The President's Daily Brief - December 13th, 2023: Biden Blasts Bibi, Zelensky's Plea, & Monarchy for Germany?

Episode Date: December 13, 2023

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   We examine the emerging rift between the United States and Israel, with President Biden urging Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to reconsider his approach in Gaza amidst growing international concern.   Ukrainian President Zelensky engages in a crucial plea for financial support from the U.S., signaling a pivotal moment for Ukraine.   A new and deadly terror group emerges in Pakistan, claiming the lives of numerous police officers in a devastating attack.   And in the Back of the Brief, we delve into a shocking development in Germany where a group has been charged with plotting to dismantle the democratic government in favor of a monarchy.   Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief.   Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Let's get briefed. We'll lead off today's program with signs of serious strain developing in the relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv, as President Biden tells donors that Netanyahu needs to change tactics in Gaza. Later in the program, Ukrainian President Zelensky makes a last-ditch effort to procure funding, from Washington, D.C. And dozens of police officers are killed in an attack in Pakistan, carried out by a mysterious and lethal terror organization. Finally, in today's back of the brief,

a bizarre story out of Germany, where over two dozen individuals stand accused of attempting to overthrow the elected government to replace it with a monarchy. But first up, the PDB spotlight. Up until recently, the relationship between the United States and Israel has been solid, perhaps not as cozy as previous administrations, but for the most part, there's been no real daylight between the Biden administration and the Israeli government. And in the immediate aftermath of the medieval Hamas attacks of 7 October, which started this current war, President Biden has been firm in stating the U.S.'s unequivocal support for Israel. He's largely stood shoulder to shoulder, at least publicly, with Prime Minister Netanyahu, despite some differences between the two leaders. However, that relationship is now beginning to show signs of significant strain. For the first time, President Biden has publicly expressed concern that Israel's current strategy

against Hamas in Gaza is causing a loss of international backing and support. addressing Democratic donors in Washington, and there's a clue in there somewhere, President Biden openly criticized Israel's hardline approach and suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu needs to reassess his tactics. Biden told his donors, quote, Israel's security can rest on the United States, but right now it has more than the United States. It has the European Union, it has most of the world, but they're starting to lose that support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place, end quote. According to officials in Gaza, Israel's retaliation to the Hamas attacks has killed around 18,000 and wounded 50,000. Now, it's important to note that those

statistics, they come from Hamas and are unverified. I'm not going out on a limb by saying that Hamas may not be an objective, honest broker when reporting information that could reflect negatively on Israel. President Biden recounted a private dialogue with the Israeli leader in which Netanyahu reportedly said, quote, you, meaning the U.S., carpet bombed Germany, you dropped the atomic bomb, a lot of civilians died. Biden said that he responded to that with, quote, that's why all these institutions were set up after World War II to see that it didn't happen again. Biden also stated that he accused Netanyahu of making the same mistake, that the U.S. made after 9-11, telling Netanyahu that there was no reason why the U.S. had to be in a war in Afghanistan. Now, that's an interesting comment. Perhaps the president could elaborate on that

during a future speech to veterans and Gold Star families. Biden's message to Netanyahu, according to Biden, isn't ambiguous. If Israel seeks to maintain and potentially strengthen global support for its actions against Hamas, there must be a fundamental change in its government's hardline position. It's worth mentioning here that while the president spent time in front of his Democratic donors to, in a sense, appease them by taking a tough line with the Israelis, over the weekend, he quietly approved more military aid for Israel in the form of $100 million worth of tank munitions.

He's essentially doing the standard Washington, D.C. two-step, in this case, trying to appease his base ahead of the 2024 elections by sight of. with pro-Palestinian sentiments, while keeping the arms and munitions flowing that Israel needs for a successful military campaign. Now, this public division between Washington and Tel Aviv has manifested in other areas as well. Netanyahu has openly criticized U.S. proposals for the Palestinian authority to govern Gaza after the war. The Israeli Prime Minister remains resolute, rejecting any involvement from a body that he accuses of endorsing terrorism, a clear reference to the Palestinian Authority. As Netanyahu has pointed out to the White House already,

Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have yet to denounce Hamas's brutal slaughter on 7 October. All right, when we come back, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy seems to be coming out of his latest trip to Washington, D.C., empty-handed. And a major terror attack rocks the Pakistani frontier. I'll be right back. Not loving your AT&T or T mobile bill. Yeah, we've been hearing that a lot. Good news. Bring your AT&T or T mobile bill to Verizon and we'll give you a better deal.

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Welcome back. It appears that Ukrainian President Zelensky's face-to-face appeals to U.S. lawmakers on his last ditch trip to Washington have done little to move the needle on emergency. aid. Zelenzky met with Democrat and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill early on Tuesday before having a closed-door sit-down with President Biden. It was his third trip to Washington since Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and with billions of dollars worth of aid on the line, it's arguably the most consequential of his visits. Now, Zelensky painted a stark picture of the consequences Ukraine and the rest of Europe face as a result of Putin's continued aggression, warning that

Ukraine will risk losing more territory to Russia and that the conflict could devolve into what he called brutal guerrilla warfare. A senior advisor to Zelensky said continued international funding for the nation's military is, quote, a matter of life and death for Ukraine. Since the conflict began, the U.S. has spent more than $11 billion on assistance to the country. But now Congress has been deadlocked for weeks over the Biden administration's request for an additional $61 billion in emergency aid. Last week, the Democrats attempted to pass a comprehensive aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region, but they were blocked by Republicans. Republicans in both chambers have demanded any additional emergency funds for Ukraine be tied to significant reforms of

U.S. border policy. Following meetings with Zelensky on two. Tuesday, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, they remained resolute. McConnell has said that, quote, when it comes to keeping America safe, border security is not a side show. It's ground zero. Senate Republicans, he said, have no more spare time to explain this basic reality. Speaker Johnson also held firm on the need for border policy concessions from Democrats

following his meeting was Zelensky. Additionally, he voiced concerns over. over a lack of vision from the White House on Ukraine's broader strategy to repel or beat Putin, Johnson said he has repeatedly asked the White House for, quote, a clear articulation of the strategy to allow Ukraine to win, and thus far their responses, he said, have been insufficient. With both parties digging their heels in, McConnell said he does not realistically see any progress being made

on additional aid to Ukraine until after the new year. Biden was able to give Zelensky a small victory during their meeting Tuesday afternoon, announcing that he would immediately release $200 million in funding that was previously approved by Congress. Biden reiterated his concerns about the potentially catastrophic consequences of not approving more aid, saying a failure by Congress to deliver would be handing, quote, Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could possibly give him. In his remarks, Biden said, We've seen what happens when dictators don't pay the price for the damage, the death, the destruction they cause.

They keep going when no price is paid. Biden added that the threat to America to Europe and the world will only keep rising if we don't act. All right. Next up. I want to turn our attention to the unfolding chaos within Pakistan, which is experiencing a dramatic surge in violence from Islamic terrorists ahead of their elections this coming February. On Tuesday morning, a terrorist group described as an offshoot of the Taliban, carried out a suicide

attack on a military base in northwest Pakistan. Militants rammed a truck laden with explosives into the main gate of the base, killing 23 people and injuring 34, according to a report by the Washington Post. Tarik I. Jihad, or the Tjap, took credit for the attack. The group, found that in February of this year is reportedly an offshoot of the Pakistani Taliban. Now, the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tareki Taliban, or TTP, has escalated their attacks within Pakistan over the last year. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies found that in just the first half of 2023, terrorist attacks within Pakistan have increased by an alarming 80%. These attacks have included numerous summaries.

suicide bombings, including one on a mosque in Peshawar, last January, they killed 101 people. Observers say the resurgence of groups like the TTP and Tjp is linked to the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, though the Afghan Taliban strongly deny accusations that they've given the group's safe haven. Despite their denials, intelligence indicates that the majority of these attacks originated within Afghanistan's borders. The TTP and the TJP both have stated intent of using armed Islamic jihad to overthrow the current government in Pakistan and replace it with an Islamic system based in Sharia law. In a statement of their goals released earlier this year, the TJP said,

we have reached the conclusion that except through armed jihad, the enforcement of an Islamic system is not possible in Pakistan. Now, the country is already mired in an economic crisis and struggling. with intensifying political divisions. Security analysts within Pakistan have expressed growing concern over their government's ability to contend with the renewed activity of these terrorist groups, saying they pose a, quote, serious challenge to their ability to conduct elections in 2024. A destabilized Pakistan, or worse yet, a Pakistan that falls to Islamic jihad, would be a massive blow to global stability. Pakistan, after all, is a member of a member of, and worse yet, a Pakistan,

of the nuclear club. They've been a member since 1998 and have an arsenal of some 170 warheads. That is why the country's stability is a key concern to the US and the West. Coming up in the back of the brief, a strange story out of Germany as 27 individuals stand accused of attempting

to overthrow the democratically elected government and replace it with a monarchy. I'll be right back. Starting a business can seem like a daunting task, unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need.

There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz, and all birds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into... Sign up for your $1 per month trial at Shopify.com slash special offer. In today's back of the brief, a bizarre story out of Europe that sounds like something out of the 18th century, or perhaps a plotline for a movie. Prosecutors in Germany have brought charges against 27 individuals with suspected far-right extremist ties. The accused are linked to the fringe Reichsberger movement or Citizens of the Reich, which refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the post-World War II Federal Republic of Germany.

Instead, they cling to a vision of reinstating the German monarchy that predates the Second World War. Oh, these 27 individuals who were charged allegedly conspired to overthrow Germany's current democratic framework by violent means. The Reichsberger view today's Germany as nothing more than a puppet state, controlled by Western nations such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. In their eyes, the German empire that was a... established in 1871, well, that remains the legitimate state, along with its pre-World War II borders. Now, while the plot sounds froult at best, it wasn't mere fantasy. Starting in the summer of

2021, these individuals allegedly began to amass an arsenal suitable for their planned insurrection, including approximately 380 firearms and almost 150,000 rounds of ammunition. Their strategy was audacious to storm the Bundestag with a cadre of armed insurgents and seize control. But their aspirations didn't stop at merely gathering weapons. They reportedly tried to enlist soldiers and police officers to their cause and created a hit list of adversaries, fully anticipating killing their targets if the coup was successful. Now, the architects of this coup had even outlined how they expected their new order to function in the wake of their revolution. They had designated,

Heinrich 13 Prince Royce, a descendant of German nobility, of course, as the new head of state. On taking office, Prince Royce was going to negotiate a peace treaty with the Allied powers, which won World War II. And then, of course, he would have thrown a fabulous costume ball and invited all the eligible princesses in the land. Adding another layer to this convoluted plot, there are allegations that Prince Royce sought to court Russian support for their coup, a move that reveals the international ambitions of this group. Now, unfortunately, for the plotters, the would-be prince was arrested last December, and eventually he was banished to a dark Bavarian forest where he lives in a small cottage

with seven little people who spend their days mining for gemstones and whistling incessantly. And that, my friends, is the president's daily brief for Wednesday, 13 December. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB afternoon bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.