FAMILY AFFAIR: On December 22, the Turkish news site “Daily Sabah” (which is said to be closely aligned with the party of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) reported that a U.S. diplomat had been arrested in Istanbul for allegedly giving a fake passport to a Syrian national in exchange for $10,000. The incident supposedly happened five weeks prior. Then on December 23, Daily Sabah updated their story with a statement from the U.S. State Department saying: “We are aware of the detention of a U.S. citizen in Turkey. The individual is not a U.S. diplomat. We are providing appropriate consular services.” The State Department official reportedly gave no further details. Then the Hurriyet Daily News one-upped Daily Sabah by publishing a picture of the passport of the U.S. citizen. The passport holder’s name is blurred – but not the part that says: “The Bearer is a Member of the Family of” (we’re leaving the name out) “abroad on a Diplomatic Assignment for the United States Government.” The recipient of the alleged fake passport was reportedly also arrested, but unlike the American, that person has been released awaiting trial.
NOT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Lawyers for Dianna Toebbe, the woman charged along with her husband, of attempting to sell U.S. nuclear submarine secrets to some unidentified foreign nation, filed a motion last week for her to be released from jail while awaiting trial. Her lawyers claim she is not a flight risk because she has two school-aged children at home. No doubt, Ms.Toebbe wants to get out to be able to make the kids their favorite peanut butter sandwiches. At last report, prosecutors had not responded to the motion.
MY HEAVENS: We read in the U.K.’s Daily Star (so it must be true) that NASA is hiring 24 theologians to help figure out how the world’s religions would react if it were discovered that there is extraterrestrial life. Exactly why they are asking the question and why now – is unclear. Maybe they expect the new James Webb telescope to reveal some really interesting stuff.
OSS MARKER: The OSS Society recently installed a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery to honor the more than 125 OSS members who were killed in action during World War II. The marker notes that the remains of at least 33 members were never recovered.
LEGENDARY SEAL DIES: Dick Marcinko, a retired Navy commander who was credited with establishing SEAL Team 6, died on Christmas Day in Fauquier County, VA. He was 81 years old. Colorful and controversial, Marcinko was a trailblazer both in the realm of special operations and in writing books (both non-fiction and fiction) about that world. At the time he established SEAL Team 6, there were reportedly only two other SEAL units – but he picked “6” in hopes of misleading the Soviets into thinking the U.S. was better stocked with elite fighters than it really was.
JOHN ROBERTS GALLOPS AHEAD: The esteemed Gallup Poll issued results of a recent poll tracking the job approval ratings of 11 U.S. leaders. Leading the pack was Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts who scored a 60% approval rating and just 34% disapproval. Coming in second, was Fed Chairman Jerome Powell at 54% and, a man who needs no introduction, Dr. Anthony Fauci came in at 52% approval. Elected leaders like President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnel were at the bottom of the standings. Secretary of State Antony Blinken came in with a strong 49%. Oddly, only 11 leaders were ranked. National security leaders like Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, and CIA Director William Burns were not mentioned. Did Gallup simply not ask the public about them – or was the public unable to offer views negative or positive? We don’t know. We were a bit surprised at John Roberts’ strong numbers. Our cynical view reminded us that Roberts shares a name with a Fox News correspondent. And we doubt that a plurality of Americans even knows what the Federal Reserve is – let alone have a view on the performance of its chairman. But we figure Jerome Powell probably got a boost by being confused with the late Colin Powell.
POCKET LITTER: Dead Droplets and bits and pieces of interesting /weird stuff we discovered:
BADGES? WE DON’T NEED NO STINKING BADGES: A guy by the name of Bandon Cozart was arrested recently during a traffic stop in Redding, California with police allegedly discovering a semi-automatic pistol with ammunition, handcuffs, a methamphetamine smoking pipe and “a CIA badge” in his vehicle. Local media reported that “the badge is most likely fake but has yet to be confirmed.” (Note: the “stinking badges” line in the title is a widely quoted paraphrase of dialogue from the film “The Treasure of Sierra Madre.” “Paraphrase of dialogue” means it is a misquote – but that is the way most people remember it.
HEY, THAT’S WHAT ALLIES ARE FOR: A U.S. Army fire-fighting crew jumped in to assist the citizens of Wiesbaden, Germany this week as they gallantly fought to put out an early morning fire at what was described as a “giant dung heap.” According to Stars and Stripes the pile of manure measured 2,750 cubic yards – or about the size of an Olympic swimming pool. We figure it was sort of like a dumpster fire on steroids. Officials believe that the fire ignited itself due to its internal heat. No foul play was suspected but there may well have been a foul odor. Exactly why the folks in Wiesbaden amassed such a giant pile of excrement went unexplained.
SEND US YOUR HOT POOP: No, not that kind. Send your national security news tips in the New Year to The Dead Drop at: TheDeadDrop@theCipherBrief.com.
