President Trump : A Practical-minded Patriot Who Is Making America Safe, Successful and Sovereign Again

THE REAL NEWS TODAY IS THAT YESTERDAY WAS A GREAT DAY FOR THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. There were two speeches to highlight President Trump's foreign and national security policies. Ambassador Nikki Haley gave a speech at the UN in defense of a US veto on Jerusalem and the President spoke to America about his national security strategy. • • • HALEY CASTS VETO TO STOP UNSC RESOLUTION TO ANNUL TRUMP JERUSALEM PROCLAMATION. On Monday, Ambassador Nikki Haley cast the US veto against an Egyptian resolution to "annul" the Trump proclamation declaring US agreement that Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. CNS NEWS reporter Patrick Goodenough wrote : "As US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley on Monday vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution seeking to overturn President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, she also sharply criticized the Obama administration’s decision a year ago not to back Israel in the same forum, calling the implications of that move “a stain on America’s conscience.” • Monday’s resolution was backed by all other 14 members of the Security Council -- the ten rotating members and permanent members Russia, China, Britain and France -- but Haley declared she was casting the sole dissenting vote “proudly” : “The fact that this veto is being done in defense of American sovereignty and in defense of America’s role in the Middle East peace process is not a source of embarrassment for us. It should be an embarrassment to the remainder of the Security Council.” • Haley challenged the right of other nations to tell the US where it should decide to locate its embassy, warning that other Security Council members may have cause to fear similar interference in their domestic decision-making : “I suspect very few member-states would welcome Security Council pronouncements about their sovereign decisions. And I think of some who should fear it.” Goodenough noted that five of the current members of the UNSC -- China, Russia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan are ranked “not free” by the democracy watchdog Freedom House, and two others -- Bolivia and Ukraine -- are graded “partly free.” • Haley recalled that Trump made it clear in his December 6 policy announcement that recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital does not prejudge “final status” negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. And she disputed that the move jeopardizes peace efforts. • Haley also used the opportunity to distance the Trump administration from its predecessor’s decision not to veto a controversial resolution targeting Israel. It was just one year ago that President Obama’s decision to abstain rather than veto resolution 2334 allowed passage of a measure that describes areas disputed between Israelis and Palestinians -- including the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City and the location of the holiest site in Judaism -- as “occupied Palestinian territory,” an Obama decision seen by many Americans as a despicable act meant to abandon Israel. Haley said resolution 2334 also “gave new life to an ugly creation of the Human Rights Council : the database of companies operating in Jewish communities.” The HRC database is widely seen as benefitting the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign, by identifying companies which will then be targeted by pro-Palestinian activists. Resolution 2334 requires all countries “to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.” Haley said : “This is an effort to create a blacklist, plain and simple. It is a stain on America’s conscience that we gave the so-called BDS movement momentum by allowing the passage of Resolution 2334.” Haley's denouncement of the Obama administration put its abstention last December into historical context : “For decades, Israel has withstood wave after wave of bias in the UN and its agencies. The United States has often stood beside Israel. We did not on December 23, 2016. We will not make that mistake again.” The Jewish Press online quoted Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sqying that Haley spoke “on Hanukkah, like a Maccabee.” • The US does not use its veto often. Monday was only the second time the US has vetoed a UNSC resolution in the past decade, having last done so in 2011 to kill a measure relating to the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Over the past decade, Russia has vetoed 17 resolutions (11 relating to its ally the Assad regime, in addition to texts concerning Bosnia, Georgia, Zimbabwe, Burma and Ukraine) and China has vetoed eight (relating to Syria, Burma and Zimbabwe). • Here is the text of Ambassador Haley's remarks at the UN Security Council on Monday, December 18, 2017 : "Thank you, Mr. President. In this meeting, I will not use Council’s time to address where a sovereign nation might decide to put its embassy, and why we have every right to do so. I will address a more appropriate and urgent concern. This week marks the one-year anniversary of the passage of Resolution 2334. On that day, in this Council, in December 2016, the United States elected to abstain, allowing the measure to pass. Now it’s one year and a new administration later. Given the chance to vote again on Resolution 2334, I can say with complete confidence that the United States would vote “no.” We would exercise our veto power. The reasons why are very relevant to the cause of peace in the Middle East. On the surface, Resolution 2334 described Israeli settlements as impediments to peace. Reasonable people can disagree about that, and in fact, over the years the United States has expressed criticism of Israeli settlement policies many times. But in truth, it was Resolution 2334 itself that was an impediment to peace. This Security Council put the negotiations between Israelis and the Palestinians further out of reach by injecting itself, yet again, in between the two parties to the conflict. By misplacing the blame for the failure of peace efforts squarely on the Israeli settlements, the resolution gave a pass to Palestinian leaders who for many years rejected one peace proposal after another. It also gave them encouragement to avoid negotiations in the future. It refused to acknowledge the legacy of failed negotiations unrelated to settlements. And the Council passed judgment on issues that must be decided in direct negotiations between the parties. If the United Nations’ history in the peace efforts proves anything, it is that talking in New York cannot take the place of face-to-face negotiations between the regional parties. It only sets back the cause of peace, not advance it. As if to make this very point, Resolution 2334 demanded a halt to all Israeli settlement activity in East Jerusalem -- even in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. This is something that no responsible person or country would ever expect Israel would do. And in this way, Resolution 2334 did what President Trump’s announcement on Jerusalem as the capital of Israel did not do: It prejudged issues that should be left in final status negotiations. Given the chance today, the United States would veto Resolution 2334 for another reason. It gave new life to an ugly creation of the Human Rights Council: the database of companies operating in Jewish communities. This is an effort to create a blacklist, plain and simple. It is yet another obstacle to a negotiated peace. It is a stain on America’s conscience that we gave the so-called BDS movement momentum by allowing the passage of Resolution 2334. To the United Nations’ shame, this has been a disproportionately hostile place for the Middle East’s most enduring democracy. The United States refuses to accept the double standard that says we are not impartial when we stand by the will of the American people by moving our US embassy, but somehow the United Nations is a neutral party when it consistently singles out Israel for condemnation. For decades, Israel has withstood wave after wave of bias in the UN and its agencies. The United States has often stood beside Israel. We did not on December 23, 2016. We will not make that mistake again. This week marks the one year anniversary of a significant setback for Middle East peace. But the United States has an undiminished commitment to helping bring about final status negotiations that will lead to lasting peace. Our hand remains extended to both parties. We call on all countries that share this commitment to learn the hard lessons of the past and work to bring Israel and the Palestinian people in good faith to the peace table. Thank you, very much. • • • PRESIDENT TRUMP SHARES HIS NATINOAL SECURITY STRATEGY WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. Every President is required to present to Congress his strategy for providing for the national security of the United States. President Trump is the first US President to share his National Security Strategy directly with the American people. • Here is the White House transcript of US President Trump's speech on Monday on his administration's National Security Strategy : "We're here today to discuss matters of vital importance to us all: America's security, prosperity, and standing in the world. I want to talk about where we've been, where we are now, and, finally, our strategy for where we are going in the years ahead. Over the past 11 months, I have traveled tens of thousands of miles to visit 13 countries. I have met with more than 100 world leaders. I have carried America's message to a grand hall in Saudi Arabia, a great square in Warsaw, to the General Assembly of the United Nations, and to the seat of democracy on the Korean Peninsula. Everywhere I traveled, it was my highest privilege and greatest honour to represent the American people. Throughout our history, the American people have always been the true source of American greatness. Our people have promoted our culture and promoted our values. Americans have fought and sacrificed on the battlefields all over the world. We have liberated captive nations, transformed former enemies into the best of friends, and lifted entire regions of the planet from poverty to prosperity. Because of our people, America has been among the greatest forces for peace and justice in the history of the world. The American people are generous. You are determined, you are brave, you are strong, and you are wise. When the American people speak, all of us should listen. And just over one year ago, you spoke loud and you spoke clear. On November 8, 2016, you voted to make America great again. You embraced new leadership and very new strategies, and also a glorious new hope. That is why we are here today. But to seize the opportunities of the future, we must first understand the failures of the past. For many years, our citizens watched as Washington politicians presided over one disappointment after another. To many of our leaders -- so many who forgot whose voices they were to respect and whose interests they were supposed to defend -- our leaders in Washington negotiated disastrous trade deals that brought massive profits to many foreign nations, but sent thousands of American factories, and millions of American jobs, to those other countries. Our leaders engaged in nation-building abroad, while they failed to build up and replenish our nation at home. They undercut and shortchanged our men and women in uniform with inadequate resources, unstable funding, and unclear missions. They failed to insist that our often very wealthy allies pay their fair share for defense, putting a massive and unfair burden on the US taxpayer and our great US military. They neglected a nuclear menace in North Korea; made a disastrous, weak, and incomprehensibly bad deal with Iran; and allowed terrorists such as ISIS to gain control of vast parts of territory all across the Middle East. They put American energy under lock and key. They imposed punishing regulations and crippling taxes. They surrendered our sovereignty to foreign bureaucrats in faraway and distant capitals. And over the profound objections of the American people, our politicians left our borders wide open. Millions of immigrants entered illegally. Millions more were admitted into our country without the proper vetting needed to protect our security and our economy. Leaders in Washington imposed on the country an immigration policy that Americans never voted for, never asked for, and never approved -- a policy where the wrong people are allowed into our country and the right people are rejected. American citizens, as usual, have been left to bear the cost and to pick up the tab. On top of everything else, our leaders drifted from American principles. They lost sight of America's destiny. And they lost their belief in American greatness. As a result, our citizens lost something as well. The people lost confidence in their government and, eventually, even lost confidence in their future. • But last year, all of that began to change. The American people rejected the failures of the past. You rediscovered your voice and reclaimed ownership of this nation and its destiny. On January 20th, 2017, I stood on the steps of the Capitol to herald the day the people became the rulers of their nation again. Thank you. Now, less than one year later, I am proud to report that the entire world has heard the news and has already seen the signs. America is coming back, and America is coming back strong. Upon my inauguration, I announced that the United States would return to a simple principle : The first duty of our government is to serve its citizens, many of whom have been forgotten. But they are not forgotten anymore. With every decision and every action, we are now putting America first. We are rebuilding our nation, our confidence, and our standing in the world. We have moved swiftly to confront our challenges, and we have confronted them head-on. We are once again investing in our defense -- almost $700 billion, a record, this coming year. We are demanding extraordinary strength, which will hopefully lead to long and extraordinary peace. We are giving our courageous military men and women the support they need and so dearly deserve. We have withdrawn the United States from job-killing deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the very expensive and unfair Paris Climate Accord. And on our trip to Asia last month, I announced that we will no longer tolerate trading abuse. We have established strict new vetting procedures to keep terrorists out of the United States, and our vetting is getting tougher each month. To counter Iran and block its path to a nuclear weapon, I sanctioned the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for its support of terrorism, and I declined to certify the Iran Deal to Congress. Following my trip to the Middle East, the Gulf states and other Moslem-majority nations joined together to fight radical Islamist ideology and terrorist financing. We have dealt ISIS one devastating defeat after another. The coalition to defeat ISIS has now recaptured almost 100 percent of the land once held by these terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Great job. Great job. Really good. We have a great military. We're now chasing them wherever they flee, and we will not let them into the United States. In Afghanistan, our troops are no longer undermined by artificial timelines, and we no longer tell our enemies of our plans. We are beginning to see results on the battlefield. And we have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help. Our efforts to strengthen the NATO Alliance set the stage for significant increases in member contributions, with tens of billions of dollars more pouring in because I would not allow member states to be delinquent in the payment while we guarantee their safety and are willing to fight wars for them. We have made clear that countries that are immensely wealthy should reimburse the United States for the cost of defending them. This is a major departure from the past, but a fair and necessary one -- necessary for our country, necessary for our taxpayer, necessary for our own thought process. Our campaign of maximum pressure on the North Korean regime has resulted in the toughest-ever sanctions. We have united our allies in an unprecedented effort to isolate North Korea. However, there is much more work to do. America and its allies will take all necessary steps to achieve a denuclearization and ensure that this regime cannot threaten the world. This situation should have been taken care of long before I got into office, when it was much easier to handle. But it will be taken care of. We have no choice. At home, we are keeping our promises and liberating the American economy. We have created more than two million jobs since the election. Unemployment is at a 17-year-low. The stock market is at an all-time high and, just a little while ago, hit yet another all-time high -- the 85th time since my election. We have cut 22 regulations for every one new regulation, the most in the history of our country. We have unlocked America's vast energy resources. As the world watches -- and the world is indeed watching -- we are days away from passing historic tax cuts for American families and businesses. It will be the biggest tax cut and tax reform in the history of our country. And we are seeing the response we fully expected. Economic growth has topped 3 percent for two quarters in a row. GDP growth, which is way ahead of schedule under my administration, will be one of America's truly greatest weapons. Optimism has surged. Confidence has returned. With this new confidence, we are also bringing back clarity to our thinking. We are reasserting these fundamental truths : A nation without borders is not a nation. A nation that does not protect prosperity at home cannot protect its interests abroad. A nation that is not prepared to win a war is a nation not capable of preventing a war. A nation that is not proud of its history cannot be confident in its future. And a nation that is not certain of its values cannot summon the will to defend them. • Today, grounded in these truths, we are presenting to the world our new National Security Strategy. Based on my direction, this document has been in development for over a year. It has the endorsement of my entire Cabinet. Our new strategy is based on a principled realism, guided by our vital national interests, and rooted in our timeless values. This strategy recognises that, whether we like it or not, we are engaged in a new era of competition. We accept that vigorous military, economic, and political contests are now playing out all around the world. We face rogue regimes that threaten the United States and our allies. We face terrorist organisations, transnational criminal networks, and others who spread violence and evil around the globe. We also face rival powers, Russia and China, that seek to challenge American influence, values, and wealth. We will attempt to build a great partnership with those and other countries, but in a manner that always protects our national interest. As an example, yesterday I received a call from President Putin of Russia thanking our country for the intelligence that our CIA was able to provide them concerning a major terrorist attack planned in St Petersburg, where many people, perhaps in the thousands, could have been killed. They were able to apprehend these terrorists before the event, with no loss of life. And that's a great thing, and the way it's supposed to work. That is the way it's supposed to work. But while we seek such opportunities of cooperation, we will stand up for ourselves, and we will stand up for our country like we have never stood up before. We know that American success is not a forgone conclusion. It must be earned and it must be won. Our rivals are tough, they're tenacious, and committed to the long term. But so are we. To succeed, we must integrate every dimension of our national strength, and we must compete with every instrument of our national power. Under the Trump administration, America is gaining wealth, leading to enhanced power -- faster than anyone thought -- with $6 trillion more in the stock market alone since the election -- $6 trillion. With the strategy I am announcing today, we are declaring that America is in the game and America is going to win. Our strategy advances four vital national interests. First, we must protect the American people, the homeland, and our great American way of life. This strategy recognises that we cannot secure our nation if we do not secure our borders. So for the first time ever, American strategy now includes a serious plan to defend our homeland. It calls for the construction of a wall on our southern border; ending chain migration and the horrible visa and lottery programs; closing loopholes that undermine enforcement; and strongly supporting our Border Patrol agents, ICE officers, and Homeland Security personnel. In addition, our strategy calls for us to confront, discredit, and defeat radical Islamic terrorism and ideology and to prevent it from spreading into the United States. And we will develop new ways to counter those who use new domains, such as cyber and social media, to attack our nation or threaten our society. The second pillar of our strategy is to promote American prosperity. For the first time, American strategy recognizes that economic security is national security. Economic vitality, growth, and prosperity at home is absolutely necessary for American power and influence abroad. Any nation that trades away its prosperity for security will end up losing both. That is why this National Security Strategy emphasises, more than any before, the critical steps we must take to ensure the prosperity of our nation for a long, long time to come. It calls for cutting taxes and rolling back unnecessary regulations. It calls for trade based on the principles of fairness and reciprocity. It calls for firm action against unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. And it calls for new steps to protect our national security industrial and innovation base. The strategy proposes a complete rebuilding of American infrastructure - our roads, bridges, airports, waterways, and communications infrastructure. And it embraces a future of American energy dominance and self-sufficiency. The third pillar of our strategy is to preserve peace through strength. We recognise that weakness is the surest path to conflict, and unrivaled power is the most certain means of defense. For this reason, our strategy breaks from the damaging defense sequester. We're going to get rid of that. It calls for a total modernisation of our military, and reversing previous decisions to shrink our armed forces -- even as threats to national security grew. It calls for streamlining acquisition, eliminating bloated bureaucracy, and massively building up our military, which has the fundamental side benefit of creating millions and millions of jobs. This strategy includes plans to counter modern threats, such as cyber and electromagnetic attacks. It recognizes space as a competitive domain and calls for multi-layered missile defence. This strategy outlines important steps to address new forms of conflict such as economic and political aggression. And our strategy emphasises strengthening alliances to cope with these threats. It recognises that our strength is magnified by allies who share principles -- and our principles -- and shoulder their fair share of responsibility for our common security. Fourth and finally, our strategy is to advance American influence in the world, but this begins with building up our wealth and power at home. America will lead again. We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but we will champion the values without apology. We want strong alliances and partnerships based on cooperation and reciprocity. We will make new partnerships with those who share our goals, and make common interests into a common cause. We will not allow inflexible ideology to become an obsolete and obstacle to peace. We will pursue the vision we have carried around the world over this past year -- a vision of strong, sovereign, and independent nations that respect their citizens and respect their neighbors; nations that thrive in commerce and cooperation, rooted in their histories and branching out toward their destinies. That is the future we wish for this world, and that is the future we seek in America. • With this strategy, we are calling for a great reawakening of America, a resurgence of confidence, and a rebirth of patriotism, prosperity, and pride. And we are returning to the wisdom of our founders. In America, the people govern, the people rule, and the people are sovereign. What we have built here in America is precious and unique. In all of history, never before has freedom reigned, the rule of law prevailed, and the people thrived as we have here for nearly 250 years. We must love and defend it. We must guard it with vigilance and spirit, and, if necessary, like so many before us, with our very lives. And we declare that our will is renewed, our future is regained, and our dreams are restored. Every American has a role to play in this grand national effort. And today, I invite every citizen to take their part in our vital mission. Together, our task is to strengthen our families, to build up our communities, to serve our citizens, and to celebrate American greatness as a shining example to the world. As long as we are proud -- and very proud -- of who we are, how we got here, and what we are fighting for to preserve, we will not fail. If we do all of this, if we rediscover our resolve and commit ourselves to compete and win again, then together we will leave our children and our grandchildren a nation that is stronger, better, freer, prouder, and, yes, an America that is greater than ever before. God Bless You. Thank you very much. Thank you." • You can access the entire National Security Strategy document submitted to Congress by President Trump here : < https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/.../NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf >. • • • DEAR READERS, in his cover letter transmitting his National Security Strategy to Congress, President TRump wrote : "Most of all, we will serve the American people and uphold their right to a government that prioritizes their security, their prosperity, and their interests. This National Security Strategy puts America First." • The unwavering hallmark of President Trump's first year in office is the soaring of American optimism and the US economy. Breitbart's John Carney reported on Monday that : "For the first time on record, more than half the respondents to CNBC’s All-American Economic Survey rate the economy as good or excellent. Nearly 41% say they expect the economy to be better a year from now, near a record high. Combined, this is the most optimistic result since the CNBC survey was launched 11 years ago. The improvement in both outlook and current sentiment traces to the election of Donald Trump in November 2016. After years of declining outlook numbers and stagnant views of the state of the economy, American views on the economy have been improving at a startling pace." Pollster Micha Roberts told CNBC : “We’re not measuring a marginal change in the economy, we’re measuring a different economy. 2017 is the year that Americans finally put the recession behind them in terms of their attitudes about the economy, and it took a change in leadership.” And, President Trump’s popularity is rising with the economy -- 42% of respondents say they approve of the job Trump is doing, a four point improvement since September. While 49% still disapprove, that is a 3% decline. Trump’s popularity with Republicans has soared, up 10% since September to 83%. Independents are also warming to the President, with more than 50% now saying they approve of his handling of the economy. • In addition, if analysts and financial experts are right, the agreed tax cuts are going to grow the economy by much more than expected. John Carney pointed out : "That’s the verdict of the Wall Street Journal‘s prestigious “Heard on the Street” column. Importantly, Heard on the Street is run by the news side of the WSJ, not its tax-cut loving editorial page. So there’s no particular pro-tax cut or pro-Republican bias at work here." Justin Lahart of Heard on the Street wrote : "There were several surprises for investors when Republicans unveiled their final tax bill Friday, but the most significant is that they add up to a bigger boost to economic growth next year. The bigger stimulus could fundamentally change how the market behaves in 2018. Sales and profits will be stronger than most investors expect. But with the unemployment rate low, wage pressures will mount faster, and inflation should pick up more. If the tax plan passes, as seems likely, it could lead the Federal Reserve to raise rates faster, putting the bond market at risk....The tax bill could increase GDP by 1.3%." That is an additional full 1% gain from what economists had been expecting based on earlier bills. • There is no question that President Trump is transforming America -- and unlike Obama's agenda -- the Trump transformation is putting America back on its feet, restoring its confidence, and giving it the economic and military tools for growth that it lacked under Obama. The Dow is heading toward 25,000 and November US housing starts totalled 1.297 million, vs 1.25 million starts expected. Single-family homebuilding, the largest share of the housing market, jumped 5.3% to a rate of 930,000 units. That was the highest level since September 2007. Pointing to future gains, single-family home permits rose 1.4% to a pace of 862,000 units, a level not seen since August 2007. • Trump is a practical-minded patriot, who is Making America Great Again -- and every time he or one of his Cabinet steps up to a microphone, that message comes through Loud and Clear.