U.S. Officials Go to Entirely New Level to Achieve Peace, Reportedly Open to Talks With Taliban

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The United States is open to holding direct talks with the Taliban to encourage negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government to end 17 years of war, U.S. officials said Monday.

That marks a tactical shift by the Trump administration, which has previously only appeared willing to participate in discussions with the Taliban if those talks also involve the Afghan government. The U.S. officials said that Afghan-to-Afghan negotiation remains the goal of any engagement with the militants.

The officials were not authorized to speak to media and requested anonymity.

The Taliban have long refused direct talks with the Afghan government, demanding instead to negotiate with Washington. The militants have persisted in that stance despite Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s unilateral extension of a holiday cease-fire last month in hopes of encouraging the militants to come to the bargaining table. With the Taliban continuing to mount deadly attacks, Ghani ordered government forces to resume military operations this month.

The unprecedented, three-day cease-fire by both sides had offered a rare glimpse of peace for Afghans during which militants fraternized with security force members.

A Taliban official in the small Gulf Arab nation of Qatar told The Associated Press on Monday that no American official or intermediary has been in touch with them to start direct talks, and it had only heard of it in the media. The administration’s willingness to hold direct talks with the Taliban was first reported by The New York Times on Sunday.

The Taliban official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was authorized to speak to journalists, said, “We wait for them to officially inform us.” But he added that if the U.S. is interested in talks, it should take steps to get Taliban leaders off a sanctions blacklist and support the formal opening of the Taliban office in Qatar where its political representatives reside. The official reiterated the Taliban’s call for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

Asked if the U.S. was willing to hold direct talks with the Taliban, the State Department said Monday, the United States “is exploring all avenues to advance a peace process in close consultation with the Afghan government.”

The department added that “any negotiations over the political future of Afghanistan will be between the Taliban and the Afghan government.”

Last August, President Donald Trump launched an Afghanistan strategy that centered on boosting the capabilities of Afghan security forces and aiming — with help from Pakistan and other interested nations — to compel the militants to negotiate. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Afghanistan last week to reinforce its support for talks.

“The United States will support, facilitate, and participate in these peace discussions, but peace must be decided by the Afghans and settled among them. We expect that these peace talks will include a discussion of the role of international actors and forces,” Pompeo said after meeting Ghani in Kabul on July 9.

The U.S. invaded Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, and ousted the Taliban government that had hosted al-Qaida. It has about 15,000 troops in Afghanistan, mostly for training government forces.

The conflict appears stalemated, with insurgents controlling or contesting more than 40 percent of the country. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan said Sunday that 1,692 civilians were killed in violence in the first six months of this year, the highest six-month death toll since the systematic documentation of civilian casualties started in 2009. (For more from the author of “U.S. Officials Go to Entirely New Level to Achieve Peace, Reportedly Open to Talks With Taliban” please click HERE)

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Here’s the Russian Interference Context the Lying Media Won’t Give You

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Monday on the radio, LevinTV host Mark Levin pushed back on the one-sided commentary attacking President Trump for how he handled his meeting with Vladimir Putin. He noted that Trump is being held to a different standard than former President Barack Obama.

“Now I understand there will be those out there who say, ‘Look, we’re focused on Trump. Why do you want to talk about Obama?’ I want to talk about both because the hypocrisy — in fact, the bald-faced lying — is so obvious that you have to talk in context,” Levin said.

Levin played 2017 audio of former President Barack Obama acknowledging that the Russians tried to interfere in the U.S. election. Levin pointed out that Obama himself said Putin’s election interference must be confronted in a “thoughtful, methodical way,” some of it publicly, some of it privately.

Levin argued that while Russian election interference was happening, Obama never confronted Putin publicly and the media was silent. But now the media is excoriating Trump for failing to ream Putin at a public press conference.

“Context is everything,” Levin said. “And they’re not giving you context, are they?”

Listen:

Mocking the different standards for Obama and Trump, Levin gave an impression of what he thinks members of the media sound like they’re telling Trump today:

“By God, you should’ve stood up there today and said, ‘Hey, Putin look what you did! Look what you did! Admit it! Admit it now! I’ve got the cuffs in my back pocket, and I’m going to cuff you and drag you off the damn stage!’”

“Is this a joke?” Levin asked seriously. “It sounds like a joke.” (For more from the author of “Here’s the Russian Interference Context the Lying Media Won’t Give You” please click HERE)

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Putin Calls Collusion ‘Utter Nonsense’ – Asks Reporter This IMPORTANT Question

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By The Daily Caller. Russian president Vladimir Putin called collusion between Trump and Russia “utter nonsense” during a joint press conference Monday.

“We should be guided by facts. Could you name a single fact that would definitively prove the collusion?” Putin asked a reporter who asked about collusion.

“It is utter nonsense. Just like the president recently mentioned.” (Read more from “Putin Calls Collusion ‘Utter Nonsense’ – Asks Reporter This Important Question” HERE)

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Donald Trump Meets Vladimir Putin: The Key Moments From the Summit

By ABC News. Standing alongside the man accused of coordinating an interference campaign in the election, Mr Trump defended Mr Putin and called the probe headed up by former FBI director Robert Mueller a “disaster”. . .

When asked if he would denounce what happened in 2016, Mr Trump responded: “I have great confidence in my intelligence people but I will tell you that President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial today …” . . .

The Russian leader also confirmed international suspicions and the assessments of the US intelligence community that he was rooting for Mr Trump over Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential election.

“Yes, I did,” Mr Putin said, when asked if he wanted Mr Trump to win.

“Yes, I did. Because he talked about bringing the US-Russia relationship back to normal.”

(Read more from “Donald Trump Meets Vladimir Putin: The Key Moments From the Summit” HERE)

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Putin’s Plea to Donald Trump During Meeting

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President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Putin in Helsinki, Finland on Monday generated widespread media controversy about the U.S. president’s purported servility.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plea to the United States to rig the world oil market revealed the vulnerability of his own country.

“I think that we as a major oil and gas power, and the United States as a major oil and gas power as well, we could work together on regulation of international markets, because neither of us is actually interested in the plummeting of the prices,” Putin said. . .

The Russian government is particularly sensitive to oil price volatility since its financing is heavily dependent on oil and gas revenue. In January, the Russian government exhausted its reserve fund by merging it with the National Welfare Fund to cover budget shortfalls, the country’s Ministry of Finance announced.

On Monday, world oil prices plunged over the potential release of global crude reserves and U.S. diplomatic talk over potential Iranian oil sanction waivers, Market Watch reported. Downward pressure from the International Monetary Fund’s projected sluggish global economic growth contributed to a decline in benchmark Brent crude prices on the ICE futures exchange to its lowest showing in three months: a 4.6% decline to close at $71.84 a barrel. (Read more from “Putin’s Plea to Donald Trump During Meeting” HERE)

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So, Did a Trump Joke Prompt Russia to Hack Hillary Clinton?

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By Daily Wire. On Friday, the Mueller investigation handed down 12 indictments against members of the Russian government for hacking Hillary Clinton’s emails, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the Democratic National Committee, among other crimes. There wasn’t much regarding Trump campaign involvement with these Russian agents. The strongest material linked the agents to Roger Stone, a Trump campaign ally who may not have been aware that they were Russian agents at all: he repeatedly tweeted out his support for Guccifer 2.0, who turned out to be a front for the Russians.

With that said, one specific allegation has inflamed the imaginations of those in the media and on the Left: the supposed linkage between then-candidate Donald Trump’s July 27 campaign comments, and the GRU’s attempts to hack Hillary Clinton’s personal email address. . .

It seems clear from the language used in the indictment that the DOJ is trying to connect Trump’s comments with the Russian interference in this case – “after hours” and “for the first time” suggest that something prompted this action. But even if Trump openly called for Russia to hack Hillary and she was hacked, that’s not collusion in any real sense – it’s just nasty, inexcusable jabbering followed by Russian criminality. For there to be collusion, there would have to be planning or a quid pro quo, and there’s no evidence of any of that right now. (Read more from “So, Did Trump Prompt Russia to Hack Hillary Clinton?” HERE)

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White House: Trump-Putin Summit ‘Is on’ After Hacking Indictment

By BBC. A summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will go ahead as planned despite tension over Moscow’s alleged election meddling, the White House says.

The pair will meet for talks in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, on Monday.

“It’s on,” White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters.

But there are calls for the meeting to be cancelled after the US charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with election interference on Friday.

For its part, Russia said it was looking forward to the meeting. (Read more from “White House: Trump-Putin Summit ‘Is on’ After Hacking Indictment” HERE)

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Ignore the Protesters: This Is How the British Really Feel About Trump

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Thanks to the exaggerated outrage of the mainstream media and the attention-seeking protests of London leftists, a narrative seems to have set in that the vast majority of British people oppose this week’s visit of President Trump. As a Brit myself, however, I am delighted to confirm this lazy slur could not be further from the truth.

In reality, the vast majority of British conservatives (and a good chunk of floating voters too) are coming to admire Trump. His unmistakable approach to politics – straight-talking, honest and completely fearless – is increasingly viewed with envy by British voters tired of backsliding career politicians. Brits look over the Atlantic and see a leader who actually puts his money where his mouth is – and gets results for it too.

To fully understand Trump’s popularity, you have to look at the current state of British politics. Over two years since the country voted to leave the European Union, we have seen virtually zero progress at delivering on the result of the referendum. Rather than battling with Brussels to return our sovereignty, end uncontrolled immigration, and give a better deal to British business, Theresa May’s government has been paralyzed by infighting, trying desperately to scrap together compromises which keep the establishment forces on side. Earlier this year, a British political journalist revealed that Trump often begins his calls with the Prime Minister by asking “are you out yet?” – and you can see why.

It’s no surprise that Brits are increasingly frustrated with the government’s mishandling of Brexit. What’s more interesting is that when you ask them what kind of leader they want to get us out of this mess, an increasing number are saying the same thing: someone like Trump. Brexit supporters observe how he deals with similar rubbish deals (the Iranian nuclear fiasco, for one) and they realize how much more can be achieved when leaders actually show some muscle.

Then there’s the fact that Trump remains the only international leader to publicly suggest offering Britain a new trade deal – something which is wildly popular with mainstream voters. While Brexit’s critics may paint the vote as insular and backwards, they forget that our biggest motivation for leaving Europe was to strike better trade deals elsewhere. As a businessman, Trump respects this. He has made loud and clear overtures in support of a big deal (unlike President Obama, who famously warned the Brits they would be “at the back of the queue” if they left the EU). (Read more from “Ignore the Protesters: This Is How the British Really Feel About Trump” HERE)

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Father of Rescued Thai Boy Details How Team Became Trapped

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The boys meant to explore the cave for just an hour, a casual jaunt to relax after soccer practice, but the waters rose. The teammates climbed higher, using their hands to feel the walls for a crawl space that would lead to safer, higher ground. Those handprints were among the first signs of where the boys were, what they had done to escape the floods, and what dangers rescuers would face in their mission to save the boys and their coach. . .

Banphot Konkum, father of 13-year-old Duangpetch Promthep, told The Associated Press his son — better known by his nickname, Dom — said the team members didn’t know rain had started falling after they had entered the cave on June 23. But the rain caused flooding in the cave, blocking them from exiting. . .

In their search for a safe haven, the boys were reported to have used their hands to feel the walls for an opening to take them to a higher, safer spot. Searchers later found what they thought were the boys’ handprints, giving them confidence the boys were alive and that the searchers were on the right path. (Read more from “Father of Rescued Thai Boy Details How Team Became Trapped” HERE)

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12 People Were Just Arrested for Hacking DNC

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Twelve Russian military intelligence officers hacked into the Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic Party and released tens of thousands of private communications in a sweeping conspiracy by the Kremlin to meddle in the 2016 U.S. election, according to an indictment announced days before President Donald Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The indictment represents special counsel Robert Mueller’s first charges against Russian government officials for interfering in American politics, an effort U.S. intelligence agencies say was aimed at helping the Trump campaign and harming his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. The case follows a separate indictment that accused Russians of using social media to sow discord among American voters.

The 29-page indictment lays out how, months before Americans went to the polls, Russians schemed to break into key Democratic email accounts, including those belonging to Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Stolen emails, many politically damaging for Clinton, appeared on WikiLeaks in the campaign’s final stretch. (Read more from “12 People Were Just Arrested for Hacking DNC” HERE)

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President Trump Has Released a Letter From Kim Jong Un, Here’s What It Says

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By Townhall. President Trump released a letter written by North Korea Dictator Kim Jong Un Thursday afternoon and said nuclear negotiations with the regime are going well. . .

The President’s release of the letter comes shortly after North Korean officials failed to show up to a meeting with U.S. leadership. The meeting was about returning the remains of American soldiers from the Korean War.

North Korean officials did not turn up to a Thursday meeting with the U.S. military about repatriating the remains of American war dead, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation.

In the meeting at the Korean Peninsula’s demilitarized zone, the two sides had been expected to discuss the return of U.S. troops’ remains from the 1950-53 Korean War — an arrangement that the State Department had announced after Secretary Michael R. Pompeo’s visit to Pyongyang last weekend.

(Read more from “President Trump Has Released a Letter From Kim Jong Un, Here’s What It Says” HERE)

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The U.S. Is Trying to Nail Down Terms With Pyongyang, While ‘South Koreans Aren’t Wasting Time’

By CNBC. One month since the U.S-North Korea summit, skepticism about Kim Jong Un’s commitment to denuclearization still hangs over Washington. But in South Korea, the mood is overwhelmingly optimistic as President Moon Jae-in’s government pushes for improved ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor.

From sports diplomacy to corporate ventures, Seoul is pulling out all the stops to re-engage Pyongyang as it builds on the positive momentum sparked by April’s inter-Korean summit.

Major conglomerates such as Lotte, Hyundai, Hyosung and KT have announced task forces dedicated to exploring inter-Korean ventures. Meanwhile, a group of South Korean businessmen who operated factories at the defunct Kaesong joint industrial complex in North Korea are seeking government approval to visit in hopes of resuming operations.

Pyongyang and Seoul also agreed last month to jointly improve North Korea’s railways and potentially connect them with the South’s. Moreover, the two nations pledged to form joint sports teams for the upcoming Asian Games and recently played a series of friendly basketball matches with one another.

Unlike President Donald Trump’s administration, “South Koreans aren’t wasting time defining denuclearization,” Jean Lee, Korea program director at research group The Wilson Center, wrote in a note this week. “They are pushing ahead with plans for reconciliation with North Korea — with or without the United States.” (Read more from “The U.S. Is Trying to Nail Down Terms With Pyongyang, While ‘South Koreans Aren’t Wasting Time'” HERE)

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Bombshell Interview: Trump Unleashes on British Leader – and It’s Really Bad

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By The Blaze. President Trump criticized British Prime Minister Theresa May’s handling of Brexit negotiations — and says a US trade deal with the UK may be now be off the table. . .

Trump noted that recent cabinet resignations in May’s administration stemmed from opposition to her plan, which is seen by critics as keeping the government too closely aligned with the EU — after Brits voted to operate their own independent economy starting eight months from now.

Speaking about the prime minister’s strategy, President Trump said, “I would have done it much differently. I actually told Theresa May how to do it, but she didn’t listen to me.”

He added, “If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal,” and, “if they do that, then their trade deal with the US will probably not be made.”

While insisting that he thinks May is a nice person, President Trump dismissed a report from The Washington Post that he thinks of the prime minister as “a bossy schoolteacher.” (Read more from “Trump Unleashes on British Leader – and It’s Really Bad” HERE)

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In Explosive Interview, Trump Says Theresa May’s Brexit Plan Will ‘Kill’ a U.S.-UK Trade Deal

By Business Insider. President Donald Trump has said British Prime Minister Theresa May’s proposed Brexit plan will “probably kill” off any chance of a UK-US trade deal.

Trump’s remarks, made in a bombshell interview with The Sun published Thursday during his first visit to Britain as US president, are an explosive intervention into British politics that seem likely to cause political chaos and imperil the prime minister as she attempts to negotiate Britain’s exit from the European Union.

May’s proposal was finalized Friday and quickly sparked a slew of high-profile political resignations from her Cabinet, including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit Secretary David Davis, over concerns the plans would leave the UK too closely linked to the EU. (Read more from “In Explosive Interview, Trump Says Theresa May’s Brexit Plan Will ‘Kill’ a U.S.-UK Trade Deal” HERE)

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