WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Defense detected and tracked a single North Korea missile launch today at about 1:17 p.m. EST. Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We are working with our interagency partners on a more detailed assessment of the launch.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies.
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This image from Sweden speaks so loudly:

Concrete K-Rail Barriers, positioned to stop terrorist attacks by vehicles, dressed up like Christmas decorations around the local holiday markets.  What a ridiculously sad and pathetic visual of everything wrong in Europe.
Amid the anxiety of anticipating the next Jihadist attack, which everyone knows is not if – but rather ‘when’, it would appear joy is somewhat lowered on the scale of relativity.

EUROPE – The Islamic State has issued chilling threat to attack Christmas markets in the Britain, France and Germany in pictures circulated among supporters.

The jihadis have circulated images on messaging apps including one in which a black-clad hooded figure is seen standing over a kneeling Santa Claus with an image of Regent Street in the background.

A message in English, French, and German says ‘Soon on your holidays’ with the clear implication that London can expect a terrorist attack over the holiday season.  (read more)

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Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first mid-east head of state to call for the formation of an alliance against extremism.  That alliance gained massive momentum with the election of President Trump:

WHITE HOUSE:

President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt to offer condolences to the people of Egypt after the heinous attack on worshippers in Egypt’s North Sinai province. President Trump condemned the attack and reiterated that the United States will continue to stand with Egypt in the face of terrorism. The international community cannot tolerate barbaric terrorist groups and must strengthen its efforts to defeat terrorism and extremism in all its forms.

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Against the backdrop of the first border opening between Egypt’s northern Sinai and Gaza; and against the ongoing efforts by the al-Sisi led coalition to move toward peace between Arabs and Israelis; the extremists strike back today with a horrific terrorist attack against the Al Rawdah mosque in Bir al-Abed, west of El Arish, the main city in North Sinai.

(Reuters) CAIRO – Militants killed more than 230 people at a mosque in North Sinai on Friday, detonating a bomb and gunning down worshippers in the deadliest such attack of Egypt’s modern history, state media and witnesses said.

Worshippers were finishing Friday prayers at the mosque when a bomb exploded, witnesses said. Around 40 gunmen set up positions outside the mosque with jeeps and opened fire from different directions as people tried to escape.

”Four groups of armed men attacked the worshippers inside the mosque after Friday noon prayers. Two groups were firing at ambulances to deter them, said Mohamed, a witness.

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It was massively unreported in 2014 when Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took control of the Gaza Sinai border and began removing the Hamas Terror tunnels.  As we watched the local media reporting, it was almost unbelievable how western media were ignoring the events. (example)
A full one-third of all homes on the Gaza border with Egypt contained Hamas tunnels used to smuggle weapons.  One of the discovered tunnels was 1.5 miles long (link).  In order to deal with the scale of the issue, al-Sisi ordered the removal of houses to facilitate an almost mile-wide buffer zone.   During the effort massive tunnels were discovered that the terrorist network Hamas was using to smuggle weapons.

It was al-Sisi’s efforts on that border that eventually forced the terms of a 2014 ceasefire between Hamas/Palestinian Authority and Israel.  By forcing Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to speak with one voice President al-Sisi changed the paradigm of willful blindness supporting terrorism.
Since 2014/2015 the border area has been secured by Egypt and no weapons have been able to flow into Gaza.  The inability of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas to fuel further terror created the space for the Palestinian Authority to extend it’s influence.
Eventually, absent their ability to fuel terrorist activity, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood diminished in influence; later granting the PA with unified governing authority.  The “big squeeze” paid off.
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If you haven’t followed the entirety of how the “Freedom Alliance” was assembled in the very early months shortly after the election of President Donald Trump, it’s hard to understand the scope of what is taking place in the middle-east.
The nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), led by Saudi Arabia, are on the cusp of transforming themselves into a modern and engaged era. The goals of the GCC allies, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS) are to remove the influence agents who have supported extremism, the Muslim Brotherhood, and stimulated and/or enabled crisis for personal and ideological gains.
Because of the financial reach within the parties involved, the downstream consequences are being felt within the political bodies of most nations including our own. Specifically within Washington DC’s deep-state institutions, career politicians on foreign affairs committees, and within the upper and lower tiers of the aggregate U.S. State Dept.  A great realignment is taking place.

Caption: There will come a time when you will need to choose a side. Think wisely…

French President Emmanuel Macron said today he will make an unexpected trip to Saudi Arabia after leaving the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to see Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discuss crises in Lebanon, Yemen and the wider region.  This happens simultaneous to the UAE announcing they too are examining bank accounts for their own officials, officers and leaders within their nation.

DUBAI (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron is making a previously unscheduled trip to Saudi Arabia on Thursday to see Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid rising tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, notably over Lebanon and Yemen.

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Stephen Willeford is the man who shot and chased the Texas gunman who killed 26 people in a Texas Baptist church on Sunday.   Mr. Willeford shares the story of what took place during an interview with 40/29 News in Texas.
Mr. Willeford tells what happened in one of the most riveting accounts ever.  I have tried to set up the interview video in a sequence that outlines the story in his words.  These are MUST WATCH videos of the first hand account:
Segment #1:

Interesting video interview below.  Texan Johnnie Langendorff arrived at the intersection near the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs and witnessed a good Samaritan (neighbor) returning rifle fire with the church shooter Devin Patrick Kelley.
As shooter Kelley attempted to escape the area, together Langendorff and the armed good Samaritan gave chase in Johnnie’s truck.
TEXAS – Summer Caddel said her boyfriend, Johnnie Langendorff, called her moments after the shooting at First Baptist Church and told her that he saw a gunfight between the shooter and a neighbor, who was returning fire.
Langendorff then told Caddel the suspect — identified at Devin Kelley — then got into an SUV and drove away, and the two gave chase. (read more)

Confirmed ID, Unconfirmed Motive – Confirmed reports are beginning to circulate that the shooter is a left-wing Antifa member, Devin Patrick Kelley (26), with military experience, acting out on behalf of the previously promoted November 4th Resistance via Antifa.  “Kelley is a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014. He was dishonorably discharged and court martialed in May 2014, CBS News has learned.”
(Via CBS) […] Kelley is a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014. Records confirm Kelley previously served in logistics readiness in New Mexico until his discharge in 2014, Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said in a statement.
Kelley was court-martialed in 2012 for two counts of assault on his spouse and assault on their child, Stefanek said. He received a bad conduct discharge and confinement for 12 months.   He has a residence in New Braunfels, Texas, which is about a 35 mile drive from where the attack took place in Sutherland Springs.  (read more)
FACTS From Texas LEO and FBI Press Conference:

• “Largest mass shooting in state history” ~ Gov. Greg Abbott [Texas]
• 26 dead + Shooter = Total 27  [23 inside church, 2 outside, 1 hospital death]
• 11:20am Suspect was seen dressed in all black.  Tactical Gear and Ballistic Vest
• Weapon: Ruger AR-type Rifle.
• Eye witness neighbor engaged shooter with his own rifle [possibly hit shooter in neck]. Shooter dropped weapon and fled in vehicle. Citizen pursued suspect in vehicle.
• Police arrived to vehicle, shooter dead.
• Ages of 26 victims: 5-years old to 72-years-old.

President Trump has spoken to Texas Governor Greg Abbott. CBS News, ABC News and The Daily Beast are now reporting the shooter in the Sutherland Springs, Texas, church shooting has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26.  Kelley is dead following a short pursuit with police. A motive for the crime is not known. According to ABC Kelley recently showed off an AR-15-style rifle on social media:

(Via Daily Beast) – Devin Patrick Kelley has been identified as the gunman who killed at least 24 people at a church in Texas, a U.S. official tells The Daily Beast. Kelley, 26, was a resident of New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio, according to public records. On a now-deleted Facebook account, Kelley displayed an assault rifle.

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Major developments happening in Saudi Arabia including the arrest of former King Abdallah chief of staff, prince Al Walid Bin Talal, and heads of the main three Saudi owned television stations.  Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (Trump ally) leads the way:

Eleven princes, four sitting ministers and ‘tens’ of former ministers have been arrested on orders from the new anti-corruption committee headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Saturday evening according to sources. (LINK)

NOTE: It’s important to understand the use of the word “corruption” as it pertains to the domestic consumption of news in KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia).  In these examples, “corruption” is expressed as self-interested financial corruption as in: ‘activity against the people’.  However, within KSA politics, adverse political action targeted against the state is framed as ‘corruption’ through internal broadcast.

President Trump, May 2017: “Drive Them Out” … “Our goal is a coalition of nations who share the aim of stamping out extremism and providing our children a hopeful future that does honor to God.”

I’ll outline some recent actions we’ve been tracking that will highlight today’s events, and yet encapsulate some larger issues.  It is critically important to remember, KSA is in a state of realignment away from extremism –REMINDER– and President Trump has committed his support to the reform agents King Salman, and more importantly, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the future leader of Saudi Arabia.   You can easily connect-the-dots.
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