The President's Daily Brief - January 10th, 2024: Genocide Claims, Pentagon Protocols, & Airliner Alarms

Episode Date: January 10, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: The international spotlight turns to the Middle East as Israeli lawyers prepare for a historic battle at the International Court of Justice, with accusations of genocide linked to the Gaza war taking center stage. We delve into the mysterious illness of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that led to his sudden absence, and discuss the implications of the White House's subsequent call for a protocol review. Drama in South America, where the escape of a narco-gang leader has plunged a nation into a state of emergency. Boeing faces intense scrutiny following a harrowing incident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9, raising serious concerns about airline safety. 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

It's Wednesday, January 10th. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. Today, we'll start things off with a pending legal case based on an accusation of genocide made by South Africa against Israel. Israeli lawyers are set to appear before the International Court of Justice to face charges that its war in Gaza amounts to an act of genocide.

I'll explain with those hearings. will look like and what we can expect in the days ahead. Later in the show, we've got some more information about the illness that led to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's three-day disappearance as the White House orders a protocol review in the wake of the controversy. Then we'll turn our attention to South America, where the daring prison escape of one of Ecuador's most notorious cartel leaders has the nation locked in a state of emergency. And finally, in today's back of the brief. Boeing is under fire after a panel blew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 jet in midair last week. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, and there are calls for Senate hearings.

But first up, the PDB spotlight. The International Court of Justice, the ICJ, is set to begin hearings this week on a significant case brought by South Africa against Israel. Now, the accusation is obviously very serious. South Africa alleges that Israel's actions in the Gaza war amount to genocide. Now, the case seeks an emergency suspension of Israel's military campaign in the region. South Africa's detailed 84-page filing accuses Israel of causing severe mental and physical harm to Palestinians in Gaza and creating living conditions intended to bring about their physical destruction. This, South Africa argues, constitutes genocide. The filing highlights Israel's failure to provide essential supplies like food, water, medicine, and fuel during the over three-month-long war with Hamas.

It also points to the sustained bombing campaign that has devastated much of Gaza, forced the evacuation of around 1.9 million Palestinians, and, according to Gaza health authorities, resulted in over 23,000 deaths. It should be noted, that Hamas is still in control of the Gaza Health Ministry and still responsible for reporting statistics regarding fatalities. This move by South Africa has garnered support from several nations and organizations including Jordan, Turkey, Malaysia, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which is a 57-member bloc comprising countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iran. And here, it should be noted, that Iran is the primary sponsor of Hamas.

Responding to these allegations, Israeli President Isaac Herzog has labeled the ICJ case as atrocious and preposterous, maintaining that Israel has made every effort to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza. The U.S. has also publicly opposed the accusations. During a press conference in Tel Aviv yesterday, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said South Africa's genocide charge against Israel is, quote, meritless while acknowledging the heavy toll of the war on Gaza's civilians. So what are these hearings going to look like? Well, first off, you shouldn't expect to watch

them on C-SPAN, as this all happens behind closed doors. Scheduled for January 11th and 12th, the proceedings will give South Africa and Israel two hours each, spread over separate days, to present their arguments before a panel of 17 judges. Now, this panel includes, two judges appointed by each disputing side. An interesting note, Israel has chosen Ahron Barak, the former president of Israel's Supreme Court, to sit on the judicial panel and hear the case. In addition to being a respected legal scholar, Barack is a Holocaust survivor who fled Nazi-occupied Lithuania as a boy. These hearings, however, are nothing like a criminal trial. There'll be know, witness testimonies or cross-examinations. Instead, the ICJ proceedings are more akin to arguments

before the U.S. Supreme Court, focusing primarily on legal arguments presented by state officials and their teams of international lawyers. You shouldn't expect a final decision on the charges of genocide anytime soon. The court's final determination on South Africa's allegations will likely take years. However, the court can enact emergency measures. in the short term, and that's what's being requested here. South Africa is asking the court to order Israel to halt its military actions in Gaza and take steps to prevent genocide, with a decision on these measures likely to come in weeks. So what happens if the court actually comes down against Israel?

The answer is not much in the short term. The court will ask Israel to cease its fighting in Gaza immediately, take measures to prevent more deaths, and issue regular reports to the IEA, about what measures it's taking. However, the ICJ has no way of enforcing its rulings. In the long-term, however, such a ruling could damage Israel's international standing. It could also potentially lead to the prosecution of Israeli leaders, although that would likely have to be in absentia since Israel's not signed on to the International Criminal Court. Perhaps at the same time, as they're mulling over South Africa's case against Israel,

the ICJ could also rule on Hamas' use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war based on documented evidence gathered following the 7 October attacks. All right, coming up, we've got new details about U.S. Defense Secretary Austin's health, and we'll take a look into the unfolding crisis in Ecuador following a dramatic prison break by a notorious criminal, an event that has triggered a national state's state of emergency. I'll be right back. Yamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel is California's number one entertainment destination for today's superstars. Catch the Jonas Brothers return to the Yamava Theater stage on April 30th, the powerful vocals of Demi Lovato on May 17th and the signature

Southern Country Rock of Eric Church on July 19th. Tickets on sale now at Yamavah Theater.com, only at Yamava Resort and Casino, celebrating its 40th anniversary. U.N. Must be 21 to enter. Welcome back. We're getting some clarity on the illness that caused Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to be rushed to the ICU on New Year's Day, leading to his controversial three-day disappearance, and his office's failure to advise the White House that the Secretary was incapacitated. Doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center have disclosed that prostate cancer was detected in Secretary Austin during a health screening in early December, necessitating immediate treatment. The medical team revealed that Austin was first admitted to the hospital on

December 22nd. A minimally invasive surgical procedure was done aimed at treating and curing prostate cancer. The surgery was reportedly successful and he was able to return home the following day. However, complications arose shortly after that. On January 1st, Austin was readmitted to the hospital due to severe symptoms, including nausea, abdominal, hip, and leg pain. This was later identified as a urinary tract infection stemming from the surgery. Now, by January 2nd, his condition warranted a transfer to the ICU for closer monitoring and advanced care. The infection was treated on surgically, and doctors have confirmed that Secretary Austin remained conscious throughout his post-surgery hospitalization. The White House reportedly wasn't advised that Austin was incapacitated until the

4th of January, three days after being readmitted to the hospital. Now, the DOD has noted that part of the communications breakdown here was due to the fact that Austin's chief of staff was ill with the flu and not working. The White House, in responding to the controversy yesterday, announced that they're ordering a review of cabinet protocols for delegating authority. A memo issued on Tuesday has directed all departments and agencies to submit their current protocols for a comprehensive review by January 12. The review will focus on ensuring that the protocols adequately cover a number of different scenarios.

These reportedly include instances where a cabinet member is traveling to remote locations with limited communication, undergoing hospitalization or medical procedures requiring general anesthesia, or in any situation where they might be on. reachable. The aim, according to the memo, is to refine the criteria for delegation, decision-making authority, documentation, and notification procedures to ensure continuous and effective governance, assuming we have effective governance. Now, is it just me, or did you also imagine that protocols for delegation of authority, decision-making, and efficient communication would already be in place? I mean, that's basic housekeeping.

All right, heading south. I want to bring your attention to an unfolding story out of Ecuador, where violence has escalated following the prison break of one of the nation's most notorious drug cartel leaders. Ecuador's president has taken drastic measures declaring a 60-day state of emergency and labeling the situation an internal armed conflict. This crisis was sparked by the escape of Adolfo Fito-Massias,

the notorious head of the Los Angeles, Choneros Cartel from a prison in Guayaquil. Macias was serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking, murder, and organized crime, and was discovered missing just hours before a scheduled transfer to a maximum security facility. Well, that was good timing. Two prison guards have been implicated in aiding Macias' escape, nearly a decade after he was brought back into custody following a previous jailbreak. Now, the ripple effects of his escape are profound.

Six of Ecuador's prisons have been thrown into chaos, with inmate uprisings and guards taken hostage. The turmoil has spread beyond the prisons with at least four police officers abducted on Monday night. There wereabouts unknown, one in the capital, Quito, and three in Covedo City. The violence has surged in public spaces as well, with explosions reported in several cities, including a blast on a pedestrian bridge in Quito and another close to the residents of the President of the National Justice Corps. In an alarming escalation, masked assailants stormed the set of a public television channel during a live broadcast brandishing guns and explosives. Responding to the chaos and in an attempt to restore order, the president has issued another decree,

this time designating 20 drug trafficking gangs as terrorist organizations. This decree empowers the military to actively neutralize these groups, marking a severe intensification of the nation's crackdown on organized crime. All right, coming up in the back of the brief, it was a memorable moment for travelers on an Alaska Airlines flight as a panel blew off their Boeing 737, leaving a sizable hole in the fuselage while in flight. More on that and the fallout for Boeing when we come back. In today's back of the brief, I wanted to take a look at an alarming incident that unfolded last week involving a Boeing 737 to quickly bring you up to speed. On Friday,

A plot designed for an emergency door became detached from an Alaska Air 737 mid-flight, approximately 16,000 feet above Oregon. This created a gaping hole in the side of the plane. Remarkably, the aircraft was able to return safely to Portland, sparing all 171 passengers and the six crew members from injury. But the plot thickens, as ongoing investigations suggests that Alaska Airlines might have been aware of the problem before the flight took off. The National Transportation Safety Board, the NTSB, reports that the four bolts meant to secure the plug were missing.

The agency is now trying to determine if these bolts were ever even installed. The NTSB also disclosed that this wasn't the plane's first sign of trouble. Warning lights had been triggered on three separate occasions during previous flights. In fact, alarms went off on two consecutive days right before the aircraft experienced the fuselage blowout. The initial warnings occurred as the plane flew over the Pacific Ocean from Hawaii. The airline's response was to halt the long flights from Hawaii but continue operations over land. What? Look, I'm not an engineer, but I don't think the problem is fixed by simply not flying over the ocean.

We're missing some bolts there, Bob. No worries, just don't fly it over water. She'll be fine. I'm not sure if that's how airplane engineers talk, but that's in my imagination. Now, this issue might not be isolated to a single aircraft. Following last Friday's scare, airlines have been conducting thorough inspections of their Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. Disturbingly, both United and Alaska Airlines have found similar issues with loose hardware on the plugs in several planes. Now, here's the statement of the obvious for today.

This is not a good look for Boeing. The company convened an all-hand safety meeting this Tuesday in the wake of the Federal Aviation Administration, administration's decision to temporarily ground all Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft that are equipped with a plugged door. This order affects a fleet of 171 planes worldwide. One more interesting note. An iPhone that got sucked out of the hole in the Alaska Airlines plane and fell to the ground was found on Sunday. It fell 16,000 feet to the ground. And it was intact and still working. It was also still in airplane mode. Separately, they're still looking for DB Cooper. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, 10 January. 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.