
Kenya: Potential U.S. Military sale to Kenya in support of the fight against terrorism (18.02.2017)



“The arms trade – an intricate web of networks between the formal and shadow worlds, between government, commerce and criminality – often makes us poorer, not richer, less not more safe, and governed not in our own interests but for the benefit of a small, self-serving elite, seemingly above the law, protected by the secrecy of national security and accountable to no one.”
― Andrew Feinstein
As of today there two United States Representatives from the Republican Party Ted Budd of North Carolina and Duncan Duane Hunter from California that for their own reasons to stop sales of U.S. arms to Kenya, this they have forwarded a joint resolution. This was first from Ted Budd, but Duncan Hunter became his co-sponsor of the bill. Of today it has been transmitted to the Committee at the House Foreign Affairs that will work on it, before initial voting.
“That the issuance of a letter of offer with respect to any of the following proposed sales to the Government of Kenya (described in the certification Transmittal No. 16–79, sent to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate pursuant to section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(b)(1))) on January 19, 2017, is hereby prohibited:
(1) Twelve Air Tractor AT–802L.
(2) Two AT–504 trainer aircraft.
(3) Weapons package, technical support and program management” (Budd & Hunter, 2017).
It is not long ago since this was sanctioned to the Kenya Defense Force and their missions, as this was a supplement to the on-going missions that the Kenya contingent in Somalia and might even be used as blue-helmets inside South Sudan. Still, the U.S. Representatives think these will be misguided and not well used arms for their ally in East Africa. This is the double-standard and double moral from the U.S. counterparts that easily has dropped and sold this sort of weapons to others, but has to all of sudden sanction Kenya for buying the same thing.
Just take a look at the timing of the deal between the U.S. and Kenyan earlier in 2017:
“The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the possible sale on 19 January and disclosed the potential sale on 23 January” (…) “The DSCA said Kenya had requested the sale of up to twelve Air Tractor AT-802L and two AT-504 trainer aircraft, weapons, technical support and programme management worth $418 million” (…) “This proposed sale contributes to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a strong regional partner who is a regional security leader undertaking critical operations against al-Shabaab and troop contributor to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM),” the DSCA said” (…) “The proposed sale provides a needed capability in the ongoing efforts to counter al-Shabaab. The platform maximizes the Kenyan Defense Force’s Close Air Support (CAS) ability because it is a short-field aircraft capable of using precision munitions and cost effective logistics and maintenance.” (DefenceWeb, 2017).
So a purchase accepted in January is now in question in February, as the new Trump Administration will not care for the allies and friends as such before. The DSCA sanctioned the sale on the 23rd January 2017 and now on the 14th February 2017 the U.S. Representatives questions the sale. So the AMISOM mission and their allies who fights in it doesn’t matter as much, as that was the destination for the arms and technical weaponry in this transaction. That the sales of close worth over $400m that suddenly goes into the wind!
We will see if the Foreign Affairs Committee at the House of Representatives will work with this and see if this will go for voting in the House or Senate to sufficiently go forward with joint communique of Ted Budd and Duncan Hunter. That then will become legislation as the deal will not happen as the Committee will put forward a motion or legislation that the stops the arms agreement and trade between the DSCA and the Government of Kenya. Therefore the U.S. Arms trade to the Kenyan Defense Force.
This story is certainly not over. Peace.
Reference:
DefenceWeb – ‘US approves possible Air Tractor, weapons sale to Kenya’ (24.01.2017) link: http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46563:us-approves-possible-air-tractor-weapons-sale-to-kenya&catid=35:Aerospace&Itemid=107
Representative Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) & Representative Duncan Duane Hunter (R-California) – ‘H.J.Res. 72: Relating to the disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of Kenya of Air Tractor aircraft with weapons, and related support’ (14.02.2017)

The Presidency under Donald Trump will surely hire lots of security and law enforcement people, as there is already in the works a deportation force to get rid of illegal aliens and people who seeks refugee with valid visa. Therefore today’s new investment and security order that clearly indicates that that the Trump Administration wants to take a step further, also another order that is clear on the public safety. However, this will surely be more oppression against people, as proven with the voting in of new Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Who has had no quarrel fighting civil rights activists in the past, because of his believed superiority, instead now he will attack the minorities and make sure the strengthen law enforcement can silence the dissidents of the white supremacist system that the new Republic government tries to unfold with all sort of measures like these.
First on the new Task Force:
“A focus on law and order and the safety and security of the American people requires a commitment to enforcing the law and developing policies that comprehensively address illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime. The Department of Justice shall take the lead on Federal actions to support law enforcement efforts nationwide and to collaborate with State, tribal, and local jurisdictions to restore public safety to all of our communities” (White House, 2017).
We can see that the Task force will be clear cut to nationwide take federal actions for the common good. Though there will indication in the order what that entails like in Section two:
“The Attorney General shall determine the characteristics of the Task Force, which shall be composed of individuals appointed or designated by him.
(c) The Task Force shall:
(i) exchange information and ideas among its members that will be useful in developing strategies to reduce crime, including, in particular, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and violent crime;
(ii) based on that exchange of information and ideas, develop strategies to reduce crime;
(iii) identify deficiencies in existing laws that have made them less effective in reducing crime and propose new legislation that could be enacted to improve public safety and reduce crime;
(iv) evaluate the availability and adequacy of crime-related data and identify measures that could improve data collection in a manner that will aid in the understanding of crime trends and in the reduction of crime; and
(v) conduct any other studies and develop any other recommendations as directed by the Attorney General” (White House, 2017).
So Attorney General Jeff Sessions will put together his hateful eight, take the bull by the horns and create havoc in the inner-cities. That is the measurement of what this Task Force will do. They come with all sorts mixes that fits the frame of Sessions and their idea of justice. This can be messy in the near future.
The Second Executive Order is a continuation of this one. With the key principals of law and order, where the state get more organized and police oriented. As we can see in the first section:
“(a) enforce all Federal laws in order to enhance the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, and thereby all Americans;
(b) develop strategies, in a process led by the Department of Justice (Department) and within the boundaries of the Constitution and existing Federal laws, to further enhance the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers; and
(c) pursue appropriate legislation, consistent with the Constitution’s regime of limited and enumerated Federal powers, that will define new Federal crimes, and increase penalties for existing Federal crimes, in order to prevent violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers” (White House, 2017).
So when Jeff Sessions and President Trump have created a stronger law enforcement with their own team, they need strategies and legislation that the Task Force can actually do. That is the reason for Executive Order number two of the day. So that one is the hand to acts and the other the glove that gives the warrant to address it!
Like this:
“(a) develop a strategy for the Department’s use of existing Federal laws to prosecute individuals who commit or attempt to commit crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers;
(b) coordinate with State, tribal, and local governments, and with law enforcement agencies at all levels, including other Federal agencies, in prosecuting crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers in order to advance adequate multi-jurisdiction prosecution efforts;
(c) review existing Federal laws to determine whether those laws are adequate to address the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers;
(d) following that review, and in coordination with other Federal agencies, as appropriate, make recommendations to the President for legislation to address the protection and safety of Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, including, if warranted, legislation defining new crimes of violence and establishing new mandatory minimum sentences for existing crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, as well as for related crimes” (White House, 2017).

So the Law Enforcement Task Force and the already law enforcement, as the President Trump and Attorney General Sessions can go on with their wild-card as they want to make sure the boys in blue is safe. The Police Officers going to get allowed and secure for their faults and their checking of society, because this administration believes in a strong state!
With this sort of laws and strengthening of the Police in the state, under a government that wants only their views and their regulations; will really focus on the Police rather than the citizens… these laws will be strengthen for their justice and their acts to implement the ideas of the state. This are proof of what extend the national security and how far the Presidency want to take it.
This isn’t just to secure the Law Enforcement, but also to review and make sure the loopholes of law are amended, even repealed so the Police and other Federal Security Agents can act as they please. This will happen with the Law Enforcement to be done without fear of retaliation or repercussion for doing their work.
Certainly President Trump and Attorney General Sessions are going to have a field day with this and use all measures to enforce this, both section it out and also make sure their boys in blue is safe with all means possible and together with all new Executive Orders. The EOs with this and anti-immigration are to strengthen the law enforcement is an extension of it. As if President Trump wants to achieve the other, he needs reasons to sufficiently make the Law Enforcement stronger and more legally equipped. So he can also show his rash hand with being saving grace for the police as they have to enforce his visions of justice. This is to be continued, just as his viable attempt of justifying the means of oppression towards foreign citizens with legal green cards and attempt of self-righteousness; in the midst of finding new ways of sufficiently policing the state through his measures. Peace.
Reference:
White House – ‘TASK FORCE ON CRIME REDUCTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY’ (09.02.2017)
White House – ‘PREVENTING VIOLENCE AGAINST FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS’ (09.02.2017)




“Gucci this, Fendi that, Gucci this, Fendi that”. No wait this isn’t about Chamillionaire song of old. No, this about the Inauguration of the giant imbecile and Commander-in-chief Donald J. Trump that happen on 20th January 2017. That we’re living in extra-ordinary times is certain, when Breitbart is household-name in the White House, when Alternative facts is spinning on the corporate media and the pictures from the day isn’t evidence enough for the Trump Administration.
I am sure they don’t believe that there is less ICE in the Artic than for 2 decades ago, because the Trump didn’t see it then and doesn’t see it now. Even if Sean Spicer sees dancing angles and E.T. as believable that Trump Inauguration was the most majestic and popular in history. That it we’re more visited than the Barrack H. Obama on the 20th January in 2009 and John F. Kennedy on the 20th January 1960. These had very big crowds attending, two inaugurations that I without a doubt had more people attending that the one of Donald J. Trump this weekend.

Donald J. Trump and his administration might not like the fact, because Obama was terrible and could not achieve even the same level of popularity on his first day in office. Trump failed even getting popularity. The Apprentice reality star turned President couldn’t beat the lawyer and human rights activist turned one-term senator becoming President in 2009. That must be so demeaning for a man who wants to believe he is better than everybody else.
Trump has demolished and destroyed anybody… he has attacked and said that other people are weak and stupid, he has called them any name under the sun, but now he could show humility. His staff and his leadership could show character, instead they go back to primaries and doesn’t tell it like it is. Instead they lie and say about the commuting, the time of the hour of the pictures, the skyline and the type of camera-lens is the reason. If that was believable than Elsa from Frozen would appear instead and dance with Donald instead of Melanie! That is not true, but that is believable as the excuses.
They can call it alternative facts, but the DC Metro system ticket system even says a lot of the matter of public attending the day of the President. The festivities and the celebration of the coming term of the newly sworn-in Executive; Trump has really fallen far behind. Trump hasn’t even managed ordinary day in Washington D.C. on average weekday DC. Metro are estimated to about 639,000 but on Trump’s day it we’re barely 570,557, while on the Obama first inauguration in 2009 there we’re 1,100,000 commuters.

I know that is depressing numbers by the kingpin and the POTUS Trump, alas that is the reality. He might not be able to live with that fact and spin it in a million circles, hope the blender doesn’t stop and hope that a playboy-bunny arrives instead of Conway. Still, he hired Conway and not some left astray from the Playboy mansion.
Donald Trump has to accept defeat, even if it isn’t in his manhood or in his way. He is a self-proclaimed winner with massive bankruptcies and mortgage debt on Trump Towers to Wells Fargo; still he wants to be multi-billionaire in chief. Trump wants to be king. As he thinks he are the biggest genius and wisest man ever gracing God’s green earth. That is just who he thinks he is… apparently he and his Administration isn’t that.
If Spicer and Conway we’re brilliant and speaking like it is: they would say it wasn’t as they hoped for, it wasn’t the day they anticipated since they we’re the winner of the recent President Election in 2016.
What we now know, that for 4 years the United States will be indecent, be blatant ignorant and not caring about reports, indicators or facts, they will be run on ideas and opinions from the men in the administration of Trump. Trump will be marching on the regard that he is the man and the rest has to follow. The opinions of him are the righteous the rest has to shut-up and listen.

Trump want’s the media to sound to his horns, to sound to his agenda and only his views. The others are speaking wrong and biased. Because they are not spreading his bias and his wonderful magnificent ideas of how he sees the world.
Trump can and his Administration can spread the news of biggest and best Inauguration ever in United States history, still we know that is wrong. As there we’re more likely attending the Woman’s March the day after. That must be a bummer that One Woman writing five lines on Facebook can gain more popularity than the newly elected President. So, here we are in the start of Presidential era under Trump and it starts with a lie, just like his whole candidacy we’re too, based on a lies. These lies and more to come will be the determined factor of the Trump Term in office. Because the acts and deception from the Oval Office will be important to the Acts and Presidential Orders coming from the Trump Administration; like this leak:

Peace.

This had to be an issue, as the Trump Organizations and businesses had to be obligated away from the Executive, the Commander-in-Chief as he ushers himself into the Presidency. The family seems to be picked to run his company, as they are already Executive Vice-President in the Cooperation, this being Eric Trump, Donald Trump Junior and Ivanka Trump. These have been behind their father, the President-Elect. This is important as the interest of Trump Organization should not be the sole purpose of the presidency, that should be as civil service and also guiding with good governance without having own personal gains by having the office. Therefore the nominees and the appointed government leaders in the Trump Organization has to go through not only sessions in the Senate before their appointments are getting accepted; as well as they have to give way to their business connection and positions in the boards in general.
That the international hotels and golf courses, the trademarked products in the portfolio of the Trump Organization that can implicate and create issues with both the foreign trade policies and also import regulations. The same can be seen in general with the regulation of banking, loans and all other fiscal regulation that can hurt the Trump Organization. Something Trump will already know before going to office, what he needs to create of legislation and what sort of economic stimulus or even economic framework that can absorb more profits on the business that are already owned by the Trump family.
Let’s take look at what a blind trust is and what sort of agreements that can happen when Trump gets into office in just days.
What is a Blind Trust?
“Blind trusts are often used when a wealthy individual is elected to a political office where his investment holdings could potentially put him in a conflict of interest with a regulatory issue or other sensitive exercise of political power. In this context, there are some obvious issues with blind trusts in that the beneficiary setting up the blind trust is at least aware of the investment mix going in and cannot realistically forget that information when weighing future decisions. The trustors may also set the rules under which the investments are managed and, of course, pick trustees that they are confident will act in a certain way in potential situations. So again, the efficacy of the blind trust in truly eliminating conflict of interest is far from proven. That said, politicians with a large amount of wealth or in high office use blind trusts to show that at least the effort is being taken to establish impartiality” (Investopedia).
Director of Government Ethics Shaub on 11th January on Blind Trust:
“I think Politico called this a “half-blind” trust, but it’s not even halfway blind. The only thing this has in common with a blind trust is the label, “trust.” His sons are still running the businesses, and, of course, he knows what he owns. His own attorney said today that he can’t “un-know” that he owns Trump tower. The same is true of his other holdings. The idea of limiting direct communication about the business is wholly inadequate. That’s not how a blind trust works. There’s not supposed to be any information at all” (…) “Here too, his attorney said something important today. She said he’ll know about a deal if he reads it in the paper or sees in on TV. That wouldn’t happen with a blind trust. In addition, the notion that there won’t be new deals doesn’t solve the problem of all the existing deals and businesses. The enormous stack of documents on the stage when he spoke shows just how many deals and businesses there are” (…) “The President-elect’s attorney justified the decision not to use a blind trust by saying that you can’t put operating businesses in a blind trust. She’s right about that. That’s why the decision to set up this strange new kind of trust is so perplexing. The attorney also said she feared the public might question the legitimacy of the sale price if he divested his assets. I wish she had spoken with those of us in the government who do this for a living. We would have reassured her that Presidential nominees in every administration agree to sell illiquid assets all the time. Unlike the President, they have to run the gauntlet of a rigorous Senate confirmation process where the legitimacy of their divestiture plans can be closely scrutinized. These individuals get through the nomination process by carefully ensuring that the valuation of their companies is done according to accepted industry standards. There’s nothing unusual about that” (…) “Back when he was working for the Justice Department, the late Antonin Scalia also wrote an opinion declaring that a President should avoid engaging in conduct prohibited by the government’s ethics regulations, even if they don’t apply. Justice Scalia warned us that there would be consequences if a President ever failed to adhere to the same standards that apply to lower level officials. The sheer obviousness of Justice Scalia’s words becomes apparent if you just ask yourself one question: Should a President hold himself to a lower standard than his own appointees?”(Shaub, 2017).
His sons will run the Trump Organization:
“President-Elect Trump will relinquish management of his investment and business assets for the duration of his Presidency. To accomplish this, all of President-Elect Trump’s investment and business assets, commonly known as The Trump Organization—comprised of hundreds of entities—have been or will be conveyed to a Trust, which will be managed for the duration of his Presidency by his sons, Don and Eric, and a Trump executive, Allen Weisselberg. Collectively—and unanimously—Allen, Don, and Eric will have the authority to manage The Trump Organization and have full decision-making authority for the duration of the Presidency, without any involvement whatsoever by President-Elect Trump. To implement this transfer, President-Elect Trump will resign from all official positions he holds with The Trump Organization entities” (…) “the Trust Agreement prohibits The Trump Organization from entering into any new transaction or contract with a foreign country, agency, or instrumentality thereof, including a sovereign wealth fund, foreign government official, or member of a royal family, the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or any state or local government or any agency or instrumentality thereof, other than normal and customary arrangements already undertaken before the President-Elect’s election” (…) “President-Elect Trump is taking these extraordinary steps to ensure that the Office of the Presidency is isolated from The Trump Organization” (…) “the Constitution does not forbid fair-market-value transactions with foreign officials. To put to rest any concerns, however, the President-Elect is announcing he will donate all profits from foreign governments’ patronage of his hotels and similar businesses during his presidential term to the U.S. Treasury. Historically, when federal officers received a gift or emolument from a foreign state, they surrendered possession of it to the federal government, though they were permitted to retain amounts necessary to offset their business expenses. Although the Constitution does not require the PresidentElect to do the same for profits from his businesses’ fair-market-value transactions, he wants to eliminate any distractions by going beyond what the Constitution requires” (Morgan Lewis, 2017).

That Trump Organization can be run by his family it is acceptable by looking at the trust, but the initial issues with the way it gets done and that he shall not be reported on the way of the trade or business, is hard to believe as the business and family is very connected, hence with the campaign where all of the older kids we’re taking part more or less. Therefore the Vice-Executives of the Trump Organization, his kids are now taking charge and taking his position in his company. That he owns and has controlled over decades. That needs to be clear that the family members cannot tell or say him company secrets as long as he is the Executive of the Republic. If they do than their doing illegal information and destabilizing the interests of the government, why is it so? That is so because the President is the head of the government and has to serve all the citizens, not just the ones that are working in his owned company. That is why the nominees for positions in the Trump Administration have to leave their boardrooms and their former businesses. This is done because they will not have other interests than serving the Republic, if not they should be back in the corporate office instead of being civil servants. If they serve Exxon or other businesses while they are serving as ministers or secretaries of departments, than they are opening up for corrupt and illegal trading from the top and stealing from the bottom. That is what we can worry about when we know how close the President is still connected with his businesses, without a clear line of procedure for how the transactions and creation of future business inside Trump Organization is not known.
The President-Elect have not delivered his IRS Tax Returns, neither proven his real value or what he owns, if it is in Missouri or Mississippi, because for all we know he could own a lobster-shack in Louisiana. Even than he should open the door so he could explain why he hasn’t been through the process of showing his true colours and trade. The real honest profits and the expenditure of his companies, the facts of his royalties and the tax rate on his businesses as well. There are many open questions as to where he does business, what sort of people are he connected with abroad and what sort of agreements does the Trump Organization have and own outside of the United States. If he has a dungeon in St. Petersburg or has a palace in India, we don’t really know, but if he was accountable or transparent. Then we could know what sort of conflicts and interests the President-Elect have. This is the missing picture in a flawed Presidential-Elect who doesn’t’ trust anybody, but himself.
Why does I say that is because he cannot be transparent with his own and therefore why would he be that with the public coffers? Are the public coffers safe when we have no idea about how he used his own private funds? Will the public coffers be used to function and give contracts to businesses close to him or to cronyism in the new Trump Administration? Peace.
Reference:
Investopeida – ‘Blind Trust’ link: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blindtrust.asp
Remarks of Walter M. Shaub, Jr., Director, U.S. Office of Government Ethics, as prepared for delivery at 4:00 p.m. on January 11, 2017, at the Brookings Institution (11.01.2017)
Morgan Lewis – ‘WHITE PAPER Conflicts of Interest and the President Background for President-Elect Trump’s January 11, 2017 Press Conference Prepared by Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP’ (11.01.2017)