Benjamin Cole

" It's probably impossible to know with certainty, but maybe this explains why CE399 was not damaged more, i.e. it didn't actually hit the wrist bone and it simply went into the thigh directly from the chest wound?" My take is that CE 399 was bogus, fraudulently entered into the evidentiary record at the FBI lab. Have you not read the excellent work by Tink Thompson, Gary Aguilar and others?

Greg D. Verily, Trump was a nut, from the moon. Fascist? Maybe in the modern definition, although Trump's lionization of the military, or imperial foreign policy, seems rather muted by DC standards. What say then of LBJ, Nixon, Bush, Bush jr? The Reagan defense build-up, Iran-Contra? If Trump is fascist, what term do you apply to the aforementioned? My point (perhaps belabored) is that Trump was not a member of the national security state-globalists, or any DC elite. He was an outsider, a former Reality TV show host, a carnival barker. You are correct, the national security state (the executive branch) did not report to Trump, and probably worked to undermine him. I may have a different opinion of you on the blob of globalists running US foreign policy, that I consider a paid-for front for multinationals. "Peaceful resolution of international conflicts through rule of law?" Another oddity: It was Trump's Secy State Pompeo, who nearly alone on the global stage talked about Beijing and the CCP. Before the Trump Administration, all the globalist-academic-media blah-blah was on how China was "liberalizing" (this must still be the narrative at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy & Global Engagement). Strange how the world turns...who would have thought the half-wit Trump could change the global conversation on the CCP? Anyway, I am just an old man living in the mudflats of central Thailand (it is monsoon season). No worries, DC is back to being run by the people who always run DC. I have no say in the matter. Just my two cents.

W.--- OK, we have different views on Trump. Not sure about the "what about-ism" accusation. We are trying to get to the bottom of the 1/6 scrum. If what happened to Trump was a "re-installation of regime operation"---in my view, a live possibility---then Biden's neoliberal, globalist views are germane. Why was Biden installed? Certainly you cannot get much more globalist than the China-funded Penn Biden Center and the neo-liberal globalist views abundantly, fulsomely and exuberantly displayed there. Or on Nancy Pelosi's webpage. Biden-Pelosi are avid globalists, and support internationalism, alliances and the hypermobilized and worldwide US military. In effect, the global guard service for multinationals, on steroids from the Smedley Butler days. Trump was an oddball in such matters, perhaps corrupt on some scores as you say. The regime wanted a compliant president back in the Oval Office. Trump spoke of unilateralism, and leaving Afghanistan, Germany and S Korea. Trump lacked the intellect and discipline to accomplish much. There is no Penn Trump Center advocating global interventionism. BTW, in the old days, we were told Russia was bad, bad, bad due to its being a communist nation. Today, Russia is capitalist-kleptocrat nation---some say the same thing about the US. But we are still at odds with Russia?

W.-- I do not know if you are a "neoliberal" or not, and that is fine, whatever your views are. Personally, I am a non-interventionist, more in the JFK line. For me, it is unsettling to read how the Biden Penn Center promotes itself. Of course, I am dubious about buzz words, such as "American global engagement." Such phrases could be quite benign, or could signal support for a global military establishment, that is a global guard service for multinationals. The Deep State-globalist combine. So, China is benign, and the Russians are bad, bad, bad. I happen to think Putin is a thug, but Xitler...probably worse.

W.-- There seems to be a vast range of opinions on "Russiagate"---Aaron Mate, Matt Taibbi and Glenn Greenwald, probably the three best DC reporters going---say that Russiagate amounts to nothing. Are meetings and contacts mere variations of the old "guilt by association" standard? I am no friend of Paul Manafort. If he was a Russian agent...why was he charged not with espionage or sedition, or some such crime? As I recall, Manafort was charged with tax evasion, lying on on a loan application and for failing to register as a foreign lobbyist (the latter charge leading to a rush of such registrations in DC). Do we have an "guilty until proven innocent" standard for Manafort, when it comes to whether he was a Russian agent or not? ---30--- The story on the financing of the is worth a look. It appears the money to finance the Penn Biden Center came from mainland China. https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/05/penn-biden-center-china-undisclosed-donations-complaint-millions The student newspaper, and Philly papers, before Biden became the D Party nominee, ran op-eds asking why Biden was getting so much money from U Penn for doing nothing. https://www.inquirer.com/news/joe-biden-penn-salary-lectures-20190712.html OK, we can connect dots, if we are so inclined. The CCP gives money to the U Penn to create the Penn Biden Center. And U Penn gives Biden more than $900k. Money is a fungible commodity. Did the CCP essentially give Biden $900k? The answer to that question is entirely a matter of perspective, and in the US, partisan politics. It is a variation of the guilt by association routine. We can say Biden is bought off by the CCP, or we can declare the money has no effect on Biden's policy making. I consider Biden innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Trump lacks any moral fiber. Still, the national security state is happy to install and work with people lacking any moral fiber--or uninstall them if desired. Did JFK lack moral fiber, and that is the national security state installed LBJ? The bigger point---why did the national security go after Trump from even before he set foot in office? From Nancy Pelosi's webpage: The United States works to combat global terror by working with our allies to protect human rights and prevent radicalization. To move our nation forward in uncertain times, Congress will work to preserve our alliances abroad and ensure our national security at home by promoting peace, progress, and prosperity across the globe. That works out nicely for the globalist-multinationals, no?

I am shocked---shocked!---that one or both of our two major political parties wants to obscure the truth.

Mark Tyler-- I just reviewed your webpage, and I can see a thorough read will take more than one sitting, or a just a few days. Tremendous presentation. Anyway, though, I am puzzled why you contend Governor Connally being shot before he does a 180-degree turn in his seat. That is not how the Governor and his wife recall the timeline. JBC says he was just turning forward (from having turned around in his seat) when he was struck. My take is that this is borne out by the Z film. My take is JBC was shot from the rear about Z-296. Dr. Robert Shaw has puzzled how JBC could have been shot through the dorsal (non-palm) side of his wrist, if the bullet came through his chest first. Try touching the dorsal side of your wrist flat against your chest. That is an interesting question too. Also, what about the possibility of silencers, pneumatic weapons, or simultaneous shots?

Probably no select committee or commission is the best idea, and let the Justice Department try to prove a case in an open court of law, before a jury of peers, wherein defendants have counsel. You still have a problem that if defense counsel wanted to call people from the intel community, they might simply not appear or would fearlessly dissemble. Right now, the case is clear against individuals in the scrum---they broke the law. Many appear to be mentally challenged. One question is whether there were instigators in the crowd, and who the instigators worked for. Presently Jan, 6 select committee appears intent on blaming Trump for inciting the scrum, through a speech he gave that day. They may have a problem in that Trump said in this speech, I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard. But the select committee does not have prove its case before a jury, they only have to state that their investigation has found Trump instigated the riot/occupation of the Capitol. We do not know if the select committee has more information, of actual Trump actors working with, or instigating members of the scrum to occupy the Capitol. We also do not know if non-Trump government infiltrators, plants, informants or assets played in a role in provoking the events of Jan 6. Evidently, reporters are saying the kidnap plot of Governor Whitmer would have never happened, that it was in fact enabled, by the involvement of federal agents and informants. So we know the FBI is actively infiltrating groups, often providing financing and even planning. Egads, that reminds of case now decades old, and how wide the berth is for "entrapment." On October 19, 1982, (John) DeLorean was charged by the US government with trafficking cocaine following a videotaped sting operation in which he was recorded by undercover federal agents agreeing to bankroll a cocaine smuggling operation.[5] You may remember the odd stainless-steel cars DeLorean made. Anyway, there he was on film planning to be a bigtime dope dealer, and I assumed he would doing hard time. He got off, on "entrapment." If it turns out some of the half-wit participants in the Jan. 6 scrum were encouraged or financed by intel agents...

Let me ask you this: If Liz Cheney had been on the old HUAC, or the WC, or the 9/1/ commission, or the HSCA....how do you think she would have tilted the investigation? Now Liz Cheney sits on the 1/6 select committee...

It would be nice if there was just one straight line anywhere in the entire JFKA story. 17,000? 31,000?

I agree with you.

It may be that the House select committee investigation reports as you believe...that there was an insurrection planned by Trump. Unfortunately for all of us, the select committee is a highly political body. Their report may be no better or worse than the old HUAC reports, the Warren Commission, the HSCA or the 9/11 commission.

It is galling. I understand there are people who think the official story on LHO is true. Fine, we all have different takes on history. But who can be against disclosure of JFK and 9/11 docs? And the mainstream media should be hopping mad about this...how can someone be a journalist, when there is selective disclosure of documents?

If the 9/11 folks can't get the docs released...the less influential JFKA community must have even less chance. But hey, the WaPo is woke....

Not to belabor a point, but innocent until proven guilty. How about "someone needs to investigate if there were plans for an insurrection and attempted fascist coup." We should not assume guilt, and then launch an investigation confirm what we believe. A scrum in the Capitol may just a scrum involving loonies... ...or it may have been triggered by some agent provocateurs to make a propaganda event, by some who took advantage of the scrum... or it may have been the spearpoint of a deluded and sick group seeking to overthrow the election---an attempted insurrection. Maybe Trump was in on it. If an unknown group or Trump planned an insurrection, they sent exactly one man with firearms into the Capitol. (I assume the DEA agent was not part of an insurrection). This strikes me underpowered.

I would prefer an independent, non-government committee, but given special powers of subpoena, investigate the Jan. 6 scrum. "OK, so the US Capitol Police, who report ultimately to Senators Tim Ryan, Amy Klobuchar and Jack Reed, and Congressperson Zoe Lofgren, decide to do what on Jan. 6? This is a legislative police force, and reports only to Congress. It is not an executive branch agency. The US Capitol Police have 2,300 officers. In the vernacular of the street, "Man, where were they?" ---30--- Do you think a Congressional committee is going to conclude that Congress itself, and Amy Klobuchar et al, are to blame for not putting 2,300 officers on the lines Jan. 6? Many (most?) of the Capitol police who were on duty Jan. 6 did not even have billy-clubs or shields. Remember, Capitol Police report to Congressional leadership. When was the last time elected officials blamed themselves for failure?

Joe B.--- If the House select committee wants to "get to the bottom" of how the scrum ended up inside the Capitol...why are they leading with highly emotional presentations by US Capitol Police officers? This strikes me as theater, not investigation. No intelligence reports? No word from informants inside various terrorist groups? No confessions by agitators that they planned, say, simultaneous assaults on multiple entrance to the Capitol---although that still begs the question, why such lightly defended entrances? The FBI says they arrested Enrique Tarrio, the Afro-Cubano chairman of the Proud Boys (and FBI informant) on Jan. 4 to prevent him "from storming the Capitol." Curiously, the FBI released Tarrio on Jan. 5. Who knows why. But obviously, the FBI thought a scrum at the Capitol on Jan, 6 was a live possibility. OK, so the US Capitol Police, who report ultimately to Senators Tim Ryan, Amy Klobuchar and Jack Reed, and Congressperson Zoe Lofgren, decide to do what on Jan. 6? This is a legislative police force, and reports only to Congress. It is not an executive branch agency. The US Capitol Police have 2,300 officers. In the vernacular of the street, "Man, where were they?" Of all 600+ rioters arrested who breached the Capitol, only one (and possibly one more, to be explained later) had a firearm. The lone individual was "Christopher Alberts," and he was released immediately on no bail. He was also wearing body armor and carrying a gas mask. Huh? There was another sicko arrested that day who had firearms and molotov cocktails, named Lonnie Leroy Coffman, but he was arrested in the District of Columbia, not inside the Capitol. He had not breached the Capitol. I had the impression that many people entering the Capitol were armed with actual firearms, but that turns out not to be true. Just one (and maybe one more). https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/capitol-breach-cases?combine=coffman You can run a search term for "pistol," "rifle," "revolver," "gun" etc and see what you come up with. Remember, check to see if the suspects had actually breached the Capitol, or where arrested elsewhere. However! And this gets mysterious my friends. There was a DEA agent inside the Capitol, who (it is charged) flashed his badge and was carrying a firearm, and he was arrested! Mark Sami Ibrahim, is his name. Well, when you look at history closely...it tends not to follow the approved narratives....

Well, maybe METHODS, but also perhaps greater clarity on who was LHO. If LHO was a CIA or military asset, even if sometimes unwitting and manipulated, that would disaster. A CIA asset murdered the President? If there is even one memo indicating LHO was being directed somehow...or one memo firmly indicating files have been cleansed regarding LHO...one memo indicating Antonio Veciana did in fact meet LHO and David Atlee Phillips...one memo indicating a false flag operation was planned on Nov. 22 in Dallas

I completely and without slightest hesitation condemn Trump for keeping JFK and 9/11 records away from US citizens. He lacked the moral character to honor his promises, a signal failing.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1276138 9/11 families to President Biden: Don't come to our memorial events Evidently, President Biden the campaigner said he favored releasing 9/11 docs still kept under seal. "Eagleson said his (9/11 survivors) group was optimistic after a letter from candidate Biden in October pledging transparency about the matter. 'I intend to be a President for all Americans, and will hear all of their voices,” Biden wrote. “The 9/11 Families are right to seek full truth and accountability. ... I will direct my Attorney General to personally examine the merits of all cases where the invocation of privilege is recommended, and to err on the side of disclosure in cases where, as here, the events in question occurred two decades or longer ago.'" But now....not so much. So the group has disinvited Biden to its annual memorial event. Of course, under the JFK Records Act, President Biden must decide on Oct. 26 what to release, in terms of JFK Records. Well, given the 9/11 outlook...looks grim.

David McCullough wrote a book on Truman that is an easy read, and perhaps a bit of a hagiography. Truman was no dummy. The dropping of A-bombs remains horrific--on the other hand, the Americans would lose 10,000 men storming a single small island in the Pacific. Life had become cheap, and after losses like that....the US was firebombing cities in japan and Germany. McCullough was not the type of writer to delve into the post-war national security state, and the growing power of multinationals. A power that has grown to this day.

Verily, Dulles actually visited him in person to make his point. But Truman was old and retired, and didn't care what Dulles said.

Just for fun, here are two House Select Committees, that appeared in alphabetical order in a list of Select Committees (which is interesting reading, btw) Select Committee on the House Restaurant (1969-1975) Select Committee on Hunger (1984-1993) Well, I guess it took six years to find out what was really, really happening in the House restaurant. I am pleased to note that the topic of hunger in general was afforded a longer study period.

Not sure. Would you say the House Select Committee on Assassinations got to the bottom of the JFKA? Was the role of the CIA or national security state obscured, or illuminated? What makes the House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack better, or worse, than the HSCA? Less political? More political?