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BOLO BLUK (DISTRICT), FARAH, AFGHANISTAN - 2018/03/08: An Mi-17 transport helicopter of the Afghan Air Force approaches for landing on the main road in the desert of Bolo Bluk district, Farah province, Afghanistan (8th of March 2018). The Mi-17 arrived to pick up the bodies of four Commandos that were killed in an operation against the Taliban the night before.Airpower is seen as a decisive advantage of Afghan government forces and their international backers over the insurgency, reaching enemies or own troops in even the remotest areas of the rugged, mountainous and underdeveloped country. These pictures show some of the military aircraft in Afghanistan’s skies – from large transport planes to U.S. drones. (Photo by Franz J. Marty/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) BOLO BLUK (DISTRICT), FARAH, AFGHANISTAN - 2018/03/08: An Mi-17 transport helicopter of the Afghan Air Force approaches for landing on the main road in the desert of Bolo Bluk district, Farah province, Afghanistan (8th of March 2018). The Mi-17 arrived to pick up the bodies of four Commandos that were killed in an operation against the Taliban the night before.Airpower is seen as a decisive advantage of Afghan government forces and their international backers over the insurgency, reaching enemies or own troops in even the remotest areas of the rugged, mountainous and underdeveloped country. These pictures show some of the military aircraft in Afghanistan’s skies – from large transport planes to U.S. drones. (Photo by Franz J. Marty/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
A Few Thoughts on Afghanistan
08.14.21 | 12:08 pm

The government of Afghanistan, created under US auspices and propped up by the US military for almost two decades, appears to be collapsing under a rapid military onslaught by the Taliban. This has been triggered by but I think by no means caused by President Biden’s decision to withdraw all US military forces from the country.

Let me share a few thoughts about this in no particular order.
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Where Things Stand: Cruz Hops On The ‘Poor Insurrectionists!’ Train Prime Badge
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08.13.21 | 6:15 pm

We expected folks like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) to offer jailed insurrectionists the victim card. They staged a photo-op protest at the jail where some of them are being held last month to paint the rioters as mistreated political prisoners.

Now Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is joining the whitewashing movement.

Memories of Pelosi
No Democrat in DC is More Determined and Indomitable in a Clutch
08.13.21 | 10:15 am

With a gaggle of House ‘moderates’, led by the meddling Josh Gottheimer, now trying to strong-arm Nancy Pelosi into decoupling the long-linked infrastructure bills, I’m reminded of a night back in 2010. Republicans made Democrats wait some six months to seat Al Franken after he defeated Norm Coleman in Minnesota in 2008. That finally gave them 60 votes in the Senate, enough to pass what we now know as Obamacare. But now it’s January 19th, 2010. Long-serving Senator Ted Kennedy died the previous August and now there’s a special election to fill his seat. Shockingly, the race is called for Republican Scott Brown. Out of the blue, Republicans have won back their ability to filibuster Obamacare just as its near the negotiation finish line.

Fuck.

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This is A Win-Win
08.13.21 | 7:00 am

If you’re already a member you can get TPM with no ads at all ever for just four dollars more a month, just the price of a ritzy cappuccino at your local coffee shop. The site gets faster, cleaner. It’s a very different experience. And right now we’ll let you test drive Prime AF for two weeks at no charge. This is a great improvement to your site experience and it is also a big help for TPM. It’s as simple as clicking one button to turn on the trial and one to turn it off if it’s not for you. Can you give it a try? I promise you’ll love the difference and it’s a big help to our operation. Just click right here.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL, speaks during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing on “Online Platforms and Market Power” in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020.  POOL Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-FL, speaks during the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law hearing on “Online Platforms and Market Power” in the Rayburn House office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on July 29, 2020.  POOL
Where Things Stand: Greenberg Hands Over Sex-Arranging Texts That Include Pics Of Gaetz Prime Badge
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08.12.21 | 6:15 pm

ABC News got its hands on some private messages that it says Matt Gaetz’s buddy Joel Greenberg allegedly sent. The messages, ABC reports, were turned over to federal investigators, and reportedly show Greenberg arranging a meet up between himself, Gaetz, and women who were allegedly paid for sex.

Things are looking increasingly bad — and gross — for the congressman.