Welcome to The Breakfast Club! We’re a disorganized group of rebel lefties who hang out and chat if and when we’re not too hungover we’ve been bailed out we’re not too exhausted from last night’s (CENSORED) the caffeine kicks in. Join us every weekday morning at 9am (ET) and weekend morning at 10:30am (ET) to talk about current news and our boring lives and to make fun of LaEscapee! If we are ever running late, it’s PhilJD’s fault.
AP’s Today in History for January 12th
Congress authorizes military force to expel Iraq from Kuwait; Soviet forces begin large offensive against Nazi Germany; First woman elected to U.S. Senate; Writer Agatha Christie dies; ‘All in the Family’ debuts on CBS.
Breakfast Tune Smokey Mokes by Roger Sprung on 1963-64 Folkways LP.
Something to think about, Breakfast News & Blogs below
Esper contradicts Trump claim Iran planned attacks on four US embassies
Richard Luscombe, The Guardian
Seeking to explain Donald Trump’s claim that Iran was planning attacks on four American embassies before the US killed Iranian Gen Qassem Suleimani in a drone strike, defense secretary Mike Esper found himself in the dangerous position of contradicting the president.
Asked on CBS’s Face the Nation if there had been a specific or tangible threat, Esper said: “I didn’t see one with regard to four embassies.”
Trump’s claim on Fox News on Friday prompted fierce criticism from members of Congress who were not briefed before the strike and who say such a threat was not mentioned in a classified briefing on Wednesday.
On Sunday, Esper added: “What I’m saying is I share the president’s view that, probably, my expectation was that they were going to go after our embassies.
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Something to think about over coffee prozac
Nation’s defense contractors promise no attack against US will go unprofitable
Cat Astronaut, Duffle Blog
WASHINGTON — Following calls for revenge after a U.S. strike which killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, American defense contractors have promised that no attacks against the U.S. will go unprofitable.
“Let us assure the American people right now, any strike against the United States and its citizens will be met with swift and costly acquisitions programs,” said Raytheon spokesman Derg Douglas. “With the full weight of our lobbying and manufacturing infrastructure behind us, Congre—I mean Iran will have no choice but to bend to our will.”
Industry executives have promised that many of the programs they develop will be so expensive and irrelevant to the war effort that Iran will be constantly on its heels, with no idea what it will be hit with next.
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