Let me be clear from the start: They NEVER should have been there! Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot on the streets of DC, in a place they never should have been deployed to, performing a dubious (at best) “mission” and now they are fighting not some (Trump) imagined threat but for their very lives. The plain fact is for Trump they were before being shot nothing but so-call ‘extras’ in his “Reality TV” Presidential televIsion show. Now, whether they live or die they’ll be main characters whether they want to be or not.
What we know so far is that it was a one person attack. He drove all the way across the country to carry it out. He is from Afghanistan and was granted entry into and asylum in this country for his work with the CIA during our time in Afghanistan. What no pundit or journalist is talking about is a quite possible motivation for why he did what he did. I’ll get to Trump’s July order that might have started all this in motion in a bit. But for now there’s still a lot we don’t know. I’m pretty sure (as I’ll explain) the unfolding narrative is NOT what Team Trump had hoped it would be.
I posted an article yesterday and went straight to bed for a nap. I woke up and turned on my TV to learn that while I’d been writing two National Guard troops were fighting for their lives, having been shot in a tourist area not far from the White House by what reporting said was a lone gunman. He too was in the hospital, something FBI Director Kash Patel didn’t know when vowing ‘the Mother of all manhunts’ but that’s a different story Ursula has already covered here on Politizoom. I’ll be honest, my thoughts were all over the place right up until I went to bed. I wanted more information before trying to write about this.
Well, the sun is up on this Thanksgiving morning and while there’s still a lot to learn I found one theory that bounced around in my mind might turn out to be the reason why these Guard troops were shot. By evening the consensus was it was a targeted attack by a single gunman. The thought “terrorism” kept popping up in my mind. Why else would a guy travel literally across the country to DC to carry out such an evil act when Nat. Guard was deployed in cities much closer to Washington State where he travelled from. Once he’d been identified not only terrorism but retribution in as vile a form of protest as one can commit entered my thoughts.
The shooter is from Afghanistan. He helped our side during the long and bloody war we fought in his home country and enough so he qualified for sponsorship to live in the U.S. There are so many parallels between Vietnam and Afghanistan. They include what happened during both wars to those (and their loved ones) our enemy caught, some of them getting out with our help and some not. Those we didn’t get out of both countries and were unable to somehow find their own way out were of course punished in horrible ways. I couldn’t help but wonder if instead of pure terrorism (I’ll get to that) this guy had grown angry over learning what happened with people he knew who were left behind.
I don’t know how long it will be available before going behind their paywall but the New York Times has been publishing a running commentary on developments. What grabbed my eye and relates to what I’m talking about is this:
In July, the Trump administration withdrew humanitarian protections for Afghans who had resettled in the United States, citing Afghanistan’s “improved security situation, and its stabilizing economy.”
But many Afghans would see the situation in their country, now under Taliban rule, differently.
Once his deportation policy got rolling I figured it was only a matter of time before Trump started sending every Afghan (and their loved ones we got out) back over there. They’d be lucky to ‘only’ get mowed down by a machine gun on the tarmac after being frog-marched away from the transport plane that took them ‘home.’ Even Trump damn well knows that. But hell, he’s a mass-murdering (in creative ways) son-of-a-bitch and he’d get his rocks off the whole thing. Remember, he spent his first term bitching and moaning about our involvement in that war and vowing to bring the troops home.
Trump as we know did NOT bring the troops home but he did lock us into an agreement on the Taliban’s terms to get us out of Afghanistan. Those final chaotic days, so eerily like the fall of Saigon and the final evacuation of the U.S. and those we could help escape an awful fate probably was something even HE remembered. I’m sure his closest advisors warned him we’d see what we saw and showed him video of that last helicopter taking off from the roof of the embassy in Saigon. No way in hell was HE going to have that happen on HIS watch so he fiddled and farted around and dump the mess he’d created in Biden’s lap.
However a lot of people we should have gotten out got left behind. How much of that is Biden’s fault will always be a matter of debate. Right up until that final chaotic week even many Americans over there didn’t believe we were really, REALLY pulling out. They had for months ignored pleas to get out because Biden was boxed in by the deal Trump had cut with the Taliban. So they blew off the warnings until the last moment, hence all that chaos.
Now, imagine being an Afghan with a lifelong love of country who saw Americans walking around saying the U.S. wouldn’t actually leave. How many, like in Vietnam chose to ride out what were probably going to be some rough times but figured the U.S. would maintain enough presence to protect them from retribution for having helped us? Now consider what as noted above Trump did this past July.
Like I said, there’s no doubt Trump wants to send every last Afghan we got out, no matter how much they helped us, no matter how many American lives their help save back to face the consequences the Taliban is certain to mete out? I of course hate that guy for what he did but IF his reasoning was payback for Trump’s betrayal of him and others I at least understand what he was thinking even as I scream out against how he chose to protest.
As for the other possibility, an outright act of terrorism it’s not as crazy as it sounds. He and some people, loved ones and/or friends might want to go home. The Taliban wants the Afghans we snatched away from the punishment they wanted to extract back. The price this guy or anyone else might have to pay is doing what this guy did. Giving Trump the very excuse to ship everyone back to Afghanistan in exchange for their own life, or a life behind bars in the U.S in solitary.
It’s not as crazy as it sounds. People sacrifice, sometimes all for people and causes they care about. If someone is stupid enough to believe the Taliban would keep it’s word and NOT punish those we shipped home I can see some of them doing what this guy did – offer up his own life in a terrorist attack to get Trump to hand over all Afghans to the Taliban. Or switching back as retribution for someone or several someone’s who didn’t get out being killed. Take your pick.
But you’re probably thinking that’s a stretch. Granted it’s fiction (although much based in truth) The Godfather sort of covers this. Within an hour of killing a NYC Police Captain in cold blood Michael is on a ship to Sicily. He’s in exile while his father, the Don (irony, eh?) tries to figure out how to get him home. Eventually they find someone willing to confess to the crime and take the punishment. The Don promises to ensure the man’s family will be well taken care of. (Unlike Trump Don Corleone was the type to keep his word in such a matter) With someone else confessing to and convicted of the crime Michael can come home, safe from prosecution. As the book notes it took some courage in part because the guy who confessed was quite different in physical stature and appearance than Michael but he stuck to his guns.
Police see it in real life. Someone confessing to an awful crime to protect a loved one from a life in prison. It really does happen. That’s why I say it’s not crazy to think this shooter either made a deal to protect people he cares about from retribution when Trump ships them back to Afghanistan. Or, angry over people we didn’t get out being caught and killed got fed up and made a deal with the Taliban to commit an act of terrorism that would get them all the Afghans back, but protect certain ones.
What this morning it seems the situation is NOT is what I had feared until the moment I tried to get some sleep for the night. Some crazed, misguided progressive who decided this was the only thing to be done. Hell, THAT is what Trump has been hoping for – that instead of vandalism or throwing rocks and stuff at Guard troops some liberal with a gun would start shooting. That he figures would give him the opening he wants to establish Martial Law.
I also worried, and will continue to do so that Trump will copy Don Corleone and recruit a patsy. A so-called true believer willing to sacrifice himself and PRETEND to be a progressive to carry out an attack. Hell, there are plenty of folks who have been Democrats that voted for Trump, even if they didn’t admit it to their friends or family. They might have maintained the illusion, keeping up old friendships and even some social media posts that RWNJ’s can point to and exclaim “See? SEE?” File that away in your mind in case (or when) one or more copycat shootings of Guard members in our cities happens.
However getting back to where I started those two Guard troops should never have been doing whatever the hell they were doing (being props in Trump’s attempt to portray himself as a badass military commander) in our nation’s Capitol. They SHOULD have been back home in West by god Virginia getting ready for Thanksgiving. But as I’ve written including on this site Trump is determined to provoke an incident that gives him an excuse to claim not only is his having invoked the Insurrection Act justified, but to take things to the point of declaring Martial Law.
Granted it’s speculation on my part but I’m guessing this morning instead of giving thanks that at least the two Guard members are still alive and might, just might recover someday Team Trump is bummed out. Instead of the attacker being some Democrat, a crazed activist liberal the shooter was either on a revenge/retribution (for treatment of himself and fellow Afghans who helped us and have been betrayed by Trump) or a terrorist. That is NOT the narrative Team Trump was feverishly ramping up to exploit in the immediate aftermath of the shooting! So much for Trumpty and his enablers giving thanks this afternoon prior to gorging themselves on a ‘Now we can move towards declaring Martial Law’ feast.
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
Thank you for the actual, true background to the story. I expect the tRump/MAGA machine to spin it in some other direction. There certainly won’t be any honest taking accountability going on. All we can do is watch and see what kind of lies they spin out of this.
They are already trying to promote a bullshit HE WAS NEVER ‘VETTED!’ claim. That Biden just let him and others come into the U.S. willy-nilly with no checking them out.
I call bullshit and so should you with any MAGA goober who tries to repeat this claim. This guy worked with the CIA over there for years. Agents literally trusted him with their lives! You think they wouldn’t have examined him and his life under a microscope before bringing him aboard? And continued to monitor him? Aside from all that the various programs by which Afghans were allowed into the U.S. and then granted residency came with serious background checks. In this guy’s case, thanks to the CIA there was a head start but still, he had to pass muster with non-CIA officials too.
As I indicated it will be interesting to learn (assuming we ever do) what turned this piece of shit from someone willing to risk all for the U.S. into… well, a murderous piece of shit. I think the most likely reason is something I wrote about – he feels betrayed by Trump’s July action which was the first step in a process than winds up with him (and so many others) being rounded up by ICE and put on planes to Afghanistan. Like I said when they step off they will be lucky to only get shot and killed right there on the tarmac.
IF he starts to cooperate and that turns out to be the case, and especially if there are writings or statements that support that notion don’t be surprised if Team Trump buries it. Patel would destroy records in a heartbeat and will want some FBI agent to go Todd Blanche with Maxwell questioning him so the destroying of any record would be gotten away with. And then we’d find him “Epsteined” in his hospital room or cell.
Yes, as Joseph suggests in his own comment below I’m getting into CT/tinfoil hat territory but Joseph makes a good point regarding Trump’s would be assassin who was somehow allowed to set up on a rooftop where a sniper team up and behind Trump could easily see him and NOT make a radio call or take him out (shoot him) until after he started spraying rounds in the President’s direction. That Trump was hit by shrapnel and not an actual bullet is a given as far as I’m concerned and I know more than the average reader of this and other blogs about such things.
But Team Trump will do its best (which hopefully will be their typical incompetence) to paint a misleading picture. Of that we can be sure.
“I also worried, and will continue to do so that Trump will copy Don Corleone and recruit a patsy. A so-called true believer willing to sacrifice himself and PRETEND to be a progressive to carry out an attack.”
It may be venturing into conspiracy theory territory but, you mean like the attempted “assassination” of Drumpf in 2024? It’s so interesting that the ONE situation where you’d think Drumpf would’ve been chomping at the bit to *investigate, investigate, investigate” after taking office would’ve been the family of his failed “assassin.” But, absolutely NOTHING has been uncovered or revealed since the very LIMITED initial investigation. We’ve spent 60+ years going over every single detail of the JFK assassination and really nothing truly substantial has ever fully put to rest all the conspiracy theories that popped up in all that time. EVERY OTHER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OR SUCCESS since 1963 has been laid out fully, with thorough investigations into motivations (as well as prosecutions and convictions of the assassins who were captured) but, unless I missed the news, I still haven’t seen any SOLID details about the killer or how/why he wasn’t captured instead of “unalived” or his motivation/s for the attempt. And the fact that someone DID get killed in the melee, you’d think there would’ve been a serious investigation if only to let that family have SOME consolation as to why their loved one became a random target. But, nothing has been released to the best of my recall. (Even that second “attempt” has been oddly pushed out of sight–even though DeSatan vowed to see that the assailant stood to face justice.)
You make a good point about the Butler would-be ‘assassin.’ While perhaps not a persuasive one a credible case could be made that the shooter was set up.
First of all it was an easy shot for him. Perfect conditions (good visibility, no wind and only 150 or so yards) yet not a single round he fired came within even a few feet of Trump. Trump was hit by shrapnel, plain and simple. The shots went into the crowd behind and above Trump. For those who want more consider this. While the “Official” narrative blames a breakdown of communication and coordination between the Secret Service, State and Local LE there’s one fact that no one talks about.
Not only did that guy have a clear line of site that he never should have been allowed to attain, he was sprawled out in the prone position on a freaking white rooftop. WITH a counter sniper team stationed above and behind Trump that could easily see him. NO radio calls from them reporting the guy or asking was he LE and with whom? I can see a reluctance to pre-emptively shoot but no radio calls at all requesting a green light, no warning either over the radio but at least a shouted warning to the protective detail on the stage with Trump if the radio frequencies were mixed up is something the village idiot knows should have happened. But it didn’t.
That’s why I agree with you that a credible case could be made that that ‘attempted assassination’ was a staged event. Find someone gullible enough to shoot into the crowd near Trump and be willing to do some time, probably in a psych ward instead of normal prison conditions and in ten years or so be able to quietly retire somewhere where Erik Prince has influence. The fact is he was dead the moment he climbed onto that roof and set up. He was if you and I are right just too gullible to realize it.
However it does speak to the larger point of just how far Team Trump will go. And as I told Serene when responding to her comment they wasted no time trying to paint a misleading picture when it was clear he was not only NOT a liberal activist but a foreigner!
You’ve covered a lot of territory, much of it conveniently forgotten in history or too complex to bother one’s few brain cells with. Similarly, the CTs. Now it appears that the narrative of T and his minions stops at Biden’s secret unvetted flights with radio silence as to when and under who he gained his present status.
As you make clear, we are fortunate it was no one with left leanings who pulled the trigger. That is not to say there aren’t any of that ilk who may lose the run of themselves. And there is the constant fear that a MAGA type may come forward in their own right or disguised as being more left. T needs accelerants to generate momentum for martial law. Bring on the Frogs and No Kings responses