Jared Kushner is in Iraq

[NRaleighLiberal]

Source: CNN

(CNN)White House senior adviser Jared Kushner traveled to Iraq this weekend and is expected back in the United States early this week, a senior administration official told CNN.

Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, was invited by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Dunford, and is traveling with him, sources told CNN.

Further details about what Kushner is expected to do while in Iraq or when precisely he is returning were not available Sunday night. The New York Times first reported Kushner's trip.

Kushner is expected to have a major role in the meetings later this week between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/02/politics/jared-kushner-iraq/index.html

[mountain grammy]

1. Defeating ISIS?

[question everything]

2. Expected back?

Too bad. He should be the ambassador there, live in one of these glittering palaces of Saddam Hussein. Will be just like home.

[BigmanPigman]

3. Is this an official business

trip paid for with tax dollars? Did he bring his ski poles?

[Pachamama]

4. WTF?????

Seriously......

Why and how is this non-elected man at age 36 who has no governmental experience, nor foreign relations experience, nor military experience being sent to Iraq and being put in charge of nearly every single possible issue that each single issue alone would be a full-time job with overtime?

This person whose financial worth was just disclosed at being close to $740 Million (the financial info that was actually disclosed) and whose father did prison time and whose single sole reason for being where he is now is because he was born rich and marries and fucks the 1st daughter-wife?

Seriously....WTF!!!!!

Where is the outrage in this country? I am disgusted by his and Ivanka's presence in the White House. I feel sick and embarrassed every time I see them sitting in meetings with world leaders. The world is disgusted too...In Germany, people couldn't stop talking about how insulting it was to seat Ivanka next to Merkel and force her to listen to Ivanka and to disrespect their leader by sitting her at "the kids table".



Please.....make it stop....

[IdiotsforPalin]

6. This is just as bad as Dump appointing.......

Cristie to handle opiate crisis
Perry to the Dept. of Energy
Carson to HUD
none of these people are remotely qualified to handle their positions. We can expect a clusterfuk schitshow from here on out.

[mdbl]

13. What's worse is none of them want to do a good job

They all think their positions are unnecessary. What a strange government. Nobody really wants to govern.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

19. Even worse is that Kushner has NOT been CONFIRMED, and doesn't have to be. . . nt

[Scarsdale]

32. Keep him away

from daughter/wife Ivanka. Daddy needs his lap time. What happened to being so religious, that weekends are reserved for observing the Jewish Sabbath??

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. It's Friday sundown to Saturday after sundown when 3 stars appear.

But all religion is all interpretation all the time. Much rationalization for exceptions.

[Scarsdale]

38. Tweets

It was reported that tRump's tweets were not monitored on weekends, because of the Kushner's religion keeping them occupied.

[Fast Walker 52]

16. yeah, it's fucking insane. Fuck Trump and his complete idiocy.

[MBS]

18. + 1 million.

I agree with every. single. word (with the smily, too).
Thank you for articulating my own rage so perfectly.



These people are an embarrassment and a danger to our country.

[smirkymonkey]

28. +1000

[Rhiannon12866]

46. +1001!

[LuckyLib]

5. Such a seasoned diplomat!

[IronLionZion]

7. Kushner knows more than any diplomats

just like Trump knows more than the generals and intel agencies

We're so screwed

[Scarsdale]

39. Donnie

thinks that Jared must be a genius, after all he married the very desireable Ivanka. Donnie thinks she is gorgeous. No accounting for taste. Personally, I do not think she is that hot.

[IronLionZion]

42. She always looks guilty of something

People naively think she might have a conscience or might privately be a nice person but I'm not so sure. Our mayor called up Ivanka to politely ask her to get daddy to stop suing our local small businesses for pulling out of his hotel after he launched his racist campaign, but she didn't do it. Her neighbors in DC have stated she's a real nuisance to live near. The Obama's on the other hand are supposedly quite pleasant to live near. Ivanka, the Obamas, and Tillerson all live near each other.

[MFM008]

8. Hand him a rifle.

Put him to work constructively.

[tenorly]

12. Word.

Dubya, Cheney, Rummy, and Dirty Rice could join him (talk about the gang that couldn't shoot straight).

[FarPoint]

15. Perfect...

Plus, at least his brothers-in-law can handle a rifle...shooting lions, tigers and bears....bring them along on the trail in Iraq.

[Fast Walker 52]

17. since he can do everything apparently, maybe he can single-handedly defeat ISIS

[Javaman]

22. that was my first thought as well...

this is the closest we will ever get to see any of the 1% in a war zone.

[neverforget]

9. he must have slept at a Holiday Inn

[LeftInTX]

10. Maybe Saddam's old palace was available.

[MissB]

11. I'm using that phrasing more and more.

It's the only way to explain how people with the least experience end up with such important roles. Clearly they slept at a Holiday Inn (express?) last night!

[jeanmarc]

14. Maybe he's informing them about the advantages of reverse mortgage.

Hope he stays there. Don't come back.

[watoos]

20. I have a guess why

there aren't any nice golf courses in Iraq or Trump would have gone. Nah, I think Trump is afraid to go to Iraq so they believe that sending Jared is good optics, the base will be cheering.

[Kolesar]

21. 7-jobs-jared-kushner-is-now-doing-for-the-united-states-of-america

Judd Legum: Get to know him!
https://thinkprogress.org/7-jobs-jared-kushner-is-now-doing-for-the-united-states-of-america-6f0a799462ed

Opiods, China, Mexico, Palestine, and the entire criminal justice system.
His father in law has damaged brain capacity and cant' do shit.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

23. Plans for Trump Baghdad to be announced in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ....

Send the bill to the American people.

As usual.

[wishstar]

24. NPR new article said he just arrived this morning, confirmed by Sean Spicer

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/04/03/522440516/president-trumps-son-in-law-kushner-arrives-in-iraq

Spicer confirmed Kushner's visit to NPR's Tamara Keith early Monday. According to Reuters, which has a reporter traveling with Kushner and Dunford, the U.S. group arrived on Monday, not over the weekend as some news outlets reported on Sunday.

Kushner's foray into international affairs comes less than a week after the president named him to a commission on battling opioid abuse.

As Tamara reports, "Kushner has also been tasked with liaising with the Mexican government, working to find peace in the Middle East, and leading an effort to modernize the U.S. government."

Dunford's spokesman tells Reuters that Kushner is on the current trip to show support for Iraq and for the fight against ISIS.

[dalton99a]

29. +1

[DinahMoeHum]

25. I'd be wishing it was a one-way ticket. . .

. . .but then again, the Iraqis have suffered enough.

[riversedge]

26. nytimes: Jared Kushner Visits Iraq on Invitation From Joint Chiefs Chairman

Jared Kushner Visits Iraq on Invitation From Joint Chiefs Chairman

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/02/us/politics/jared-kushner-visits-iraq.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

By MAGGIE HABERMANAPRIL 2, 2017

Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, landed in Iraq on Monday, military officials said, visiting the country as the American military is aiding Iraqi forces in their brutal fight to retake Mosul from the Islamic State.

It was unclear what Mr. Kushner, who has been expanding his reach in his father-in-law’s administration, planned to gain from the trip. Mr. Kushner, 36, who serves as a senior adviser to Mr. Trump, was invited by Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Navy Capt. Greg Hicks, a spokesman for the chairman, said early Monday that the general had arrived in Iraq for meetings, including with coalition officials, accompanied by Mr. Kushner and Thomas P. Bossert, the president’s homeland security adviser.

The general invited Mr. Kushner and Mr. Bossert to accompany him “to receive an update on the status of the counter-ISIS campaign in Iraq and Syria,” Captain Hicks said.

...................

[riversedge]

27. twitter tweets bashing his visit also....

Link to tweet

Brian Klaas?Verified account @brianklaas 4h4 hours ago

Kushner is a trifecta: huge conflicts of interest, no real qualifications for his responsibilities, and sidestepping normal channels / staff
22 replies 467 retweets 831 likes

lionessmom76 and 2 others Retweeted
Brian Klaas?Verified account @brianklaas 5h5 hours ago

Brian Klaas Retweeted Maggie Haberman

Qualifications for Jared Kushner advising on the Middle East
1: Went to Iraq once
2. Married to Trump's daughter

Brian Klaas added,
Maggie HabermanVerified account @maggieNYT
As we first reported, Kushner is in Iraq, said to be at request of Gen. Dunford https://mobile.nytimes.com/redirect?to-mobile=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F04%2F02%2Fus%2Fpolitics%2Fjared-kushner-visits-iraq.html%3F_r%3D0%26referer%3D …
21 replies 241 retweets 389 likes




Frederick Douglass Retweeted
John Iadarola?Verified account @johniadarola 6h6 hours ago

Just a reminder that Jared Kushner is in no way qualified for any of these massively important government tasks he's being put in charge of.
31 replies 165 retweets 455 likes
Frederick Douglass? @HITEXECUTIVE 6h6 hours ago

In a rare diplomatic victory for the WH, Iraq has agreed to give us ALL its oil as long as we agree to never send Jared Kushner there again.

[UpInArms]

30. Trump is very similar to Saddam Hussein

Surrounds himself with family and sycophants

This is all so very disturbing

[MBS]

41. +1000

Totally agree.

[OldRedneck]

31. He's checking out . . .

. . . real estate opportunities for a Trump hotel and golf course.

[brooklynite]

33. And why shouldn't he? it's not like we have another diplomat available...

[Sunlei]

35. Tour the town 'our guys' showered with 'shelter in place' leaflets & flattened with 1,000 missiles

How many "children kills" Dads first 60 days Mr. Kushner? 500? 1,000? baby killer!

[DesertRat]

36. Planning a new Trump hotel in Baghdad?

[nikibatts]

37. Hope he doesn't trip over those old incubators and hurt himself.

[GliderGuider]

40. WTF? I thought Rexxon Tillerson was supposed to be SoS. nt

[KewlKat]

43. figuring out how to steal the oil maybe? the con has

Said only need a few folks to do that.

[Blue_Tires]

44. The one silver lining is that I'll never have to hear white America whine

about affirmative action hires ever again without me waving this shit in their face...

Meanwhile, our gatekeepers on the liberal punditsphere can't be bothered to give a shit about Kushner because the REAL CORRUPTION SCANDAL is some foundation somewhere giving Chelsea Clinton a plaque and a statuette...

[karynnj]

45. Many many people in the government have gone to Iraq, I doubt Kushner has the background to add much

but that likely could have been said for many. Senate and House cotels have always visited war zones, whether they thought by doing so they were doing their due dillagenace or to make news back home that made them look like they were doing important work. There are also many accounts from soldiers themselves - including John Kerry's perspective from his 1968/1969 journal quoted in Tour of Duty. Not surprisingly, many spoke of how these visits were orchestrated by the military to see what the military wanted them to see.

There is nothing in Kushner's resume that suggests that he would have anything to add to discussions with the Iraqis or the military - other than a fresh view and the ability to credibly tell Iraqis that he has Trump's ear and that he will convey their concerns.

I would imagine that there are far more issues of how the US and the world helps Iraq going forward after ISIS is defeated in Mosul and the rest of Iraq. Last year, there were meetings between Iraq, the US and other coalition countries - involving their foreign ministers that dealt with issues like how to demine areas won back and how the world could back those areas in restoring governance. To put it mildly, those were goals that the Obama administration was heavily involved in leading those meetings. I somehow to do not see the easily tired Tillerson having either the interest or energy to do this. In the best situation, where Trump keeps the Obama agenda - just saying it is bibly different - is that Obama hold over, Brett McGurk, will do the real work - even if when and if it is seen as successful, Trump, Tillerson, or Kushner takes the credit.

The danger with someone like Kushner is that he likely only knows what he was told and what he will hear when he is there. The danger in the complex Shia/Sunni/Kurd mess that is Iraq is that someone could find him easy to use to push their agenda back home with Trump.