The President's Daily Brief - January 5th, 2024: Gaza Governance, Kim’s Kin, & Military Mandate Backlash

Episode Date: January 5, 2024

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: We explore new strategies for a post-war Gaza and what life may look like for the Palestinian people once Hamas is no longer in control. We gain rare insights into North Korean politics with details from South Korean intelligence on the likely successor to the Kim Dynasty. We discuss the significance of over 200 active and retired U.S. service members signing an open letter that demands accountability from military leaders on the enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. In the Back of the Brief, we address the release of the long-anticipated Epstein documents and why they may have failed to provide substantial new information on the late sex trafficker’s network. 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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I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. To start today's show, we're going to return to the topic of a post-war Gaza, specifically the question of who will govern, as several new plans are now being floated for what life after Hamas might look like for the Palestinian people. Later in the show, South Korean spies are giving us a rare insight into the palace intrigue of North Korea, identifying the likely error to current leader Kim Jong-un and the Kim dynasty. Spoiler alert. The heir, well, their name is also Kim. Plus, over 200 active and retired U.S.

service members sign an open letter calling for accountability of U.S. military leaders regarding the enforcement of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. And finally, in today's back of the brief, the release of the long-awaited Epstein documents, or at least some of them, and folks hoping for insight into illegal or scandalous activity, well, they're going to be somewhat disappointed. But first up, the PDB spotlight. One thing we've been keeping an eye on here at the PDB, ever since the brutal 7 October attacks and Israel's vow to destroy Hamas, are the potential plans or governing scenarios for a post-war Gaza. The question of who's going to run the show in the Palestinian enclave after the war is over, well, that's still very much an open question. Assuming Israel manages to

eliminate Hamas, the power vacuum will have to be filled by someone or some entity. Right now, there are roughly three different plans that are circulating, two that may have potential, and another that almost sounds like a siop created by anti-Israel. forces. The first scenario, reported by the Jerusalem Post this morning, involves top Israeli defense officials proposing to hand local management of Gaza over to clans or key families traditionally connected to specific cities and sectors. Now, for those of you who aren't familiar with the social structure of much of the Arab world, various clans or hamulas in Arabic hold significant influence. These clans play a crucial role in the social and political life.

They're basically extended family groups that can include thousands of members, and their influence can span over several towns or regions. The idea here would be to replace Hamas with family groups less connected to the terror group, giving them control over key supplies like food, water, and other resources in Gaza. The challenge, of course, lies in finding families not connected. to Hamas, considering that the group has been in power in Gaza for 16 years. However, this tactic does have a track record of use and some success. It's reminiscent of strategies used by the U.S. in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The second scenario is the one that's being pushed by the United

States, suggesting the Palestinian Authority, which currently manages the West Bank, takeover security and management of the Gaza Strip. Just last month, just last month, month, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was in Ramallah asking Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to provide security personnel to patrol Gaza once Israel winds down its campaign there. However, this plan faces a lot of headwinds from the current Israeli government. Prime Minister Netanyahu has rejected the idea, suggesting there's little difference between allowing the Palestinian Authority and Hamas to run Gaza. The last plan circulating in media and what seems designed to inflame anti-Israel sentiment involves what's being referred to as a

quote voluntary Palestinian resettlement from Gaza. Zman Israel, the Times of Israel's Hebrew sister site, reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition is secretly holding talks with foreign nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, to accept thousands of immigrants from Gaza. An unnamed source in the security cabinet mentioned that Congo might be willing to take in migrants with discussions ongoing with other nations. Now, this report follows the U.S. State Department's criticism of two hard-right Israeli ministers who've been advocating for resettling Palestinians outside Gaza. The State Department has called their rhetoric inflammatory and irresponsible.

Sane voices inside the Israeli government have also shouted down the nation. notion of resettlement. Media, pushing this scenario as a solution to the conflict, well, they appear more interested in promoting anti-Israel sentiment than reporting facts. The reality is that Netanyahu and his cabinet fully understand that some mass resettlement of Palestinians is not going to happen. If resettlement was a possible scenario, you would assume that Arab states in the region would have opened their arms years ago to take in refugees. That hasn't happened and won't happen. Bottom line here is that Hamas cannot be left to govern Gaza. They've proven since 2006 that they're more interested in enriching themselves and pursuing their shared dream with their Iranian sponsors

of destroying Israel than in properly governing the Palestinian people and bettering their lives. And they've vowed to continue attacks like their 7 October slaughter. But post-Hamas, the Palestinian people need good governance and an opportunity to grow up. and prosper. This issue, who will control Gaza, who will govern Gaza, will be the most complex and difficult negotiation of 2024. Coming up, a look into the secretive world of North Korean politics with a report from South Korean intelligence, revealing the likely successor to Kim Jong-un. Plus, a powerful call for accountability as hundreds of active and retired U.S. service members pen an open letter demanding answers from military leaders

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South Korea's National Intelligence Service revealed on Thursday that they believe Kim's 10-year-old daughter, Kim Juei, has been designated as his heir in the event of his death. The intelligence assessment said, quote, based on analysis on her public activities and the level of the North respect toward her since her public appearance, Kim Jouet appears to be the most likely successor, end quote. Now, the South Korean intelligence agency says that Jouet, who made her first public appearance at a ballistic missile test launch in November 22, wait, well, there's some good times for a kid, a ballistic missile test launch. I remember my own boys, Scooter and Slugo go and Muggo and Mugsy, used to love when we'd pack up the station wagon and go watch.

a ballistic missile test launch. But I digress. Anyway, she's been increasingly photographed attending parades, dining with military leaders, and touring military facilities. Some of these photographs include images of high-ranking officers kneeling before the 10-year-old, suggesting that she is being prepared for the role. An analyst at South Korea's Sejong Institute told Fox News, quote, by accompanying her father on major events, she's likely learning kingship and building a human network at a tender age, end quote. The North Korean regime is notoriously secretive, and despite their updated assessment, South Korean officials left open the possibility that other potential heirs to Kim's throne could still emerge. South Korean officials noted that their

intelligence has long suggested that Kim's eldest child is a son. Now, while outsiders who speculate about his firstborn for years, no concrete information about this child has ever emerged, and the dictator has never publicly acknowledged any child outside of his daughter. Some observers believe a son would be a more likely contender to replace Kim, given the patriarchal nature of the North Korean regime. Despite the speculation, it's worth remembering that Kim is still young. He turns 40 next week, and despite some speculation about mysterious health scares over the past few years, he is expected to rule for the foreseeable future.

Both his grandfather and father ruled until their deaths. We should also note that despite the best predictions of outside observers, succession within North Korea's dynastic leadership system is difficult to predict. Experts had long predicted that one of Kim Jong-un's two elder brothers would take over the throne from their father, only for the regime to announce Kim as the heir, following Kim Jong-il's stroke in 2008. If Kim's daughter ever does ascend to the ruling position in North Korea, she would, of course, be the first female ruler in the regime's history. All right, I want to shift focus to the U.S., where fallout continues to grow regarding the U.S. military's campaign of forced vaccination

during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 200 active and retired service members signed an open letter this week, calling on the Biden administration to hold U.S. military leaders accountable for the, quote, irreparable harm caused by the military's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. That's according to a report by Newsweek. The letter listed several top commanders, including retired generals Mark Millie and James McConville, who they said they would work to recall from retirement so that they could face, quote, court marshals for the crimes they committed, end quote. In describing the damage done by the mandate. The letter states, while implementing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, military leaders broke the law, trampled constitutional rights, denied informed consent, permitted unwilling medical experimentation,

and suppressed the free exercise of religion. The letter continues to say, service members and families were significantly harmed by these actions. Their suffering continues to be felt financially, emotionally, and physically. Some service members became part of our ever-growing veteran homeless population, some developed debilitating vaccine injuries, and some even lost their lives, end quote. Signers of the letter further alleged that the U.S. military has consistently ignored their efforts to communicate regarding the injuries to service members or to address any laws that may have been broken.

As you may remember, the U.S. Armed Forces instituted the mandate in August of 2021, while the vast majority of active duty service members received the vaccine. Some 8,400 troops were forced out of the military for refusing to take the shot. The mandate was dropped in January 2023, but those who previously refused were not reinstated. The letter said military leaders, quote, betrayed the trust of service members and the American people. Their actions caused irreparable harm to the armed forces and the institutions for which we have fought and bled. These, leaders refuse to resign or take any other action to hold themselves accountable, nor have they attempted to repair the harm their policies and actions have caused, end quote. As we previously

discussed on the PDB, the Army reached out to former service members displaced by the vaccine mandate in November, telling them that they can request a correction to their discharge records through the Army Discharge Review Board or the Army Board for Correction of Military Records. They were encouraged to contact a recruiter if they were interested in returning to service. The decision came in the wake of a horrendous recruitment year for the Army, which experienced a shortfall of some 15,000 new soldiers. Coming up in the back of the brief, my take on the long-awaited Epstein documents that dropped this week. I'll be right back. Exema is unpredictable, but you can flare less with Epgless, a once-monthly treatment for moderate to disappear eczema. After an initial four-month or longer dosing phase, about four and 10 people taking ebbglis, achieved itch relief and clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks.

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Just tell the manager you'll sue. Instant room upgrade. Stop taking bad travel advice. Start comparing hundreds of sites with kayak and get your trip right. Kayak, got that right. In today's back of the brief, I wanted to follow up on those much-anticipated Epstein files that were released this week. The anticipation was so intense that the public release on. Wednesday night caused the court website to crash within minutes. Over 900 pages were unsealed,

revealing numerous Epstein Associates and Public Figures mentioned in the 2015 case brought by accuser Virginia Jufrey against Gilaine Maxwell. However, to the disappointment of many, there really wasn't much to learn from the documents. The majority of the people named in the documents have already previously been cited before in legal proceedings or news reports, and haven't been accused of any wrongdoing. Reportedly, additional documents will be released in the coming days. Now, the list includes a variety of high-profile individuals like Prince Andrew, former U.S. President's Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, names we were already familiar with, but also the list adds pop star Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield to the mix, to name a few.

Many names included in the release documents were one-time references or mentioned on the periphery of witness statements. One witness recounted meeting Jackson at Epstein's Palm Beach home and another shared an evening with Copperfield at Epstein's estate where he reportedly performed magic for those present. It's crucial to note neither Jackson nor Copperfield have been accused of any misconduct. Epstein collected contacts, celebrities, and introductions to wealthy people like some folks collect baseball cards. So the lists are a bizarre collection of high-profile individuals from social, business, political, and celebrity circles. Now, one of the many aspects of this entire Epstein saga that is concerning is this.

Galane Maxwell, Epstein's longtime associate and reported partner in crime and Epstein's sex trafficking and abuse of minor girls, is the only person in jail. She's currently serving a 20-year sentence. Now, I'm no Hercules Poirot, but I do have some experience with investigations. Look, typically, with sex trafficking and underage victims, there are two sides to that illegal transaction. How is it that after all this time, Maxwell is the only individual convicted? I mean, not counting Epstein, who of course, died under mysterious. circumstances while in prison. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Friday, 5 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.