What an utter waste and embarrassment.
The US military has ended its mission to operate a temporary floating pier to deliver more aid to the Gaza Strip, after it was beset by weather, technical and security problems.
Supplies from Cyprus would now by shipped by US vessels to the Israeli port of Ashdod and then transported by lorry to northern Gaza via an Israeli-controlled crossing, the deputy head of Central Command said.
Vice-Adm Brad Cooper insisted the pier had enabled a “surge” in aid deliveries, noting that more than 9,000 tonnes had been delivered over two months.
However, it was operational for only about 20 days and had been out of action since 28 June because of bad weather.
What Admiral Cooper does not say is that most, or all, of that 9,000 tons was immediately stolen and used by Hamas. This entire story was an utter failure and a fiasco.
-This entire story was an utter failure and a fiasco.
Pretty much describes Biden’s entire presidency.
Merlin, I agree that this pier was a disaster. But it is funny to think that his entire presidency was. he has accomplished a TON as President. Even if you disagree with things he has done. Honest question for you Merlin. Biden had the Inflation Reduction Act, Infrastructure, & CHIPS. What do you consider Trump’s signature legislation? I am honestly drawing blanks as to any lasting legislation he got done? Both of them had money for COVID, but that isn’t really lasting. My only thought is the Warp Speed program.
Probably the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but visit trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov where they plug all of their accomplishments. Some poor intern probably got stuck putting all those claims in writing. Failures will be found somewhere else in very, very small type.
The Jobs act was significant. but most of it expires in 2025. And IMO they should let it expire if they want ANY hopes and attempting to balance a budget. But we all know that shipped sailed years ago. Nothing lasting for him. And it is one of my biggest sticking points on Trump is that he is not good enough as a politician to get anything significant accomplished. Maybe that changes if he is elected?? I am interested in his speech tonight to see if he has any ACTUAL ideas or if he just lists off problems and says that he can fix them but doesn’t actually have solutions.
The inflation reduction act that finally lowered inflation by .01% in May 2024, the very first lowering of inflation in his tenure after a 20% increase in costs of living? That Dem policies caused? I guess you can say that he did do a ton of things, but I would not call them accomplishments. Leaving all the vulnerable people he left in Afghanistan, the HAMAS support, the failures and weakness shown in foreign meetings, caving to Russia and China, yeah he did a ton.
The infrastructure and CHIPS act may have some okay ideas, but they have yet to do anything positive, and notably, blue states are getting the bulk of the money (not yet really used for its allocation), so they can go either way.
For me Trump’s greatest accomplishment was his stand against China with tariffs. Remember that he had both Dems and Reps against him last time so mostly what you can look at were executive actions. So far, the Reps are much more behind him this time so maybe he gets more good done or more bad, who knows with him.
T, everyone knows the Inflation Reduction Act was a sham of a name. It was a primarily a green energy incentive program. Subsidies on more energy efficient items for the home and EVs. If it was going to reduce inflation, it wasn’t going to be for a while in the future. And there would be ZERO way to tell what caused it. So, there is no way to say the IRA actually did anything for inflation. Now or in the future. I think it will probably help, but only slightly. Nothing note-worthy.
And to be clear, I am happy with a green energy act. Incentivizing people to put solar, heat pumps, better weathering of their houses, and appliances is extremely helpful in the long run for our energy grid and consumption. We are actually looking at solar again for our house now. We have an old house that may require a new breaker box and a flat roof that I think may have some rotting under our PTO covering. So… lots to think about.
For the CHIPS act, I think AZ is in line to get some of that cash as well. Not just Blue states. This will help any state that is going to open a CHIP factory regardless of where it is.
And I agree that Trump fought an uphill battle. But, that is what you get when you are a belligerent A-hole to people. He lacked the ability to actually strike a deal, something that he was supposedly a master in. Maybe this term could be different with a more united R front behind him. But as you know, Trump is a wild-card. Who knows what he will do. If he continues his bullying ways, he might be stuck with no great accomplishments again.
>Incentivizing people to put solar, heat pumps, better weathering of their houses, and appliances is extremely helpful in the long run for our energy grid and consumption.
No problems with incentives, it is only the forcing I have a problem with.
>For the CHIPS act, I think AZ is in line to get some of that cash as well.
Interesting that you point this out as we currently have a Dem Governor and 2 non-Rep Senators despite having 6 Republicans to 3 Democrats in the House. All from the same populace…but there was obviously no fraud in AZ. Personally I would call CHIPs cash to AZ a Dem payback, but that is assuredly drawn from my belief that Guv has the most crooked people in all the population. And crooked people love to make deals for money with the super-wealthy.
>And I agree that Trump fought an uphill battle. But, that is what you get when you are a belligerent A-hole to people.
And much more importantly, a political outsider. Clintons were total assholes, just ask the servants and secret service, but they did not have the obstacles because they played the game of enriching the rich and centralizing power in Government.
I criticized Obama on this as well. He couldn’t work with McConnel. There was no give and take. And granted Mitch was a total obstructionist, but that is what you will have to deal with these days. Trump was the same way, he sucked at making deals in congress. I think he was just too used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it that he really didn’t know HOW to negotiate and horse trade. And he may not have to if he gets elected again depending on the numbers. Trump has always been a strong-arm bully. It seems like if he can’t do that, he doesn’t really have a play.
I give Biden credit that he has always been good at working Congress. CHIPS and Infrastructure were both passed with votes on both sides of the aisle. I hate how Biden has handled a lot of other things, but he knew how to get people to give and take.
McConnell is indeed a bureaucratic worm, but Trump could have been the most charismatic, nicest man on the planet, but if he is not willing to give away billions in boondoggles and is not recognized as Dem or Rep, he would not have gotten anymore done than he did the first term. Any President’s only shot at successes is based on his Party and their relative strength in Congress to get a lot done. In fact, though POTUS gets credit or blame for their administration’s time in office, they cannot introduce bills into Congress. So having virtually no supporters in Congress, Trump had no power to ‘get things accomplished’ save through executive orders, where he spent 10 billion in 4 years. Biden has spent over 2 trillion to date, or 200,000 TIMES more on things he could not get through Congress even with 2 years of majority support in Congress. Trump did not do that. If you were hurting for money as much as the typical middle class person you would not be for giving other people’s debts to you, as you have continually been okay with. I still don’t understand how you support the ‘forgiving’ school debt when the debt has not been forgiven, it has been passed to you. BUT, you do you and bless you for it:).
If the intent was direct support for Hamas the the objective was at least partially achieved.