(TFC) – The country has its sights firmly placed on the spectacle occurring over the hack/leak of documents that may or may not have influenced the election. It’s irrelevant. The people of the United States cannot grant the Central Intelligence Agency (or any intelligence agency) the power to cast doubt on the results of elections via unconfirmed, unsourced, and politically biased findings. At the end of the day, the precedent set by allowing a secret agency to veto election results is the death of democracy.

So what did you miss while this was occupying the national narrative? Lots. Troops are deploying to Afghanistan, the Boko Haram is back in the headlines, a new pipeline fight, and much more.

Another 2300 US troops are headed to Afghanistan this winter to attempt to stop massive territorial gains by the Taliban. Like most military buildups, the US government is claiming the troops will “advise and assist”.

While most of the attention is focused on Aleppo, the Kurds in Iraq have been fighting to liberate the city of Raqqa.

The fight against the Boko Haram didn’t end with the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. According to sources in Nigeria, more than 600 people (including 450 children) were recently freed during a rescue operation.

Construction of a pipeland is disrupting the lands of native tribes. This isn’t happening in North Dakota, it’s happening in Mexico.

The Pentagon covered up $125 billion dollars worth of waste and abuse.

Women in China have been required to submit nude photographs as collateral to obtain loans. Some have been released when the women failed to make payments.

The United States halted arms sales to Saudi Arabia. The move is seen by many as a public relations effort because the US increased arms sales to other Gulf States.

Dissident leaders in Iran are begging for a trial, after being confined for six years without one.

2.2 million children in Yemen are “acutely malnourished”. This is largely due to the war being waged by the Saudis with US weapons.

The boss of the Central Intelligence Agency has attempted to disuade incoming President Trump from reinstituting torture.

The UN General Assembly has voted to recognize the dangers posed by depleted uranium ammunition. The United States has admitted to using depleted uranium rounds in Syria.

Shareholders approved the merger of Monsanto and Bayer.

A completely fake US Embassy in Ghana has been issuing false travel documents for more than a decade.