The Backstory of How Obama Let Hezbollah Off the Hook
By Josh Meyer at Politico
I don’t know how many readers here remember this tale of repugnant betrayal of not only the American people, but our European friends and Muslim allies in the Middle East. Josh Meyer did a fine job with his three part investigation. The entire long report is here so you might want to save it and read it as you time.
In its determination to secure a nuclear deal with Iran, the Obama administration derailed an ambitious law enforcement campaign targeting drug trafficking by the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah, even as it was funneling cocaine into the United States, according to a POLITICO investigation.
The campaign, dubbed Project Cassandra, was launched in 2008 after the Drug Enforcement Administration amassed evidence that Hezbollah had transformed itself from a Middle East-focused military and political organization into an international crime syndicate that some investigators believed was collecting $1 billion a year from drug and weapons trafficking, money laundering and other criminal activities.
Over the next eight years, agents working out of a top-secret DEA facility in Chantilly, Virginia, used wiretaps, undercover operations and informants to map Hezbollah’s illicit networks, with the help of 30 U.S. and foreign security agencies.
They followed cocaine shipments, some from Latin America to West Africa and on to Europe and the Middle East, and others through Venezuela and Mexico to the United States. They tracked the river of dirty cash as it was laundered by, among other tactics, buying American used cars and shipping them to Africa. And with the help of some key cooperating witnesses, the agents traced the conspiracy, they believed, to the innermost circle of Hezbollah and its state sponsors in Iran.
“This was a policy decision, it was a systematic decision,” said David Asher, veteran U.S. illicit finance expert, sent from Pentagon to Project Cassandra to attack the alleged Hezbollah criminal enterprise. “They serially ripped apart this entire effort that was very well supported and resourced, and it was done from the top down.”
enter the dragon…
The man who would become Obama’s top counterterrorism adviser and then CIA director, John Brennan, went further. He recommended in a policy paper that “the next president has the opportunity to set a new course for relations between the two countries” through not only a direct dialogue, but “greater assimilation of Hezbollah into Lebanon’s political system.”
and,
The administration also rejected repeated efforts by Project Cassandra members to charge Hezbollah’s military wing as an ongoing criminal enterprise under a federal Mafia-style racketeering statute, task force members say. And they allege that administration officials declined to designate Hezbollah a “significant transnational criminal organization” and blocked other strategic initiatives that would have given the task force additional legal tools, money and manpower to fight it.
Former Obama administration officials declined to comment on individual cases, but noted that the State Department condemned the Czech decision not to hand over Fayad. Several of them, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were guided by broader policy objectives, including de-escalating the conflict with Iran, curbing its nuclear weapons program and freeing at least four American prisoners held by Tehran, and that some law enforcement efforts were undoubtedly constrained by those concerns.
RTWDT.
Ouch. The indictments are arriving and NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ name is on the envelopes to be unsealed tomorrow.
As the man on TV said we’re facing six or seven months of al fresco evenings.
Yeah, baby, bring it on.
But I guess you’ll do
I’ve caught several interviews with this doctor, and I learn from her every time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=betbw6lR9vQ
Don’t log off tonight without watching this 32 second video of Kamala Harris today giving a speech before the Economic Club of Pittsburgh. She sounds like she is on drugs. Who the hell talks like this ?
The extraterrestrial adherents are wetting their collective undergarments about this: an organized signal from the Andromeda galaxy. Twice in the first 5 minutes, they remind the audience that Andromeda is 2.5 million light-years away. The signal was sent 2.5 million years ago. I can’t imagine being that patient to wait that long for a response.
Well, this is hypocritical: Pope expels 10 clergy, including bishop, for sodomy Don’t get me wrong, these folks don’t belong in the clergy and I hope they find true contrition and repentance before they take their last breath. Preferably well before that last breath, so they have time to make restitution. But pachapapa holds near and dear to his heart people like Fr. Jimmy Martin, who openly advocates for the homosexual lifestyle and hopes to be able to see gay marriage widely accepted in the church. In case you missed it, homosexuality is a “sin crying out to Heaven” in… Read more »
Meeting my Huntin’ Buddy tomorrow and later catching up with my main sidekick at NASA. On Friday, I’m getting together with my old NASA Crew for lunch and afterwards, it’s off to San Saba to see El Gordo then on Saturday I’ll head out to Midland to visit daughter and stop by the WASP Museum. Busy Schedule. 😉
In case you missed the biggest fraud of the week. The FOP has 377,000 members. The PLCS has a few dozen. Two weeks after after the National Fraternal Order of Police (NFOP) endorsed former President Donald Trump, a newly formed liberal police leadership organization has endorsed Kamala Harris, who supported the “Defund the Police” movement, for the 2024 presidential election.The Fraternal Order of Police officially endorsed Trump for President on September 6, citing overwhelming support for the former president among its 377,000 members.On Monday, the pro-Harris-Walz X account “Harris Wins” excitedly shared on X that Harris had won some law… Read more »
We’re getting some rain, I guess the cool front is coming through! HALLELUJAH!
21 or so years ago Dan Patrick and Bettencourt(guffaw-haw-haw) took some radio listeners to Austin to protest skyrocketing property taxes. and here we are in 2024 and I still rent my home from the state even though the mortgage was paid off years ago. they love having the power to take your home from you. we voted for tax relief and then Harris and other counties communist commissioners just voted to raise it at the maximum allowed using the sneaky snake tactic of a disaster relief loophole. today I heard bettencourt whining about it on the radio saying there’s nothing… Read more »
Just think, if a big enough hurricane hits the Florida Panhandle and washes it into the Gulf, the new Redneck Riviera will be right next door to Super Dave’s South Forty. Then he’ll become a billionaire and we can all go live with him.
Hammie’s precious Cedar Key is going to take it on the chin again. Prayers up for all of those folks.
…cannot figure any evidence that Kamala ever led the prosecution of a single case…
I just knew it. I may be tired but I’m not a retard.
Bones 5:37
I always forget you spent time offshore. I have a few friends that have shared gnarly offshore work stories. One of these days perhaps you can share yours too.
I heard Jeff Clark interviewed on the Charlie Kirk Show today while I was driving around. Very interesting. Clark is a serious man. Kamala is one of those shiny, vacant people who slip and slide through the levels of influence without ever actually doing anything and then stumble into a position of power. She is the female version of Barack Obama. No wonder he likes her so much. Former Trump administration Department of Justice official Jeff Clark said Wednesday that he cannot find evidence that Vice President Kamala Harris ever personally led the prosecution of a single case at the… Read more »
Re: Dave and me at 5:08pm
Shockingly, the sentencing phase begins immediately tomorrow morning….with the same jury.
Which allows the State to present all the other inadmissible outrages committed by that son of a bitch.
Maybe Elon could just buy Italy and we could make it our 51st state instead of DC or Puerto Rico, like Kamala’s gang wants to do. Fabulous food, excellent wines and beautiful women. What’s not to like ? Of course, retiring the current Pope and getting a new one would have to be a non-negotiable clause in the deal.
This is the newly-divorced Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni. Elon Musk presented her some highly-coveted award in NYC during this UN week. Word on the street is they’ve been whispering in each other’s ear and making googly eyes at each other in public.
This will blow your mind. Watch our US Navy refuel fighting ships at high speed side by side on the high seas of the Pacific Ocean. It’s an 8:39 video that will keep you spellbound.
BTW; I’m in Clear Lake @ the Fleabag Hilton. Rolled in a little before 3 PM, 10 hours and 22 minutes. 😉
Quick Drive By; Officer Gerald Goines found guilty of murder. I just caught this on local (Houston) news so I don’t know if it has been discussed. I know Shannon mentioned it earlier.
Following up on Texpat’s earlier report, Dr. Sal has analysis of the grounding of the only fuel boat servicing our US Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln strike force, now forward deployed in the Middle East.
Carl Higbie just called the Secret Service “Soup Sandwich”.
I do like his monologues!
Our first Norther of the pair predicted came marching through here around noon, briefly roaring enough to send lots of acorns crashing to the ground and many hitting the roof of our garden room. They sounded loud enough to be something much larger hitting from the noise they made. The critters that eat acorns will have a feast today and then some. Our morning low of 73 has become a steady 86 for quite some time, and morning sunshine left us before the acorn assault started around noon. There might be some clearing creeping in from the NW now. Now… Read more »
Chicago gangs prepping for war against Venezuelan scum.
Almost 20 minutes of ridiculing the Cackler and the left.
I loved the MAGA hat: Make Groceries Affordable Again
Love. This!
I see republicant’s and totalitariancrats finally voted in one accord to fully fund the SS. they forgot to tell you they also voted for the CR to fully fund every nefarious deed the Vampyre parties wanted including more child sex trafficking. proving once again they love security for themselves but hate it for ordinary American citizens. notice how quickly the murder of the 12 year old girl in Houston, by an illegal alien, disappeared from the ‘if it doesn’t fit we must omit’ propagandist newz outlets. vee halfs zee photos and vee vill vuse vhem. the pull my finger party… Read more »
And now to some Texas news: remember the Trumpers who encapsulated a Dem bus entourage and slowed them down between appearances? Wendy Davis & Friends sued the Trump Train folks in court for voter intimidation and asked for emotional damages. In great news, the Associated Press ran a story yesterday headlined, “Texas jury clears most ‘Trump Train’ drivers in civil trial over 2020 Biden-Harris bus encounter.” They had to settle for a civil suit against six of the TTers, since Texas officials showed no interest in criminal charges. Yesterday, the jury found five of the six not liable at all. The one… Read more »
Next, the next Trump threat: Over the weekend, the New York Post ran a hope-filled story headlined, “Trump vows to ‘end all sanctuary cities in America,’ boost law enforcement in regions that don’t cooperate with ICE.” You would think a Trump threat to punish sanctuary cities would make corporate media headlines, but no. They are terrified of this issue. From his latest rally: “Today, I am announcing a new plan to end all sanctuary cities in North Carolina and all across our country,” the Republican presidential nominee told a crowd of 10,000 at Aero Center Wilmington in North Carolina. “I… Read more »
Reason #1,356 to not live in California: The Associated Press ran a hilariously ironic headline yesterday: “California governor signs law banning all plastic shopping bags at grocery stores.” Even more stuff you can’t make up! We just switched from paper bags to plastic — to save the trees. So, now what? Trees be damned? Mr. C. goes into his usual sarcastically funny diatribe about who benefited from the paper-to-plastic religion, etc. But then the plastic bags began choking the oceans (not literally) —a whole new problem we never had back in the paper bag days, and one that the experts somehow failed… Read more »
I saw headlines that the WBA’s charges had been upped, probably because DeSantis was going to embarrass the SS and DOJ with the state investigation. I also heard Trump call them out at his rally yesterday – I only caught that little clip. So, in order to save face, Judge Aileen Cannon – yest THAT Judge Cannon – has been assigned this case. You can only imagine how the lefties are wadding panties over this. WBA is facing escalated charges, but Mr. C. has this breakdown: Routh’s new indictment began, not with any weapons charge this time, but now with… Read more »
BAN EXPERTS The C&C today is rushed: Mr. C’s father is being rushed back to the hospital (prayers for Dad and the family), and there’s a hurricane coming: The unusual predictions of a snap major hurricane are based on record high water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico. The water temps aren’t just a little higher than previous records. We’ve never recorded anything like it. The readings are rocketing off the charts:[insert chart of Atlantic temps 126 degrees higher than normal]Since hurricanes gain energy over hot water, meteorologists predict tropical storm Helene will supercharge and slam into Florida as a Category 3 storm by tomorrow. In other… Read more »
One of the worrisome things right this week is the UN General Assembly meeting in NYC. I didn’t know until a few weeks ago that when the GA has its annual meeting in September, the United States Secret Service sends 650 agents to NYC to provide security for all these thugs, despots and tyrants. It is a serious problem, especially for Trump and Vance right now.
Why does America have to do this and who is paying for it ?
This is a horrible story from Dallas. A Texas police officer was blinded when a gunman shot at her multiple times, striking her in the face, during a targeted, execution-style killing of another officer.Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Karissa David was released on Sept. 19 from the hospital, where her family said she faces several months of outpatient care. David was critically wounded when 30-year-old Corey Cobb-Bey shot at her in the parking lot of the For Oak Cliff Community Campus on Aug. 29. David had responded to the scene where Cobb-Bey gunned down Officer Darron Burks as the cop sat in his car between calls, according… Read more »
On X from Intelschizo:
It’s especially hard to be a terrorist when you’re dead.
Hat Tip: Open Source Intel
Some very good news, but why would this trial be set for 22 months from now ? Maybe the judge figures the feds will settle out of court anyway. A federal judge scheduled a trial date for a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Jan. 6 protester Ashli Babbitt, who died after being shot by U.S. Capitol Police officer Michael Byrd.The watchdog group Judicial Watch, which is helping in the lawsuit filed by Babbitt’s husband, Aaron, revealed that Judge Ana C. Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia scheduled a trial date of July 20, 2026, for the $30 million wrongful death… Read more »
Shockingly found in The Washington Post: Norwegian scientists recently did the same thing, comparing global temperatures with carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. The researchers conducted statistical analyses of observed and reconstructed temperature series and tested whether the recent fluctuation in temperatures differs systematically from previous temperature cycles, potentially due to the emission of greenhouse gases.For example, the researchers gathered all the data from various sources, including those related to the four previous glacial and inter-glacial periods. They did a statistical analysis to see how more recent Global Climate Models (GCMs) compare.They concluded that there was no way to link man-made carbon dioxide levels to… Read more »
Every professional institution has become a dumpster fire.
and,
This yesterday from Seth Mandel: If you have one agency of the Executive Branch lying to other members of the Executive Branch, then Congress doesn’t stand a chance of properly overseeing them. The Journal reports that an investigation that began in 2023 after Malley clicked on a phishing link turned up more than expected—that Malley may have moved classified material to private accounts. Last April, his clearance was suspended. When Congress inquired about his absence, the State Department came up with a cover story about Malley taking personal time.The State Department also tried to brush off the FBI. An inspector general’s report last week… Read more »
Robert Malley’s father, Simon Malley, was born into a poor Syrian Jewish family. He became a journalist in Egypt, supported the corrupt Abdul Nasser and was a proud member of the Communist Party. Simon Malley’s lifelong passion was an intense hatred of Israel, passed down to his son, Robert. The whole family is a group poster child example of self-hating Jews.
Robert Malley and Samantha Power, the Bobbsey Twins of Treason. I had a whole dossier on Malley back in the LST days. Here is Lee Smith with background. The Biden administration’s now-suspended Iran envoy Robert Malley helped to fund, support, and direct an Iranian intelligence operation designed to influence the United States and allied governments, according to a trove of purloined Iranian government emails. The emails, which were reported on by veteran Wall Street Journal correspondent Jay Solomon, writing in Semafor, and by Iran International, the London-based émigré opposition outlet which is the most widely read independent news source inside Iran, were published last… Read more »
This is TREASON. RTWDT More evidence that our State Department needs to be flushed is here. The Biden-Harris administration intentionally sought to “cover up” the suspension of embattled Iran envoy Robert Malley, according to Rep. Jim Banks (R., Ind.), who is calling for further scrutiny into the State Department after an explosive inspector general report found that the agency grossly mishandled the affair.In a Monday letter, Banks, a House Armed Services Committee member, instructed the State Department to explain how Malley was permitted to continue accessing classified information after his security clearance was pulled in 2023. Malley was placed on indefinite leave from… Read more »
If I am not mistaken, John Effing Kerry, (Jackass from Mass) has a daughter who is married to the son of some high ranking Iranian political terd. Kerry has never been on the side of America in dealing with Iran. Treasonous bastige he is.
Oh the road again,…I’m off to Texas…Later,
Oh and Mornin’ Gang