Chad’s Morning Brief: Obama Announces New Sanctions on Russia and Talks Middle East, Ted Cruz Drafting Immigration Bill, and Other Top Stories
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of July 17, 2014. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am. Remember, you can listen online at KFYO.com or on your iPhone/Android with the radioPup App.
Obama Talks Russia and the Middle East
President Obama on Wednesday announced expanded sanctions against Russia and backed Israel's right to defend themselves against Hamas rocket attacks. According to POLITICO, the White House is still attempting to secure a cease fire.
President Barack Obama slapped Russia with another batch of economic sanctions on Wednesday for its incursions into Ukraine, including new restrictions on Russian government leaders, major banks and even the maker of the iconic Kalashikov assault rifle.
Among those sanctioned were a top Russian spymaster, a Ukrainian separatist leader, a top lawmaker and Moscow’s minister for the Crimea, which Russian troops seized in an armed incursion earlier this year. The Treasury Department also sanctioned Russian arms manufacturers, parts of energy companies and financial institutions.
The President also touched on issues in the Middle East.
On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the administration is working through diplomatic channels to try to secure a cease fire between Israel and Hamas, Obama said. But “Israel has a right to defend itself from rocket attacks that terrorize the Israeli people,” he said, adding that he’s “proud” that the Iron Dome system has protected Israeli lives.
“In conclusion, I’ll point out the obvious: we live in a complex world and at a challenging time,” he said.
The administration has already leveled multiple rounds of sanctions against Russia and others supporting its incursion into Ukraine. The latest round of action is “a significant step,” a senior administration official told reporters on a conference call announcing the sanctions, and is aimed at pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to take actions that he has so far resisted. In the case of the banks, for example, they will no longer be able to do business with U.S. firms to finance their operations. The Obama administration could expand those restrictions if Moscow does not deescalate the crisis, the official warned.
You can read POLITICO's entire report by clicking on the link above. I don't believe that many respect the United States in the Middle East right now so the chances of the U.S. brokering a long-term solution seems slim. Israel for sure should continue to lead and strike back against the terrorist group Hamas.
Cruz vs. Cornyn on Immigration?
According to Joel Gehrke of the National Review, Senator Ted Cruz is drafting his own immigration bill that would go up against Senator John Cornyn's bill.
I’m hearing from Senate sources that Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) is writing an alternative to the border crisis bill proposed by Senator John Cornyn (R., Texas) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (R., Texas). A ”central feature” of Cruz’s bill will be a reversal of President Obama’s ‘deferred action for childhood arrivals’ program, according to one Senate source.
This could be pretty interesting to watch because of the dynamic between Cruz and Cornyn.
Other Top Stories:
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.
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