jeremy scahill

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

The Afghanistan plan, as Biden currently describes it, is similar to what Biden advocated for in 2009, albeit with U.S. “strike forces” being positioned in the region rather than inside Afghanistan. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

In 2009, VP Biden wanted the US to move away from a large scale military presence & to instead utilize CIA/JSOC forces and drones to conduct targeted operations. He argued that was more in line with the 2001 AUMF than an occupation. In the end, Obama did both. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Joe Biden has a long history on Afghanistan. In the late-1970s & 1980s, Biden supported opening the spigot for US aid to Pakistan to combat the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. He was a passionate supporter of the 2001 invasion. But as VP in 2009, Biden argued against the surge. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

In recent weeks, senior US military commanders have been speaking of plans to keep CIA and Special Operations strike forces in the region to conduct “find, fix, finish” operations in Afghanistan and to potentially redeploy if ordered. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

As with Trump’s Afghanistan plan, the devil is in the details. There are 16,000 contractors in Afghanistan and we do not yet know what their fate is. Biden is also reserving the option to go back into Afghanistan if he determines it is in the US interest. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

So Biden’s announcement is significant. Biden is now facing a chorus of pro-war/hawkish voices agitating for him to reverse course and keep the US entrenched in Afghanistan. Among these people are Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Biden said that while he did not agree with all of the particulars of Trump’s plan or its timeline, he was going to move forward. Biden could've easily said this was reckless of Trump & scrapped the plan & the Pentagon/CIA/war industry and some politicians would have been happy. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Trump’s administration struck a deal with the Taliban and Trump stated that the US would withdraw by May 2021. The Pentagon and the CIA did everything possible to slow walk this, likely in hopes that Biden would scrap the deal and Trump’s timeline for withdrawal. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

A few thoughts on Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal plan: His predecessor Donald Trump spoke constantly about wanting to get out of Afghanistan, even as he removed restrictions on assassination and drone operations. Trump also boasted about dropping the 21,000 lb MOAB bomb. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

@PharoahAshseti @senecamark How about this?: you go and read the laws for handling TS-SCI info and come back and explain to me how this was Daley abiding by the same laws others have been prosecuted for. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

@senecamark So you don't agree with the US government that details about TS-SCI operations and raids should be kept secret by people with security clearances? That's a bold position and I hope you lobby your Congresspeople to change the laws. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

@marcieleib If you think it is ok to tell a spouse without a security clearance about an imminent TS-SCI operation, then I assume you have demanded that Congress amend the laws and procedures for handling classified intel to say it is only illegal to disclose TS information to a non-spouse? — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

@senecamark He told someone with no security clearance about a TS-SCI operation just days before it went live. That is an incredibly serious breach and likely illegal. People have been prosecuted for far less. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Flashback: In the 1980s, Joe Biden secretly aided and abetted Reagan's CIA director in his war against whistleblowers and leakers. He also sponsored legislation to prevent defense lawyers from subpoenaing documents in leak prosecutions. https://t.co/WArldhT2Gx — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Bill Daley, Obama's chief of staff, recently admitted he told his wife in advance that the US was going after Osama bin Laden. There are whistleblowers in jail and others facing decades in prison for divulging far less serious/imminent information to unauthorized parties. — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

The U.S. continues to operate a gulag at Guantanamo. Biden's administration says it will get around to addressing it at some point. Remember, Biden supported sending prisoners to GTMO after 9/11 & supported Bush/Cheney in denying some POW status https://t.co/4uX9xZcw9K — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Empire Politician: Jimmy Carter ran for president promising to rein in the CIA. But when Carter nominated an Agency outsider for CIA director, Biden helped Republicans kill the nomination with spurious suggestions the nominee violated the Espionage Act. https://t.co/WfMNip6gkK — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

New @intercepted: Joe Biden’s war powers https://t.co/DBRfJXezNV — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

The Empire Politician project we published at @theintercept was possible because of the tremendously dedicated & talented team of editors, art & engineering staff, video producers, photo editors, fact checkers. Special thanks to project editor, @Ali_Gharib https://t.co/6Sm0kTYJwX https://t.co/3oVE24KHqI — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Biden voted against the 1991 Gulf War, then quickly said he was mistaken. He transformed into a top Iraq war hawk. During nearly 50 years in public office, Biden has seldom seen a U.S. war he didn't support or help facilitate. https://t.co/6Sm0kTYJwX https://t.co/sPP39PqGcp — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Empire Politician: Joe Biden’s long war https://t.co/tye4XOKqS6 — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

In addition to 56 articles, a short video documentary and scores of visuals, @theintercept's Empire Politician series also includes a podcast describing Biden's 50-year record on war, the CIA, and Executive power: https://t.co/WxrsXWDJAL — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

RT @democracynow: Jeremy Scahill joins Democracy Now! today to discuss this project. Watch live, 8-9 a.m. ET, at https://t.co/Xup8cdtnFB! h… — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

The Empire Politician series consists of dozens of articles exploring Biden's role in U.S. war-making, his history with the CIA, the decades-long battles over Executive power and questions of civil liberties and whistleblowing: https://t.co/6Sm0kTYJwX — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Empire Politician: a major new project from @theintercept examining 50 years of Joe Biden's positions on US wars, the CIA, whistleblowing and civil liberties https://t.co/sPP39PqGcp — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Empire Politician: a major new project from @theintercept examining 50 years of Joe Biden's positions on US wars, the CIA, whistleblowing and civil liberties: https://t.co/qML3fRnYy2 — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Empire Politician: A Half-Century of Joe Biden’s Stances on War, Militarism, and the CIA https://t.co/6Sm0kTYJwX — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

RT @theintercept: Empire Politician “Joe Biden might tell you one thing one day, and really believe it. And then the next day he’s doing t… — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

As Biden continues Trump’s war on asylum, danger mounts in the deadly Sonoran Desert https://t.co/sXwlvjRNDA by @rdevro — PolitiTweet.org

jeremy scahill @jeremyscahill

Speaking of errors and Howard Dean, in 2003 he alleged on national TV that Saddam had WMDs. When I confronted him about this claim, he said he based it on "Talks with people who were knowledgeable, including a series of folks that work in the Clinton administration." — PolitiTweet.org