DailyMail.com can reveal the Capitol Hill cop who shot Air Force vet Ashli Babbitt, 35, on January 6 is Lieutenant Michael Leroy Byrd, 53 Nice of the good lieutenant to admit what had been reported for months...
Byrd, a 28-year police veteran, will reveal he was the shooter in an interview with Lester Holt on NBC News Thursday night
The Metropolitan Police Department has steadfastly refused to name the officer involved
The Department of Justice announced in April that it will not pursue criminal charges against the officer responsible for Babbitt's death
Following an internal review, the Capitol Police announced on Monday that he will not be disciplined
DailyMail.com spotted Byrd and his wife out shopping near their home, about 30 minutes outside of Washington, DC last February when he refused to comment
Babbitt's family lawyer remarked: 'Quite a turn-around, given the months of constantly saying that to identify him would expose him to danger. Where did that one go?'
Speaking hours after he was publicly identified for the first time, Lt Michael Byrd went on the defensive during an interview with NBC News star Lester Holt Thursday.
Explaining his decision to finally come forward, Byrd - a 28-year veteran of the force - said: 'I showed the utmost courage on January 6, and its time for me to do that now.'
Mom used to say: "Self Praise Stinks!" He just called himself a great man for killing an unarmed woman! Think about that.
Father-of-two Byrd's actions were deemed lawful by the Department of Justice, which said in April there was no evidence to support a criminal prosecution. In that announcement, the department did not identify him.
#10
Assuming DC can be cleaned up - I believe he can still be charged before a Grand Jury regardless of an inhouse white?wash. No double jeopardy involved.
#11
^ Correct. No jeopardy until an indictment is brought. A whitewash by a bureaucratic entity is not a No Bill by a grand jury.
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
08/27/2021 8:11 Comments ||
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#12
Unlike baseball, there *is* crying in the Capitol Police. For sworn law enforcement officers, they seem to be a big bunch of wussies. A bit lacking in crowd control skills, too.
#15
He could have just pistol whipped her a bit at she tried to climb through that window. Or maybe fired a warning shot to alert the Capitol police on the other side of the door.
#21
This is the idiot who left his sidearm in one of the Capital building bathrooms. My gut says he dhad his finger on the trigger and twitched and killed Ashli by accident and decided to lie and pretend he was saving everyone rather than admit his incompetance took a life.
#22
^ A most likely explanation, ruprecht. I'm putting a chip on "Affirmative Action Hire", also.
The interesting question, IMHO, is why the cover-up? I believe it was Besoeker who suggested the reason was to avoid embarrassment to the shooter's employer.
[ToloNews] The Taliban ...Arabic for students... have asked The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire... for technical help to run Kabul airport after the departure of foreign forces, two Ottoman Turkish officials told Rooters.
The Taliban also insist that Ankara's military also withdraw fully by the end-August deadline.
"The Taliban have made a request for technical support in running Kabul airport," a senior Ottoman Turkish official said, adding however that the Taliban demand for all Ottoman Turkish troops to leave would complicate any prospective mission.
The conditional request by the Taliban, who swept back to power in Afghanistan 20 years after they were ousted in a US invasion, leaves Ankara with a difficult decision over whether to accept a hazardous job, one official said.
Mainly Moslem Turkey was part of a NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A single organization with differing goals, equipment, language, doctrine, and structure.... mission in Afghanistan and still has hundreds of troops at Kabul airport.
The officials say they are ready to withdraw at short notice.
Another Ottoman Turkish official said a final decision would be made by the Aug. 31 deadline for foreign forces to leave the country and end a 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan.
However, if you can't say something nice about a person some juicy gossip will go well... the Taliban has not yet confirmed the request for technical help from Turkey.
Posted by: trailing wife ||
08/27/2021 00:00 ||
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[ToloNews] Supporters of Ahmad Massoud, the leader of the resistance front against the Taliban, and Taliban representatives held their first meeting on Wednesday afternoon in the center of Parwan province to seek an alternative to fighting.
The resistance front delegation was composed of 12 people led by Almas Zahid, a former Mujahideen commander, and the six-member Taliban delegation was led by Mohammad Mohsin Hashimi, the Taliban’s deputy leader of intelligence.
A representative of the resistance front, Mohammad Alam Ezedyar, wrote on his Facebook page that both sides agreed to not attack each other until the second round of negotiations is held.
The representatives met for three hours and then returned to their respective sides to share the discussed issues with their leaders.
“After three hours of discussion, it was decided that both delegations will share the message with their leadership and resume the negotiations to reach a durable peace in the country. It was also decided that the parties should not attack each other until the second round of negotiations,” wrote Ezedyar.
A member of the Taliban delegation, meanwhile, said that the Taliban wanted to discuss the issue of Panjshir, but Massoud’s supporters wanted to discuss the structure of the future government. Thus the negotiations had no tangible outcome, he said.
“The Panjshir delegation was more focused on the overall structure of the governance system. Since there were big differences between the two sides' demands, both sides decided to take the messages to their leaders,” said Anamullah Samangani, a member of the cultural commission of the Taliban.
The negotiations followed both sides' threatening to use military force.
“The discussions will bear results in the coming days. If the discussions have no results and they use another option (military), we will do the same,” said Noorullah Noori, a member of the Taliban’s political office.
“We are still waiting for the outcome of the negotiations. Despite this, we have all the military preparations as well,” said Hamid Saifi, a member of the resistance front.
Ahmad Massoud in a recent interview with the BBC said that if an inclusive and acceptable government for all is not established, Afghanistan will be isolated both politically and economically.
“We are negotiating with the Taliban. So far, several countries--like Canada--has said it will not recognize an exclusive government. If that happens the people will continue to suffer,” Massoud said.
The Taliban has said they will form an inclusive government, but the terms have still not been clearly defined.
#7
since the left is so against the wall, how about we mine the entire southern border a 100 yards deep, if you make it through you can stay.
Posted by: Chris ||
08/27/2021 13:35 Comments ||
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#8
By completely closing the southern border, Americans can solve two of our biggest problems: illegal immigration and drug smuggling and partly solve the problem of jobs export. Those problems are costing Americans nearly a trillion dollars per year to deal with.
#12
Maybe it is time to go all Ann Coulter on Central America's ass - you know, invade their countries, kill their leaders, and convert them to market economies.
I know, you're thinking Afghanistan and nation-building all over again. But at least here we are starting with better materials. Unlike the Afghans who have been and still are a kind of desert hillbilly since before the Mongols, the Central Americans had civilization dating back pre-Columbus.
"But what about Iraq?", you say, "They were a civilization once." "Oh, shut up!", I explain. "Also Islam. Which tends to short out the reasoning part of the brain."
#13
"But what about Iraq?", you say, "They were a civilization once."
Yeah, pre-Islamic. Till they were conquered by the Medes (Persians). Who in turn were conquered by Greek hillbillies, aka Macedonians who were displaced by Romans, then the Persians again, then the Arabs, then the Mongols, then the Turks. The Europeans showed up for a brief appearance before the locals were back digging up their past to wax nostalgically about their once greatness (thousands of years and a very compromised gene pool ago).
[TASS] Russia is seriously worried over the way the situation in Afghanistan is developing and it most strongly condemns the terrorist attacks in Kabul, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Friday.
"We condemn these terrorist attacks in the strongest way. The reports about heavy casualties are very sad news, of course. Regrettably, quite correct were the pessimistic forecasts the chaos in Afghanistan will certainly be used by the terrorist groups and organizations entrenched there, in the first place, the Islamic State (outlawed in Russia) and its derivatives," Peskov said. "This breeds more tensions in Afghanistan. The risk is very great for all. And, of course, this remains a reason for our serious concern."
On August 26, Kabul's airport, which the Western countries are using to evacuate foreign citizens, saw two explosions staged by suicide bombers from the Islamic State. According to the latest report, the blasts killed 103, including 13 US soldiers. US President Joe Biden said the United States would track down those responsible and was already planning strikes against the Islamic State. The Taliban radical movement (outlawed in Russia), which has seized power in Afghanistan, has condemned the attacks and promised to punish those responsible.
[AnNahar] Russia said Thursday it has received new orders for arms and helicopters from Central Asian republics bordering Afghanistan following the Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... 's takeover of the country.
The orders come as countries in the ex-Soviet region, where Moscow holds military bases, have raised concerns over the hard boy group sweeping to power.
"We are already working on a number of orders from countries in the region for the supply of Russian helicopters, fire arms and modern border protection systems," Alexander Mikheev, the head of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, told the RIA Novosti news agency.
While Russia remains cautiously optimistic about the new leadership in Kabul, it has warned of snuffies entering neighbouring countries as refugees.
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan earlier this month held joint military exercises with Russia close to their borders with Afghanistan.
Drills involving members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military alliance led by Moscow, are also scheduled in Kyrgyzstan between September 7 and 9.
The maneuvers will focus on "the destruction of illegal gangs that have invaded the territory of an CSTO member state", according to the press-service of the alliance quoted by the Interfax news agency.
While the Taliban has said it does not pose a threat to Central Asian countries, the ex-Soviet republics in the region have previously been targeted by attacks attributed to allies of Afghan Islamists.
[ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] As The Sick Man of Europe Turkey ...just another cheapjack Moslem dictatorship, brought to you by the Moslem Brüderbund... braces for a possible influx of refugees fleeing Afghanistan following the Taliban ...Arabic for students... takeover, concern over the potential impact is growing -- fuelled by festering resentment over refugees already sheltering in the country.
Turkey hosts 3.7 million Syrians, the world’s largest refugee population, and the mood has soured in recent weeks as social media videos allegedly showing Afghans entering by the hundreds unhindered sparked outrage.
Officials say around 300,000 Afghans are also currently in Turkey -- some have been there for several years. They include an estimated 120,000 unregistered people, although the opposition say the number is far higher. Gravestones for those who have died after crossing the border scatter a cemetery in the city.
While President Tayyip Erdogan and his AK Party have defended accepting millions of Syrians who fled conflict in their country, they have said a new wave would not be welcome.
"Turkey ... cannot handle another burden of migration stemming from Syria or Afghanistan," Erdogan said on Wednesday.
He has also warned EU leaders that Turkey will not be a "migrant storage unit" for Afghans trying to reach Europe.
Posted by: Fred ||
08/27/2021 00:00 ||
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[IsraelTimes] ’There’s no war and peace has been established,’ says one man waiting in Pakistain, complaining authorities aren’t letting them cross the border.
From trucks stuffed with carpets, bedding, clothes and even goats, around 200 Afghan refugees look beyond the horizon toward Spin Boldak in their country’s south, waiting to return home from Pakistain.
Dreading another period of harsh rule after the Taliban ...mindless ferocity in a turban... ’s rapid takeover following the US troop withdrawal, thousands have been desperately trying to flee Afghanistan, with chaotic images emerging from the Kabul airport.
But some families want to repatriate to their homeland, saying the Taliban will bring stability to the war-torn nation.
"We emigrated from Afghanistan during bombing and hardships, when Moslems were in trouble, now, praise be to Allah, the situation is normal, so we are returning to Afghanistan," Molavi Shaib told AFP while waiting at the border.
Divided by a three-meter-deep (10-foot-deep) trench filled with barbed wire, the mountainous boundary separating Spin Boldak from Chaman in Pakistain’s southwest sees thousands crossing the trade route every day.
As scores try to escape Taliban rule, Pakistain has ramped up security at the border, making the process more stringent.
"People want to return but they are not allowed to cross, we request the Pak government to allow us to cross the border because there’s no war, and peace has been established," Muhammad Nabi said. "We have our household with women and kids waiting — we want them to cross the border."
Pakistain has housed over two million Afghan refugees since the first wave of war broke out in Afghanistan over 40 years ago, with numbers fluctuating based on the conflict’s intensity, but the country has said it is not in a position to take in any more.
Displaced Afghans have long complained about feeling unwelcome with little access to employment and citizenship rights.
Many have become pawns in a diplomatic blame game between the countries, which have accused each other of aiding jihadist groups. Islamabad has long been seen as protecting the Taliban and could be one of the few governments with close ties to the new regime in Kabul.
‘BETTER TO GO BACK’
With dust blowing over their belongings and children squeezed in between the furniture, dozens of trucks are parked in Chaman’s barren fields, as returnees complete document checks and wait for their crossing to be approved.
The returnees say they will have better lives in Afghanistan.
"I am returning to Ghazni, now peace has been established and we are happy that we are returning back to our home. It’s much better to go back and settle there," Wali Ur Rahman told AFP.
His words are a jarring contrast to the images from Kabul airport. Many of those trying to get out of Afghanistan fear reprisals from the Taliban after working for foreign governments that fought the forces of Evil during the 20-year war.
But Nabi told AFP he was confident the end of the conflict would bring a brighter future.
"We migrated here to Pakistain because of the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Now peace has been established," he said.
[IsraelTimes] Egypt partially reopens the Rafah crossing with the Gazoo ...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about oppression and disproportionate response... Strip, allowing one-way traffic into Paleostinian enclave, as Israel eases import restrictions.
Rafah, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world not controlled by Israel, was shuttered on Monday by Egypt, which gave no reason for the move.
But it came after Gazooks on Saturday staged protests and violent mostly peaceful riots along the border with Israel. A Paleostinian rioter was killed, dozens of others were maimed and an Israeli soldier was at death's door from a gunshot wound.
Egypt, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,, has previously used Rafah closures as a punitive measure against the Gaza rulers.
Late Wednesday, Hamas’s interior ministry announced that Rafah would open to incoming traffic on Thursday and to two-way traffic on Sunday.
People had begun to cross after midday, an AFP journalist says.
The Israeli military branch responsible for civil affairs in Paleostinian territories (COGAT) says more goods would be allowed to enter Gaza from Thursday, including "equipment for international civilian projects" and new vehicles, among other measures, it says in a statement.
Israel also agrees to boost by 1,000 the number of merchants allowed through its Erez crossing to Gaza.
"The civilian measures approved by the political echelon are conditional upon the continued preservation of the region’s security stability, while further expansion of these measures will be examined in accordance with a situational security assessment," COGAT adds.
[IsraelTimes] Media and Jewish activists say police increasingly turn blind eye to practice, which Moslem leaders slam as violation of decades-old status quo at holy site.
As police stood by, three Jewish men stepped forward, placed their hands out at chest level and began reciting prayers in low tones in the shadow of Jerusalem’s golden Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount.
Jewish prayers at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, known to Moslems as the Haram al-Sharif or Noble Sanctuary, have long been unthinkable. But they have quietly become the new norm in recent years, flying in the face of longstanding convention, straining a delicate status quo, and raising fears that violent mostly peacefulMoslem reactions could trigger a new wave of violence in the Middle East.
Continued on Page 49
The lead investigator into #Beirut’s huge port blast has issued a subpoena for caretaker #Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab after he failed to show up for questioning.https://t.co/nooQg5d0Xj
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Daily Mail, where America gets its news]
...Arabic for 
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
...Arabic for 
...mindless ferocity in a turban...
