AP FACT CHECK: Trump minimizes IS risk, distorts Iran payout

The Associated Press ^ | January 8, 2020 | by Hope Yen (D-AP)

[Oldeconomybuyer]

President Donald Trump wrongly dismissed the continuing threat of the Islamic State group and spread a false tale of the U.S. paying out billions of dollars to Iran as part of the multinational deal freezing its nuclear program in an address Wednesday that fell short on facts.

He also made an assertion that is as dubious as it was provocative: that the Iranian missiles fired by Tehran at two military bases hosting U.S. forces in Iraq were paid for by money “made available” to Iran by the Obama administration.

A look at some of the president’s claims in his remarks on Iran’s missile strike on the two Iraqi bases:

TRUMP: “Three months ago, after destroying 100% of ISIS and its territorial caliphate ...”

THE FACTS: His claim of a 100% defeat is misleading as the Islamic State still poses a threat.

TRUMP: “Iran’s hostility substantially increased after the foolish Iran nuclear deal was signed in 2013. And they were given $150 billion, not to mention $1.8 billion in cash.”

THE FACTS: There was no $150 billion payout from the U.S. treasury or other countries.

TRUMP: “The missiles fired last night at us and our allies were paid for with the funds made available by the last administration.”

THE FACTS: That accusation comes without corroboration.

TRUMP: “We are independent, and we do not need Middle East oil.”

THE FACTS: Trump’s declaration of energy independence is premature. The U.S. still needs plenty of oil from the Mideast.

TRUMP: “The American military has been completely rebuilt under my administration, at a cost of $2.5 trillion.”

THE FACTS: That’s an exaggeration.

[semimojo]

“Fact checking” would involve presenting facts. They are just saying “no it isn’t” to everything.

Click the link. They present more "facts" to back up their claims.

[Cowboy Bob]

I noticed that the writer makes claims without providing any evidence.

[FlipWilson]

Two ways the media repackages the same old bias and lies it tells:

1) Slap the words “fact” and “check” in front of any assertion. Really, it’s the same assertion they would make any way but with “fact check” slapped in front of it, you just know someone has really looked into this!!! What the AP and the others don’t tell you? The “someone” is their newsroom quoting the same ole anonymous sources.

Fact check: the moon is made of cheese!!!

2) “Debunked” as a tool for establishing new facts. This comprises assembling a panel of like minded “experts” who all deal with an inconvenient fact by agreeing with each other that said fact has been disproven or isn’t so. Thereafter, since they have all agreed with themselves said inconvenient fact is said to be “debunked.”

“Trump clinging to the debunked theory that his campaign was spied on.”

[mmichaels1970]

Wow they really backed up their one sentence denials.

I know. They may as well have responded: "Nuh Uh"

[Mr. Mojo]

<< THE FACTS: There was no $150 billion payout from the U.S. treasury or other countries >>

Pathetic straw man by the AP. Trump never said the 150B came out of the U.S. Treasury.

Note how they didn’t even attempt to fact check Obama’s 1.8 bil CASH payout to the mullahs. You know, the one that arrived in pallets. The one where Obama bypassed Congress because he knew they’d never approve it. The one for which Obama should’ve been impeached.

[mmichaels1970]

The $1.8 billion is a separate matter. A payout of roughly that amount did come from the U.S. treasury. It was to pay an old IOU.

In the 1970s, Iran paid the U.S. $400 million for military equipment that was never delivered because the government was overthrown and diplomatic relations ruptured. After the nuclear deal, the U.S. and Iran announced they had settled the matter, with the U.S. agreeing to pay the $400 million principal along with about $1.3 billion in interest.

The $400 million was paid in cash and flown to Tehran on a cargo plane, which gave rise to Trump’s previous dramatic accounts of money stuffed in barrels or boxes and delivered in the dead of night. The arrangement provided for the interest to be paid later, not crammed into containers.

Oh...guess that was all ok then.

[mmichaels1970]

Note how they didn’t even attempt to fact check Obama’s 1.8 bil CASH payout to the mullahs. You know, the one that arrived in pallets

He did....poorly imho. See my post #26 where I quoted him. I never did know all the details of Obama's cash payout. This attempt to explain it away, makes it sound even worse.

[Mr. Mojo]

Thanks.

[fhayek]

AND he did it in secret. No debate. No approval from Congress. He just did it and we found out about it later.

Nancy Pelosi was livid...

[fhayek]

AND he did it in secret. No debate. No approval from Congress. He just did it and we found out about it later.

Nancy Pelosi was livid...

[fhayek]

AND he did it in secret. No debate. No approval from Congress. He just did it and we found out about it later.

Nancy Pelosi was livid...

[fhayek]

You know, my sarcasm loses something in triplicate...

[jughandle]

Democrat media fact-checking. Laughable!

[Obadiah]

THE FACTS: Because we don’t wanna believe it.

THE FACTS: Because it doesn’t fit our narrative.

Bwahahahaha….

[jonascord]

Man: Oh, this is futile!
Mr. Vibrating: No it isn't.
Man: I came here for a good argument.
Mr. Vibrating: No you didn't; no, you came here for an argument.
Man: An argument isn't just contradiction.
Mr. Vibrating: It can be.
Man: No it can't. An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition.
Mr. Vibrating: No it isn't.
Man: Yes it is! It's not just contradiction.
Mr. Vibrating: Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position.
Man: Yes, but that's not just saying 'No it isn't.'
Mr. Vibrating: Yes it is!
Man: No it isn't!
Man: Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes.
(short pause)
Mr. Vibrating: No it isn't.

I KNEW I'd read this AP report before...

[xp38]

(Palin)Oh,wellthis is futile!

(Cleese)No itisn't.

(Palin)I came here for a good argument.

(Cleese)No you didn't; no, you came here for an argument.,P.(Palin)An argument’s not the same ascontradiction.

(Cleese)It can be.

(Palin)No it can't!An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a definite proposition.

(Cleese)No it isn't.

(Palin)Yes it is! It isn’t justcontradiction.

(Cleese)Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position.

(Palin)It isn’tjust saying, “No it isn't.”

(Cleese)Yes it is.

(Palin)No it isn't![laugh track –short pause]Argument’s an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says.

(Cleese)No it isn't.

(Palin)It is.

[xp38]

GMTA

[monkeyshine]

It is moronic, simplistic, idiotic.

[Rastus]

Well, anyway, that’s the “debt” Ben Rhodes dug up to justify a payoff. No other US president would have even considered that we owed that after the Iranian hostage crisis and everything else that has happened since.

[Socon-Econ]

Fact checker nitpicking. Trump didn’t need to present a detailed document trail from stealth gift to missles purchase. The transfer of such a large amount gave Iran enough to buy whatever weapons it needed.