנחיות הלכתיות נוקשות לגינקולוגים ולנבדקות

 https://www.israelhayom.co.il/judaism/synagogue/article/7210505

רבנים ורופאים בכירים ניסחו שמונה תקנות להתנהלות רופאי נשים לאחר מקרי הפגיעה המינית במטופלות לאחרונה • בין הכללים: במהלך הבדיקה לא יתקיימו שיחות חולין, ועדכון של גורם נוסף במרפאה במידה שיש לנעול את דלת החדר

How rich is Trump, really?

Seichel vs halacha - Rav Abramsky vs Chazon Ish

updated In my discussions with Rav Sternbuch regarding dealing with child abuse the question came up whether a person needed to first overcome the halacha barriers before considering the information. In other words if he didn't have two frum male witnesses should he ignore the information or if it wasn't clear whether a rumor was lashon harah should he avoid listening to it.  In short the view presented by Rav Menashe Klein and the Aguda rabbanim. His response was that he had heard from Rav Abramsky that first a poskek needs to know the facts and then submit them to halachic analysis.  He also wrote a teshuva basing himself on Rav Chaim Ozer and the Gerer Rebbe that a menahel has to listen to all rumors - and not dismiss them first as lashon harah. See Rav Sternbuch 5:398
Also one of my sons just showed me the following which shows it is not just the view of Rav Abramsky

שו"ת מנחת יצחק חלק ט סימן קנ

 מ"מ נשארתי בצ"ע, והוא עפ"י אשר קבלתי מהגאון הגדול מראדימישלא זצ"ל, אשר אז בעת בחורותי הייתי מתאבק הרבה אצלו, והרבה שאלות עגונות באו לפניו, הי' אומר כללו, ואח"כ ראיתי שכן כתב גם בספר בשו"ת חבצלת השרון מדודו הגאון הגדול זצ"ל (א"ע סי' כ"ח), וז"ל: מראש כל אמינא להו מה ששמעתי מפי הרב הגאון מוה"ר דובעריש ראפיפארט ז"ל אבד"ק ראווא, שהי' מקובל מפי רבו הגאון בעמח"ס נודע בשערים אבד"ק לובלין ז"ל שבבואו לפניו איזה שאלה, מקודם הוא שוקל בשכלו על אמיתת הענין לפי שכל אנושי שהדבר אמת, אז הוא מעיין עפ"י חוקי תוה"ק מה משפטו, וכן הוא אצלי וכו' עכ"ל. וכ"ז עבר במחשבתי, שהי' קשה לי המציאות שידורו יחד כחמש שנים בלי ליגע בה כלל כפי דברי',

====================

My son just came across the following which indicates that this view was solidly rejected by the Chazon Ish.

"Rav Yoel Kluft said that one of the rabbis in Israel had told him that when a question of Aguna arose that it was necessary to first see according to seichel (commonsense) whether the husband was alive or dead. Only afterwards to do a halachic analysis. The Chazon Ish responded angrily, "It is prohibited to say such a thing. It is necessary to see the halacha!"

מעשה איש חלק ד` עמ` קיב

שח הג"ר יואל קלופט זצ"ל לפני רבינו, שאחד הרבנים בארץ אמר לו שכאשר מגיעה שאלה בעגונה, וצריך דבר ראשון לראות על פי השכל אם הבעל חי או מת, ואח”כ לעשות את החשבונות בהלכה.  הגיב על כך החזו”א בריתחא ואמר : “אסור להגיד כך. צריך לראות בהלכה!” (מבנו הג”ר חיים שליט”א)

 =====================================================================
A friend of mine however insists that the following letter of the Chazon Ish contradicts what I said - however I disagree since the Chazon Ish clearly says there are two stages and the first one is to clarify the halacha and then afterwards to look at metzius.

אגרות חזון איש (א:לא): בירור משפט בבחינת הלכה למעשה נחלק לעיונים שנים. העיון הראשין להניף הסלת הנקי סעיפי המשפט התוריים. ואחריו עיון השני החדירה בהעובדא הנוכחת לפנינו במלעיותיה ומגרעותה ובדיוק משקל של כל פרק מפרקיה כדי להתאים את הנידון אל סעיף ההלכה המכוון עליו. ומרובים המכשולים של ההתאמה כוזבת מהמשכולים ביודה ההלכה. ז"א אף שאין הדיין אומר על מותר אסור ועל אסור מותר בכל זאת הוא נכשל בהמעשה שבא לידו ומחליט בכח מדומה שזו שבא לידו היא של הסעיף הידוע בעת שהעלים עין מקו דק רב הערך בפלילת המשפט הנבנה תמיד על קיום שכליים דקים. ובהעלמה זו הוציא משפט מעוקל מעוות לא יוכל לתקן. ובשל העיון האחרון נשללה ההוראה מן ההמון אף בדברים שהאוסר והמותר מפורסם תכלית הפרסום ונתנ לחכמים שבכל דור לחקות לאשורה של כל שאלה המופיעה מזמן לזמן שהחכמים יפתרוה מנקודת עיון מקיף והסתכלות בהירה.

Cue the outrage machine — Fox News is paying attention to Canada

 https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2022/02/18/cue-the-outrage-machine-fox-news-is-paying-attention-to-canada.html

Trump and Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene have already long since weighed in. Fox News is running wall-to-wall commentary: one Fox host called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “a wannabe emperor, a haircut with an ego.” A gelato truck operator who was harassed after donating to the convoy made an appearance, as did the interim leader of the Conservative party. Tucker Carlson called Trudeau a “Stalinist dictator” who “suspended democracy and declared Canada a dictatorship.”

Analysis of records purportedly hacked from a crowdfunding website revealed more than half of the donors to the protest — and a little less than half of total funds raised — are from the U.S., including from members of far-right groups such as the Oath Keepers.

Trudeau wins House vote on Emergencies Act

 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/21/trudeau-wins-house-vote-emergencies-act-00010474

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said the threat posed by the so-called Freedom Convoy justified use of the act. “They came here to overthrow a democratically elected government,” he said last week. “It is a movement funded by foreign influence, and it is fed on disinformation. Its goal is to disrupt our democracy.”

“Hurtful and racist symbols were everywhere … the incessant honking was unbearable,” Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi told POLITICO over the weekend. “Nearby parking lots were used as urinals, our skies were filled with firecrackers as they were hurled down streets every night, and the air was thick with diesel fuel.”

Protesters also shut down key trade corridors for a time along the U.S.-Canada border, including at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont.

Once the Emergencies Act was invoked, police created a perimeter around key blocks in downtown Ottawa and established checkpoints to control entry into the area.

New York Jewish group slams AOC after she accused Israel of caging Arab kids

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/322624

Following comments by pro-Palestinian protesters at the event, Ocasio-Cortez accused Israel of putting Arab children in Judea and Samaria in cages, saying: “I don’t believe that a child should be in a cage on our border, and I don’t believe a child should be in a cage in the West Bank.”

On Sunday, the Queens Jewish Community Council responded to Ocasio-Cortez’s comments, accusing her of smearing the Jewish state.

“The Queens Jewish community is concerned when a local elected official makes spurious and reckless suggestions aimed at Israel,” Michael Nussbaum, president of the Queens Jewish Community Council, told The New York Post.

“Bombastic suggestions and lies are dangerous when spewed by sitting politicians anywhere on the political spectrum. When the far left mimics the far right in lies and exaggerations, democracy and dialogue suffers.”

AOC’s newest cage complaint: Now it’s Israel ‘locking up kids’

 https://thejewishvoice.com/2022/02/aocs-newest-cage-complaint-now-its-israel-locking-up-kids/

Far-left Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., has come up with a new complaint about kids being locked up in cages, but if this talking point is anything like her last on the topic, it won’t end well for her.

In fact, her claim that now Israel is locking Palestinian kids in cages already has brought a backlash against her.

It’s from World Israel News that at a rally of the Democrat Socialists of America in Texas, Cortez complained, “I don’t believe that a child should be in a cage on our border, and I don’t believe a child should be in a cage in the West Bank.”