Beijing is quickly recognizing they have painted themselves into an economic corner. Beijing enables the DPRK.  President Trump specifically targets this reality as the solution to North Korea’s aggression: ¹Beijing tells DPRK to do stupid thing.  ²DPRK does stupid thing.  ³Trump hits Xi Jinping with economic punishment for stupid thing.
In an effort to keep the panda mask as the primary focus of the international (investment) community; and facing another set of financial sanctions by President Trump and Secretary Mnuchin; and after President Trump explains to Xi Jinping that unrelenting  economic pressure will only get worse; Beijing tells Chinese banks to cut off financial relationships with North Korea.
BEIJING/HONG KONG (Reuters) – China’s central bank has told banks to strictly implement United Nations sanctions against North Korea, four sources told Reuters, amid U.S. concerns that Beijing has not been tough enough over Pyongyang’s repeated nuclear tests.
Tensions between the United States and North Korea have ratcheted up after the sixth and most powerful nuclear test conducted by Pyongyang on Sept. 3 prompted the United Nations Security Council to impose further sanctions last week.
Chinese banks have come under scrutiny for their role as a conduit for funds flowing to and from China’s increasingly isolated neighbor.
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Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper appears on CNN last night to deny knowledge of the wiretapping of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
In March Clapper stated he would specifically have known if a FISA warrant was issued against any Trump campaign officials. Last night Clapper stated he held no knowledge of the FISA warrant. Clapper is walking through a legal minefield. WATCH:

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It is important to remember that FBI Director James Comey stated on March 20th 2017 he briefed the DNI (James Clapper) and the National Security Adviser (Susan Rice) on the details of the counter intelligence operation. By all intents and appearances the statement last night by Clapper denying knowledge is essentially refuting James Comey’s earlier testimony and throwing Comey under the bus.
They both cannot be telling the truth.
Either Comey told Clapper which means Clapper is lying.  Or Comey never told Clapper, which provides evidence of the FBI collusion with the White House; and the FBI working as a rogue intelligence agency for political targeting.
In the abstract the Obama authorized wiretapping of a Trump campaign official is alarming. However when these recent revelations are added to FBI James Comey admitting to keeping the investigations hidden from congressional oversight an even more alarming picture emerges.
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The DPRK “Six Party Talk” nations include: Japan, South Korea and the U.S. -vs- China, Russia and North Korea.  It is important to understand the position of Japan and South Korea as it relates to the unified strategy of U.S. President Trump toward North Korea as a proxy province of China.
South Korea Moon Jae-in:

Japan Shinzo Abe:
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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani delivered remarks today at the U.N. discussing the difference between U.S. President Donald Trump’s current strategy and the failed policy of former President Obama.
Two key differences underline the optimism of Ghani: #1) President Trump listened to what the region needed for stability; and #2) The Trump Doctrine of appropriately placing responsibility on Pakistan due to their enabling conduct with the extremist Taliban.

(Reuters) – Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump’s strategy to win the war in Afghanistan will work where his predecessor’s failed because the Afghan army is stronger and Trump wants a regional approach and a harder line with Pakistan.
Ghani also said that former President Barack Obama “did not have a partner in Afghanistan,” implicitly criticizing former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who frequently disdained U.S. policy and the U.S.-led international military force.

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U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson holds a press conference to debrief the media on the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York and ongoing U.S. diplomatic efforts in a variety of regions.  Anticipated Start Time 8:10pm:
UPDATE: Video Added

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First lady Melania Trump delivers remarks during a luncheon at the United Nations, emphasizing the future of every nation rests with our children and what we teach them today. [Note: unfortunately CNN video feed had best audio]

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“Our choices on how we raise and educate our children will, in fact, provide the blueprint for the next generation,” stated Mrs. Trump, who called being a mother to Barron Trump, 11, her “most important and joyous role.”
“When we join together as parents caring for children, whether they live in our own families, across the street, across the nation, or across the globe, we claim our responsibility to the next generation to ensure they are prepared to accept the torch of leadership for the world of tomorrow.”
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President Donald Trump meets with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and highlights the message that the ongoing goal of Israeli-Palestinian peace remains vital to regional stability.

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CTH readers are entirely clear-eyed as to the scope of the challenge. No-one amid our association is naive to the seemingly impossible scale against the backdrop of history. It may be that their task is impossible. Yet, if they do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if they do not try, it most certainly won’t be done…
There is absolutely no doubt of the work that has been going on for months, quietly, mostly under the radar. National media are completely deficient for not covering the ongoing events and the diplomacy that has been taking place all year.
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King Abdullah II of Jordan meets with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.   King Abdullah is a strategic and ideological ally in the ongoing mid-east campaign against extremism, and a central figure in Trump’s peace coalition.
Prior to the election of President Trump it was Egypt (Abdel Fattah al-Sisi) and Jordan (King Abdullah II) who assembled the regional partners (GCC) and pushed back against the political extremism of the Muslim Brotherhood.

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