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Stories We\’re Watching

Bomb\’s in the mail: FBI Tracking Source of Explosives, Rise in Right-Wing Domestic Terror Days before US Midterm Elections

At least 9 suspicious packages have been found since Monday. Today, two were found addressed to former Vice President biden and actor Robert De Niro. So far, all packages have been intercepted and no one has been harmed. Several different studies have found a link between right wing activity and domestic terrorism. START, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, found that right-wing ideology and organizations are behind a surge in US domestic terrorism, from six attacks in 2007 to 65 in 2017. US enforcement officials believe that the explosives were sent by the same sender or group of senders.

• Government Executive: U.S. Terror Attacks Are Increasingly Motivated By Right-Wing Views

• Motherboard: How Experts Trace A Homemade Bomb To Its Source

• Defense One: National Security Pros, It’s Time to Talk About Right-Wing Extremism

• START Consortium: Ideological Motivations of Terrorism in the United States, 1970–2016

Chinese and Russian Spies Are Listening to President Trump’s Personal Calls and He’s Aware

President Trump regularly uses a his non-secured iPhone according to a New York Times investigation. American intelligence officials disclosed that President Trump’s behavior routinely exposes his conversations to eavesdroppers. Officials learned that China and Russia were eavesdropping on the president’s calls from human sources inside foreign governments. Beijing is known to have used information from President Trump’s personal calls to attempt to influence his policy decisions. According to this story first featured in the New York Times, officials aren\’t worried President Trump will share classified information since he \”rarely digs into the details of the intelligence he is shown and is not well versed in the operational specifics of military or covert activities.\” Earlier today China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson denounced the New York Times report as “fake news,” and suggested that the president exchange his iPhone for a cellphone made by Chinese manufacturer Huawei.

• The New York Times: When Trump Phones Friends, the Chinese Listen and Learn

• Associated Press: China denies Trump spying report, suggests change of phones

• South China Morning Post: China denies report it spies on Trump’s iPhone, suggests he get a Huawei instead

Under Pressure, MBS praises Qatar economy, vows that KSA & Turkey will ‘put justice above all’

Days after President Trump branded Khashoggi’s brutal murder the \’worst cover-up ever’, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman delivered his first public remarks since X, at Riyadh’s Future Investment Initiative conference. Among other things, MBS praised Qatar saying  \”Qatar, despite the differences we have, has a great economy and they will be doing a lot in the next five years.\” Speaking of Turkey and Khashoggi, MBS said: “The rift will never be created. We will prove to the entire world that the both countries are cooperating to punish all perpetrators and justice will be above everything.\” Earlier today MBS chaired the first meeting of a committee to reform Saudi intelligence services, which was set up following Mr Khashoggi\’s death.

• Al Jazeera: Saudi crown prince promises justice in Khashoggi murder case

• The Globe and Mail: Mohammed bin Salman joins pantheon of incendiary sons of Arab rulers

• Saudi Gazette: Khashoggi\’s case painful: Saudi Crown Prince

Russia \’will respond\’ to new US missiles in Europe

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at a news conference yesterday, said \”If the US do end up pulling out of the INF treaty, then the most important question is what will they do with the missiles that will reappear again. If they are supplied to Europe, then of course we will have to respond in kind, and the European countries that agree to this – if things come to this – should understand that they will be subjecting their own territory to the threat of a possible retaliatory strike\”. President Putin also expressed concern over a possible US withdrawal from the INF treaty since the US has already dropped the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty.

• BBC: INF treaty: Russia \’will respond\’ to new US missiles in Europe

• TASS: Russia calls on world community to support INF Treaty

• The Financial Times: America\’s allies must master the art of dealing with Donald Trump

NATO launches biggest war games since end of Cold War

Earlier today NATO launched its biggest military war game since the cold war, Trident Juncture 18. 50,000 participants, 250 aircraft, and 65 vessels from more than 30 nations were deployed in a mock battle against an invading force in Norway early this morning. NATO claims that the exercise is meant to test the whole military chain, from tactical level troop training to strategic command. NATO insists that the exercise is not directed against any specific country or region and that the exercise is about training, and preparedness. Russia has called the transatlantic security alliance’s exercise “sabre-rattling”. Tensions have escalated recently over President Trump’s statements to withdraw from the INF treaty, a key cold war nuclear arms control deal.

• NATO: Trident Juncture 18  (official)

• Norwegian Armed Forces: Welcome to Trident Juncture 18 (oficial)

• Deutsche Welle: NATO launches biggest war games since end of Cold War

• Financial Times: Nato launches biggest war game since Soviet era

• Stars and Stripes: 50,000 troops to drill for invasion in largest Europe exercise since Cold War

• Business Times: Sweden is worried about Russian aggression and sending 2 stealth

From Deep State Radio

DEEP STATE PODCAST: IF EVERY TEACHER HAD A PORTABLE NUCLEAR WEAPON THERE WOULD BE NO MORE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS

The Khashoggi murder has rocked the Middle East.  The underlying crime was so horrific, its cover-up has been so pathetic and unpersuasive, and the position of the US administration has only compounded the outrage.  The question is: Will this change anything?  Our guests Stephen Walt, Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake and Ed Luce discuss and then move on to considering what the deeper significance of the Trump Administration’s decision to pull out of the INF Treaty with Russia might mean for the US, for Russia, for arms manufacturers, for China and for all the rest of us.  Tune in!

DEEP STATE BLOG: This Week In American History: The Most Sweeping Plot Against American Leaders Ever Undertaken

This week in American history the most extensive plot to kill senior US government officials and prominent Americans in history took place. It targeted two former presidents, their families, a former Vice President, a former Secretary of State, a former Attorney General, a former head of the CIA, senior members of Congress, a leading media organization, one of America’s most distinguished philanthropists and a well-known actor and spokesperson for liberal causes. Continue