November 27th, 2024: Israel-Hezbollah Agree To Ceasefire, Russia Schemes With The Houthis, & Pakistan On The Brink
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It's Wednesday, 27 November. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. Today, we'll start things off in the Middle East, where in a major diplomatic breakthrough, Israel and the Iranian proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon...

have agreed to a ceasefire deal that negotiators hope will bring a permanent end to the conflict after more than a year of fighting. A permanent end to the conflict. Listen to that. Okay. The idea that negotiators somehow hope that their ceasefire means a permanent end to the conflict is embarrassingly laughable. It's a ceasefire.

that brings to a temporary halt a conflict that has gone on for generations. So let's not over-egg the pudding in some self-congratulatory attempt to make the dealmakers feel good. They're putting a band-aid on a sucking chest wound. Sorry for the cynical tone, but until you deal with the cause of the conflict, and that would, of course, be the Iranian regime, which built Hezbollah, not to mention Hamas and the Houthis and others,

Well, then you're simply kicking the can down the road. Later, the Kremlin is engaged in another scheme to lure foreigners into fighting in the war in Ukraine. Yeah, this time partnering with the Iranian-backed Houthis to traffic Yemeni citizens into Russia. Plus, Pakistan is dealing with chaos as deadly clashes between the police and supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan are

up in the capital city of Islamabad. And in today's Back of the Brief, we're getting a preview of just how nasty the struggle over illegal migrants may become as Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan, threatens to jail Denver's mayor if he attempts to defy federal efforts to mount a mass deportation program. Okay then. But first, today's PDB Spotlight.

We'll begin in the Middle East, where after more than a year of fighting, Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah have agreed to a temporary ceasefire that negotiators hope can clear a path to permanently end the war. And you know my feelings on that one. The agreement was approved on Tuesday by the Israeli Security Cabinet in a 10-to-1 vote with the full backing of Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The truce, which has long proved elusive, of course, was brokered by the U.S. and France and went into immediate effect Wednesday morning at 4 a.m. local time, and that's according to a report from Reuters.

The deal involves a 60-day cessation of hostilities that will facilitate further discussions on any remaining points of contention between both parties. And no shock, there may be some remaining points of contention. President Biden confirmed the agreement in a speech Tuesday afternoon, saying that he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mkhadi.

Biden said the deal was, quote, designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities, and the U.S. would work in concert with France to ensure it is fully implemented in the coming days. Again, the deal is based on the 2006 U.N. resolution that also was supposed to result in a permanent cessation of hostilities.

Biden gave his full throat of support to Israel during his remarks, saying, quote, Let me be clear. If Hezbollah or anyone else breaks the deal and poses a direct threat to Israel, then Israel retains the right to self-defense consistent with international law, end quote.

Under the terms of the agreement, Israel will gradually withdraw its forces from Lebanon over the 60-day period as the Lebanese army takes control of territory south of the Latani River near its southern border with Israel to ensure Hezbollah militants do not rebuild their infrastructure in the region. Additionally, the U.S. will lead an international monitoring committee to ensure compliance with the ceasefire terms.

Lebanese officials said a force of roughly 5,000 troops is ready to deploy to southern Lebanon alongside U.N. peacekeepers as Israeli troops begin their withdrawal. Both sides said the ceasefire will allow tens of thousands of displaced civilians on both sides of the border to begin returning to their homes.

I want to stress that the long-term success of the ceasefire hinges on Hezbollah's full compliance with the terms, which means their Iranian puppet masters' full compliance with the terms. In remarks on Tuesday, Netanyahu said Israel would respond forcefully to any violations, saying they retain, quote, complete military freedom of action. Despite facing some opposition from members of his governing coalition, Netanyahu said now was the time for a truce.

He noted that Hezbollah is considerably weaker than it was just a year ago, with most of their senior leaders, well, wiped out in targeted operations by the IDF.

Listing off some of Israel's many military accomplishments against Hezbollah, Netanyahu said, quote, We have set it back decades, eliminated its top leaders, destroyed most of its rockets and missiles, neutralized thousands of fighters and obliterated years of terror infrastructure near our border.

He added that the ceasefire will allow Israel to focus their attention on the ongoing Iranian threat while giving their military some much-needed rest and time to replenish depleted arms supplies. It will also allow them to refocus their attention on the ongoing fight against Hamas in Gaza.

Regarding Gaza, there's no indication that the ceasefire in Lebanon will encourage Hamas to come back to the negotiating table in good faith. Still, Biden said his administration will try to leverage the diplomatic breakthrough to revive talks with Hamas in the coming days.

All right. Coming up after the break, the Kremlin is engaged in another scheme to lure foreigners into fighting in the war in Ukraine, this time partnering with the Iranian-backed Houthis to traffic Yemeni citizens into Russia. All right. Plus, Pakistan is dealing with internal chaos as deadly clashes between police and supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan engulf the capital city of Islamabad.

I'll have those stories when we come back. Hey, aren't you that PBM? Middleman, at your service, doctor. Don't you get rebates that save money on medicines? Oh, PBMs like me get big rebates. So why do patients tell me they're worried about their costs?

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Welcome back to the PDB. Turning our attention to Russia, the Putin regime is engaged in yet another scheme to lure unsuspecting foreigners into fighting their war of aggression against Ukraine. This time, Russia is partnering with the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, who have helped the Kremlin orchestrate a shadowy trafficking operation to bolster their front-line ranks with Yemeni citizens.

So far, hundreds of Yemeni men have been sent to the battlefields of Ukraine, a place they never intended to find themselves, according to an exclusive report from the Financial Times. The Yemeni recruits were first approached by a Houthi-linked company back in July that offered them a new life in Russia, promising to help them secure high-paying manufacturing jobs and Russian citizenship.

Upon arriving, however, the deception became painfully clear. The recruits were quickly coerced at gunpoint into signing fighting contracts with the Russian military that they couldn't even read.

They were then shipped off to hot zones in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, despite most having no military training to speak of. Responding to the report, a senior Ukrainian defense official told Fox News, quote, for some time now, Russia has been working with mercenaries from all around the world, and all we can say for now is they are working with new countries, end quote. It

It's just the latest evidence that Russia is desperate to replenish their frontline forces without having to engage in a full-scale mobilization of their own citizens, something that remains widely unpopular with the Russian population. Western intelligence estimates that more than 600,000 troops, Russian troops, have been killed or injured since the war began in 2022.

The situation on the front lines is particularly grave, with Moscow losing an average of 1,500 troops a day across the month of October.

Now, to plug the holes in their ranks, Russia has turned to recruiting mercenaries and unsuspecting foreigners wherever they can find them, including Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. As we've been tracking on the PDB, they are also preparing to imminently deploy some 10,000 North Korean troops who have spent the past few months training in Russia.

As you may recall, earlier this year, reports emerged that men from India were being lured under false pretenses to fight in Ukraine. It's unclear just how many Indian men have been conscripted, but we know that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue during a visit to Moscow in July.

In September, Russia released 45 Indians that had been forced into service, though an unknown number have yet to be discharged, and it's unclear if the Kremlin plans to return any more of these conscripts to India.

There were also reports back in February that some 15,000 men from Nepal had been enlisted into the Russian military, and many of their fates still remain unclear. Russia has focused their efforts on impoverished nations, where promises of lucrative jobs in Russia are often too enticing to ignore.

Regarding the Houthis, it's unclear what, if anything, they have received from Russia thus far for helping bolster Moscow's ranks. But U.S. diplomats told the Financial Times that it was a disturbing example of just how far Russia is willing to go to sustain their war. U.S. Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lederking did confirm, however, that Russia is holding discussions with the Houthi militants about possible weapons transfers in the near future.

He told the Financial Times, quote, the kinds of weapons that are being discussed are very alarming and would enable the Houthis to better target ships in the Red Sea and possibly beyond, end quote.

All right. I want to shift to Pakistan, where thousands of supporters of Pakistan's jailed former prime minister Imran Khan marched on Islamabad this week, clashing with police and demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Shabazz Sharif's government. For background, Khan was ousted in a parliamentary no confidence vote in 2022, and he's been jailed since August 2023 on corruption and state secret charges, all of which he denies.

His detention deepened Pakistan's political divide and galvanized his PTI party, which remains the country's largest opposition group.

Khan's supporters accuse the Sharif government of orchestrating rigged elections in February and of colluding with Pakistan's powerful military to remove him from power. The protesters, led by Khan's wife and senior PTI members, are demanding the release of Khan and other detained leaders while also calling for the repeal of constitutional amendments they say unfairly expanded the government's judicial control.

Posting from jail on X, Khan urged his supporters to fight until the end, stating, quote, we will not back down until our demands are met, end quote.

On Tuesday, security forces blocked major roads with shipping containers, enforced bans on gatherings, and deployed thousands of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear to prevent marchers from entering Islamabad's highly fortified Red Zone, which houses parliament and key government offices. Mobile internet was shut down and curfews loomed as authorities sought to contain the unrest.

protesters armed with steel rods and slingshots pledged to march into the Capitol and gather at a public square near Parliament. That's a frequent protest hotspot for what leaders are calling a, quote, do or die sit in. Clashes erupted as they stormed barricades and faced heavy security patrols.

Fires were set along the route and vehicles were ransacked, well this sounds all very peaceful, with at least six people killed, including four paramilitary soldiers. As the violence intensified, so did the blame game. PTI officials denied the Sharif regime's claims that protesters had killed paramilitary soldiers by ramming security forces with vehicles.

Conversely, a spokesman for PTI stated one of their protesters was shot dead by security forces. Authorities, however, have dismissed PTI's allegations that paramilitary troops fired on protesters, although reporters with Reuters said they did hear gunfire during the clashes.

Sharif's regime has shown no signs of yielding to the protesters' demands. Sharif blamed PTI supporters for the deaths of security personnel, stating, quote, this is not a peaceful protest, it is extremism, accusing the demonstrators of pursuing, quote, sinister political agendas. Sharif also criticized the escalating violence, saying it was pushing law enforcement to their, quote, limits of restraint.

The military remains deployed to protect the red zone, with security forces guarding sensitive government offices. It's important to note, Tuesday's protest marks one of the most violent demonstrations since Khan's detention last year. Protesters remain determined to hold their sit-in near Parliament, echoing a 2014 protest when Khan supporters staged a 126-day occupation to challenge a previous government.

PTI leaders have called this march their, quote, final call, underscoring the growing stakes in the confrontation between Khan's supporters and Sharif's government. As political violence continues to grip Pakistan, the possibility of further escalation, of course, looms, with PTI vowing to maintain its protests and the government refusing to negotiate. Well, the standoff threatens to destabilize a nation already dealing with heightened tensions between civilian and military authorities.

All right. Coming up in the back of the brief, a preview of just how nasty the struggle over illegal migrants may become as Trump's incoming border czar, Tom Homan, threatens to jail Denver's mayor if he attempts to defy federal efforts to mount a mass deportation program. OK, I'll have the details when we come back.

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In today's Back of the Brief, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for border czar, Tom Homan, has threatened legal action and possibly jail time against Denver Mayor Mike Johnston over his vow to shelter migrants in the sanctuary city from Trump's deportation agenda. Yes, you really want to go to the mat over protecting criminals who are in the country illegally.

So that would, of course, be the first focus of the Trump administration, deporting criminals. And if the Denver mayor wants to die on that hill, that's an unusual thing. Homan, the former director of ICE, told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Monday that Johnston's resistance to Trump's mass deportation plans could land the mayor in legal hot water.

Homan stated, quote, All Johnston has to do is look at Arizona versus U.S. and he would see he's breaking the law, referencing the 2012 Supreme Court case, which ruled that states cannot implement their own immigration laws. Homan added, quote, Me and the Denver mayor, we agree on one thing. He's willing to go to jail. I'm willing to put him in jail.

Last week, Johnson initially stated, rather self-righteously, that he would deploy Denver's police force to block federal authorities from deporting migrants. On Friday, he tempered his stance, stating he believes local citizens will resist federal actions, but reaffirming that Denver will not cooperate with Trump's agenda.

Homan called out sanctuary cities like Denver for jeopardizing public safety by defying federal immigration enforcement, stating, quote, I find it shocking that any mayor would say they don't want public safety threats removed from their neighborhoods, outlining the Trump administration's priority to deport criminal offenders and national security threats.

Homan also warned of consequences for noncompliance, including cutting federal funding to sanctuary cities, echoing Trump's promise to hold local leaders accountable. Trump's incoming press secretary, Caroline Leavitt, echoed this sentiment, stating the president-elect, quote, will marshal every federal and state power necessary to execute his deportation plans, even suggesting that using military assets to support operations.

On Tuesday, Johnson fired back in a statement to The Hill asserting that Denver will not be complicit in actions that he views. Oh, well, isn't he righteous as unlawful, stating, quote, If Donald Trump tries to break the law and abuse his power, he will get no help from us. Again, you're talking about deporting individuals with criminal charges and convictions who are here illegally. That doesn't seem the sort of thing that either side should argue about.

As Trump prepares to take office, the clash between his administration and sanctuary cities like Denver, well, it's poised to intensify.

All right. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily Brief for Wednesday, 27 November. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at pdbatthefirsttv.com. And finally, remember what your mother told you. To listen to the show ad-free, well, it's simple. Become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting pdbpremium.com. It's always good to listen to your mom.

I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool.