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Best of the Web: Moscow doubles down on Washington

Pepe Escobar
RT.com
Thu, 15 Oct 2015 16:33 UTC
Putin n Obama
© Sergey Guneev/POOL/RIA Novosti Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and US President Barack Obama.
History may eventually decide the 'New World Order' started on September 28, when Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama had a 90-minute face off at the UN in New York.

Irrespective of spin - "productive" according to the White House, "tense" according to a source close to the Kremlin - facts on the ground accumulated almost immediately.

Putin did press Obama for the US to join Russia in a real grand coalition bent on smashing ISIS/ISIL/Daesh. The Obama administration, once again, relented. I detailed here what happened next: an earth-shattering game-changer in the 'New Great Game' in Eurasia, straight out of the Caspian Sea, that caught the acronym fest of US intelligence - not to mention the Pentagon - completely off-guard.

So this was Putin's first message to Washington, and the Pentagon/NATO combo in particular; your fancy ideas of stationing tactical nuclear weapons or expanding missile defense to Eastern Europe, or even Asia-Pacific, are just a mirage. Our cruise missiles are capable of wreaking real effective havoc; and soon, as this piece argues, there will be more hypersonic, high-precision long-range missiles added to the mix.

Old habits don't die hard - they remain in a coma forever. The Pentagon's response to the facts launched from the Caspian Sea was to conduct an airdrop of light weapons to "a select group of vetted leaders and their units," as in those famously non-existent Syrian "moderate rebels." The weapons will inevitably be captured by assorted Salafi-jihadi goon outfits in no time.

Then the British government was forced to deny a Murdoch-controlled Sunday Times "report" that British Tornadoes in Syria are now armed with air-to-air missiles to counter potential Russian aerial "attacks."

And to top it off, the proverbial "military experts" infesting US corporate media started spinning that we are only 30 seconds from World War III.
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Yoda

Best of the Web: Putin on U.S. refusing to share intelligence about ISIS: They have mush for brains


Yahoo! News
Tue, 13 Oct 2015 07:09 UTC
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© AFP Photo/Sergei
President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday slammed Washington for refusing to share intelligence with Russia on Syria, accusing it of muddled thinking.

"I believe some of our partners simply have mush for brains," Putin said, expressing some of his strongest criticism yet of Washington's handling of the Syrian crisis.

Late last month Moscow launched a bombing campaign in Syria, saying it needed to target Islamic State jihadists before they cross into Russia, which has a large Muslim population.

But Washington and its allies slammed Russia's intervention in the conflict, saying Moscow was also targeting Western-backed moderate rebels and sought to prop up the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
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Attention

Best of the Web: MH17, Syria and Ukraine: The lies eventually catch up

Ulson Gunnar
New Eastern Outlook
Wed, 14 Oct 2015 23:25 UTC
mh17 final report
At best, the United States, its NATO allies and the regime they have collectively created in Kiev, Ukraine, will be able to claim Russia, or militants defending eastern Ukraine from Kiev's armed incursions, accidentally shot down Malaysia Airlines flight 17 (MH17) after air controllers in Kiev recklessly sent it on a course over a battlefield other airliners had made a point to circumvent.

At worst, the US and its junior partners across Europe and the remnants of the British Commonwealth, will be implicated either in shooting it down accidentally themselves, or worse still, shooting it down on purpose in order to frame Russia and anti-regime militants in eastern Ukraine.

Russia certainly had nothing to gain by shooting down a civilian aircraft over a battlefield anti-regime militants have been aptly able to hold and defend. But what of NATO and its Ukrainian allies? In a war they are losing, could they have benefited from creating a pretext for NATO to intervene more directly?

The gain they have already wrought in terms of propaganda against Russia has been impressive. From the moment the airliner was shot down, the US, NATO and Ukraine have used the incident to indict Russia and more specifically, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the court of public opinion. It has used legal maneuvering and its well-oiled press to turn the investigation of the disaster into a witchhunt with an inevitable outcome already eagerly determined to implicate Russia.

Comment: While the West has been caught repeatedly lying, twisting the truth or obfuscating, don't expect anything to change. The empire of chaos is in rapid decline, yet it will likely continue on it's downward spiral because the psychopaths in charge are living in a dream reality of wishful thinking.

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Mr. Potato

Best of the Web: Total idiot: Defense adviser says 'Don't chase Putin out of Syria - let him fall on his own'

Derek Chollet
Defense One
Sun, 11 Oct 2015 15:36 UTC

Comment: This is a great example of the pathological thinking typical among American authoritarians: arrogant, ideological, and totally divorced from objective reality. It's no wonder the American empire is breathing its dying breaths.


russia jet pilot
© AP Photo/Alexander Kots, Komsomolskaya Pravda
Putin is no chess master. He overstretched and misstepped in Syria, and U.S. would be wiser to wait him out than chase him out.

With each Russian escalatory step in Syria, the situation only seems to get worse. Critics pile on, citing it as an example of President Barack Obama's "failed" foreign policy, calling for Obama to "do something" — confront Moscow, punish it for its reckless behavior, reassert leadership. But what would that something be?

Across the political spectrum, there are calls for a more muscular U.S. approach in Syria. Some are talking of proxy battles, while others are calling it a new Cold War and declaring a need to act tough to restore American credibility. But before the U.S. tumbles into something, it's worth taking a step back and asking what Russian President Vladimir Putin aims to get out of this, and whether, if measured by his own goals, this brazen military intervention will work. I think the answer is no - which should guide how the U.S. should respond.
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Eye 1

Best of the Web: Propaganda alert! Mixing the Big Lie with a little 'truth' in Russia's battle for Syria

Owen Matthews
The Spectator
Sat, 10 Oct 2015 13:54 UTC

Comment: This piece is an excellent example of just how subtle propaganda can be. Here the author shows a more 'enlightened' approach to Russia's involvement in Syria, acknowledging Western mistakes and praising Russian resolve. He takes a little truth, and then mixes it with the most glaring, and bizarrely inaccurate, 'Big Lies'. In the process the author completely misinforms the audience, so, out of respect for reality, we dissect the piece and expose the 'Big Lies'. But expect them to get worse as the West reacts to the changing balance of power with even more brazen and bizarre propaganda.


Putin
© NEO
Saddam Hussein hanged: is Iraq a better place? A safer place? Gaddafi murdered in front of the viewers: is Libya a better place? Now we are demonising Assad. Can we try to draw lessons?

— Sergei Lavrov, Russian foreign minister, United Nations, 1 October
Russia was right about Iraq and Libya, and America and Britain were dead wrong. Regime change doesn't seem to have changed Middle Eastern countries for the better, as Vladimir Putin has been warning for years. His policy is not to support any armed groups 'that attempt to resolve internal problems through force' — by which he means rebels, 'moderate' or otherwise. In his words, the Kremlin always has 'a nasty feeling that if such armed groups get support from abroad, the situation can end up deadlocked. We never know the true goals of these "freedom fighters" and we are concerned that the region could descend into chaos.'

Yet after a decade and a half of scolding the West for non-UN-sanctioned military interventions, Putin has now unilaterally committed Russian forces to what the former CIA director General David Petraeus calls the 'geopolitical Chernobyl' of Syria. Russia finds itself allied with Syria, Iraq and Iran — a new 'coalition' no less, as Syria's president Bashar al-Assad described it on Iranian state TV last week. How and why did Putin fail to take his own advice about the unintended consequences that breed in middle-eastern quagmires? And most importantly, how has he managed — so far at least — to make Russia's intervention in Syria into something close to a diplomatic triumph?

Comment: Indeed, Putin can do that far easier than the Western powers for one very simple reason: geography.

The final paragraph paints Putin as merely another geopolitical strategist, aiming for power over Britain and America. But in reality Putin has said, time and time again - and backed up his words with corresponding deeds, that Russia is not interested in power for power's sake, but rather mutual respect, cooperation and trade. This is something the power-hungry punks in Washington and London - congenitally obsessed with being 'number 1' - simply cannot fathom:



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Yoda

Best of the Web: Rewriting the rules: Putin's endgame in Syria

Mike Whitney
Counterpunch
Fri, 09 Oct 2015 17:09 UTC
Image
© Reuters
Russia doesn't want to fight a war with Turkey, so Russian generals devised a simple, but effective plan to discourage Turkey from taking any action that could lead to a clash between the two nations.

Last week, Russian warplanes intruded into Turkish airspace twice. Both incidents caused consternation in Ankara and send Turkish leaders into a furor. On both occasions, officials in Moscow politely apologized for the incursions claiming they were unintentional ("navigational errors") and that they would try to avoid similar intrusions in the future.

Then there was a third incident, a more serious incident, that was not a mistake. It was clearly intended to send a message to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Here's a short summary of what happened from an article at the World Socialist Web Site:
"Turkish officials claimed a third incident on Monday, when an unidentified MiG-29 fighter jet locked its radar for four and a half minutes on eight Turkish F-16 jets that were on patrol on their side of the border, in apparent preparation to open fire." ("US, NATO step up threats to Russia over Syria", World Socialist Web Site)
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Document

Best of the Web: Russia in the news: 10 days that changed the world

Patrick Armstrong
Russia Insider
Thu, 08 Oct 2015 13:43 UTC
russian flag
10 DAYS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD. They did, don't you think? Gilbert Doctorow describes the interlocking parts of Moscow's actions: coalition assembled, the UNGA, the military moves, the demonstration that Russia has full-capacity armed forces, Ukraine.

SYRIA. Clearly the big story. Others have commented: I recommend Dyer, Escobar and Buchanan. But there are plenty more. All I have to add are a few observations. Re the "Russian invasion" of Ukraine and grainy photos of combine harvesters or whatever somewhere or other, this is what real satellite photos look like: colour, detail, precision. Russia's intervention has exploded the US fantasy of "moderate opposition" (but weren't there only four or five of them?) and its incoherent two-horse scheme (watch McCain lump "barrel bombs" and beheaders together as if Assad and ISIS were the same at 6:51). As to Russia being "doomed to fail", its strikes are coordinated with the forces on the ground that are actually fighting ISIS; Syrian forces have begun an offensive. And with Iraq too. Egypt as well. Israel even? Is Iran coming? There are suggestions that both Iraq and Afghanistan would welcome Russian assistance because ISIS has only grown stronger in the year of the US-led operation, despite its claims. Moscow prepared the ground, did everything legally, assembled a coalition and moved quickly and decisively. Not Putin vs Obama, or "standing up to Putin", but a direct challenge to the New American Century crowd; "the most powerful, good and honorable nation... the exceptional nation": "Do you at least realise now what you have done?" (Вы хоть понимаете теперь, что вы натворили?).

Comment: More coverage of the past 2 weeks' events here:

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Cards

Best of the Web: The Caspian Sea missile launch: Russia shows its hand and wins


Moon of Alabama
Wed, 07 Oct 2015 12:57 UTC
caspian sea missile
He he ... Russia is now really showing off :-)
Four Russian Navy warships have fired a total of 26 missiles at the position of the terrorist group Islamic State in Syria, Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu announced. The missiles were fired from the Caspian Sea.

"Four missile ships launched 26 cruise missiles at 11 targets. According to objective control data, all the targets were destroyed. No civilian objects sustained damage," Shoigu said.

The missiles flew some 1,500 km before reaching their targets, probing their efficiency.
"And a happy birthday to you dear Vladimir Vladimirovich," Shoigu added.

These Russian Klub (3M-14 KalibrN) cruise missile, with some interesting capabilities (vid), crossed Iranian and Iraqi airspace (vid) with the consent of those countries. There is a video of the launches and pictures of the left-overs of a night of "Russian Klub'bing" in Raqqa governate.


Comment: Well played, Russia: Russia blindsides Pentagon by launching 26 missiles against ISIS in Syria from 4 warships... in the Caspian Sea

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Mail

Best of the Web: Dear Putin: A letter of support to Russia's president for countering the U.S. and ISIS in the Middle East


DearPutin.com
Wed, 07 Oct 2015 11:37 UTC

Comment: The following letter is addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on behalf of world citizens who are thankful for the role Putin and Russia have taken in their support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the fight against U.S.-sponsored terrorism.

Putin has proven himself to be a statesman and politician of the first order and has done more than anyone on the world stage not only for his own country, but the world at large, countering the U.S. Empire's arrogance and greed. And the amount of lies and barely veiled aggression leveled against Putin has been extraordinary and practically unprecedented. Russia's involvement in Syria has only reinvigorated the attackers. But their words ring even more hollow today. Russia seems to have the West checkmated, and all they can do is watch and prattle as their plans fall to pieces.

So we encourage all our readers to take a stand for what's right and sign the letter. We have!


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You can sign the letter!

Dear President Putin,

As members of the global reality-based community, we'd like to extend our appreciation and support for the Russian Federation's decision to provide humanitarian and military assistance to Syria, its armed forces and its democratically elected leader, President Bashar al-Assad, in their fight against international US-backed terrorists.

The launch of airstrikes directed against ISIL terrorists in Syria comes at a critical time,1 just as did Russia's pivotal role in preventing a Western military intervention in 2013. As a voice of reason and a force for justice, you have the thanks and support of Syrians, Russians and all people of conscience around the world.

Since 2011, Western leaders have been determined to turn Syria into a failed state. They have gone to the extent of providing funding, training and weaponry to foreign mercenaries who have waged a brutal campaign of terror on the Syrian people and their legitimate government.2 These terrorist forces and religious fanatics do not represent the will of the Syrian people, the majority of whom support President Assad. As you said in your speech at the United Nations General Assembly, it is for the Syrian people and only the Syrian people to decide who should lead them.
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USA

Best of the Web: The World's Silliest Empire

Dimitry Orlov
Club Orlov
Tue, 06 Oct 2015 14:51 UTC
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I couldn't help but notice that over the past few weeks the Empire has become extremely silly—so silly that I believe it deserves the title of the World's Silliest Empire. One could claim that it has been silly before, but recent developments seem to signal a quantum leap in its silliness level.
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