Puppet Masters

Idiot ex-Pentagon official blocks journalists on Twitter for pointing out Ukrainian MP's neo-Nazi ties

RT
Tue, 29 Jan 2019 16:49 UTC

© Reuters / Gleb Garanich
Activists from Svoboda (Freedom) and the far-right radical group Right Sector take part in a rally in Kiev, Ukraine October 14, 2017.

A former Pentagon official and DC think tank hero has decided to block journalists on Twitter, rather than acknowledge the inconvenient fact that Ukraine's parliamentary speaker has a well-documented neo-Nazi past.

Michael Carpenter, an Atlantic Council senior fellow who served as a foreign policy advisor to Vice President Joe Biden, took a swing at journalist Max Blumenthal on Twitter - describing him as a "pro-Putin propagandist" and a "sleeze." Responding to an article that suggested some sort of nefarious Kremlin role in Blumenthal's opposition to US military intervention in Syria, Carpenter tweeted out: "This explains a lot. Blumenthal came up to me at a recent event in DC with a video camera in hand and kept asking me why I supported Ukraine's 'Nazi leadership' (while recording my responses). I dismissed him as a pro-Putin propagandist and walked away. What a sleeze."

Comment: U.S. politicians just can't help themselves. They have seemingly never met a Nazi, Jihadist, or other radical violent revolutionary they didn't like. And when called out on it, all they can do is refuse to continue the conversation. And yet they accuse their critics of being Putin and Assad "apologists".

Daylight robbery! Washington gives opposition leader Guaido control over Venezuela's deposits in US bank

RT
Tue, 29 Jan 2019 15:02 UTC

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has authorized Venezuelan opposition leader and self-declared interim president, Juan Guaido, to take control of US-held assets belonging to the country's government.

The certification, issued on Tuesday, applies to certain Venezuelan government and Central Bank property held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or any other US insured banks.

"This certification will help Venezuela's legitimate government safeguard those assets for the benefit of the Venezuelan people," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement.

Comment: The noose is tightening around Venezuela in ever possible way. What will Russia and China do about it?

Like the 'Gerasimov Doctrine' it spawned, it's time to retire the concept of 'Russia-watching'

Bryan MacDonald
RT
Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:33 UTC

If you're interested in Russia, you've surely encountered "Russia Watching." A concept with questionable utility, given far too much credibility on this beat.

As the title implies, "Russia Watchers" don't reside in Russia. Indeed, many have never have done so, at any stage, and some haven't even 'lowered' themselves to visit. Instead, like Peter Sellers' Chance the Gardener, they "like to watch" and are elevated beyond their station by credulous hacks, in a severe case of the blind leading the blind.

And, in a reasonable world, with assiduous and scrupulous media standards, you wouldn't know of their existence and they'd be left to exchange their conspiracy theories with other fantasist busybodies and amateur enthusiasts on Reddit or obscure blogs.

But we don't live on that sort of planet. Sadly, Western coverage of Russia is so dysfunctional that various chancers and charlatans flood the media space debating things like the 'Gerasimov Doctrine' and whether Vladimir Putin has Aspergers or Spine Cancer, or is about to invade the Baltics, or Belarus, or Poland. All on the same weekend. In addition to other topics which either don't exist or would require expertise, and access, these spoofers can't boast.

The Empire Strikes Back: YouTube announces plan to permanently blacklist all 'conspiracy videos'

Paul Sawers
Venture Beat
Sat, 26 Jan 2019 00:01 UTC

YouTube has announced plans to "reduce" the number of conspiracy theory and "misinformation" videos users are exposed to through its algorithmic recommendations.

While the Google-owned video giant has often courted controversy over some of the content that finds its way onto its platform, the company does have policies in place that serve as a guide to what is, and isn't, allowed. Some of these videos are eventually taken down. But then there is content that YouTube refers to as "borderline" - it doesn't breach any policies, per se, but at the same time many people would rather not see them.

Comment: This is a dangerous move on the part of YouTube, although it's unlikely many will see it as such. At the end of the day, who decides what is labelled as 'conspiracy'? Any opinion expressed that counters the mainstream narrative is often labelled as such, even when accompanied by established facts. More and more, those who aren't fully supportive of the views of 'the party' are being marginalized and silenced. There won't be much left of the internet once the opinion-shapers are done with it - just an infinitely deep echo chamber with dissent nowhere to be found.

See also:

Blow for May's no-deal as Ireland stresses it will not yield on Brexit backstop

Andrew Sparrow
Guardian
Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00 UTC

© Peter Morrison/AP
Demonstrators hold banners in front of a mock wall on the Northern Ireland-Republic of Ireland border on Saturday.

Ireland has launched a last-minute effort to warn Theresa May off any attempt to unravel the backstop, two days before a crucial Commons debate that may decide the next move for the UK's rudderless Brexit policy.

Simon Coveney, the Irish foreign minister and deputy prime minister, insisted the backstop - the mechanism to ensure there will be no hard border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland if Britain and the EU fail to strike a free trade deal - was "part of a balanced package that isn't going to change". In a forceful interview, he insisted it was only part of the withdrawal agreement because of the UK's red lines.

On Tuesday Tory Brexiters may get the chance to vote for amendments that would signal their willingness to back May's Brexit deal subject to the backstop's either being removed or time-limited.

Comment: See also:

And check out SOTT radio's:

George Galloway censured over Salisbury poisoning claims

Jim Waterson
The Guardian
Tue, 29 Jan 2019 10:36 UTC

Ofcom says ex-MP breached impartiality guidelines on radio show when casting doubt on Russian role

George Galloway breached broadcasting impartiality rules when he used his radio show to cast doubt on Russian involvement in the poisoning of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury last year, according to media regulator Ofcom.

The former MP used his weekly programme on TalkRadio to repeatedly criticise claims of Russian involvement in the incident. He mocked those who agreed with the UK government that the Kremlin was behind the novichok nerve agent attack on the former Russian security agent and his daughter.

Comment: In other words, Galloway is guilty of 'wrong-think' and expressing an opinion not in league with the establishment narrative.

Ofcom said it was minded to sanction TalkRadio, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News UK, for broadcasting the discussion last March without giving enough time to people with opposing views.

Comment: So opposing views are required to be impartial while the establishment view is allowed to be aired unquestioned and lacking even the slightest hint at impartiality. This is a complete farce. Galloway should fight this in the highest courts (although, depressingly, he would more than likely lose).

See also:

US finally presents its allegations against telecom competitor China's Huawei

Camilo Montoya-Galvez
CBS
Tue, 29 Jan 2019 08:22 UTC

The Department of Justice (DOJ) unveiled criminal charges against Huawei Technologies Co. and its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, accusing China's largest telecommunications company of stealing trade secrets, committing wire fraud, breaking confidentiality agreements and violating sanctions against Iran.

Two sweeping indictments allege that Huawei, its affiliate in Iran and Meng stole confidential information and obstructed justice as part of an elaborate and "illegal" economic scheme. Prosecutors are seeking Meng's extradition to the U.S. She was arrested in early December by Canadian authorities at the request of the U.S. government.

In response, China said Tuesday the "unreasonable crackdown" on Huawei should be stopped, adding that Beijing will "firmly defend" its companies. A foreign ministry statement read on the state-run TV news didn't say whether Beijing would retaliate for the charges against Huawei, which the company denied.

The U.S. has long suspected that Huawei is a front for espionage and a national security risk.

Comment: And yet chose to act now?

Comment: As has been noted in other articles, China has little need to steal US technology these days. So, considering the timing of the allegations and that they've waited nearly 8 years to address these 'claims', naturally one wonders whether there is some intention to scupper any cooperation between the US administration and China: Engdahl: Is Canada's Huawei arrest an attempt to sabotage Trump-Xi talks?

See also:

Canada joins with imperial Mafia threatening Venezuela

Yves Engler
yvesengler.com
Tue, 29 Jan 2019 08:23 UTC

Trudeau (L) and Maduro (R).

Most Canadians think of their country as a force for good in the world, but recent efforts by Justin Trudeau's government to overthrow Venezuela's elected government have once again revealed the ugly truth about the Great White North. We are an important partner in imperialism, willing to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, up to and including the use of military force, to benefit the perceived self-interest of our elites.

Over the past two years Canadian officials have campaigned aggressively against President Nicolás Maduro. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland has repeatedly criticized Caracas' democratic legitimacy and human rights record. Recently she said, "the Maduro regime is now fully entrenched as a dictatorship" while in September Ottawa asked (with five South American nations) the International Criminal Court to investigate the Venezuelan government, which is the first time a government has been formally brought before the tribunal by another member.

In recent weeks Canadian diplomats have played an important role in uniting large swaths of the Venezuelan opposition behind a US-backed plan to ratchet up tensions by proclaiming the new head of the opposition-dominated National Assembly, Juan Guaido, president. The Canadian Press quoted a Canadian diplomat saying they helped Guaido "facilitate conversations with people that were out of the country and inside the country" while the Globe and Mail reported that "Freeland spoke with Juan Guaido to congratulate him on unifying opposition forces in Venezuela, two weeks before he declared himself interim president." Alongside Washington and a number of right-leaning Latin American governments, Ottawa immediately recognized Guaido after he proclaimed himself president on Wednesday. Canadian officials are lobbying European leaders to recognize Guaido as president as well.

Comment: Canada has shown itself to be merely a lackey of US-UK foreign policy, although it clearly seeks to derive as much benefit to itself in the process, with another current example being its actions in the Huawei case: Trudeau fires envoy to China after he embarrassed him with truth on Huawei case

See also:

And check out SOTT radio's:

Dirty CIA front: The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Venezuela

Eva Golinger
Chavez Code
Wed, 23 Apr 2014 00:00 UTC

Anti-government protests in Venezuela that seek regime change have been led by several individuals and organizations with close ties to the US government. Leopoldo Lopez and Maria Corina Machado- two of the public leaders behind the violent protests that started in February - have long histories as collaborators, grantees and agents of Washington. The National Endowment for Democracy "NED" and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have channeled multi-million dollar funding to Lopez's political parties Primero Justicia and Voluntad Popular, and Machado's NGO Sumate and her electoral campaigns.

These Washington agencies have also filtered more than $14 million to opposition groups in Venezuela between 2013 and 2014, including funding for their political campaigns in 2013 and for the current anti-government protests in 2014. This continues the pattern of financing from the US government to anti-Chavez groups in Venezuela since 2001, when millions of dollars were given to organizations from so-called "civil society" to execute a coup d'etat against President Chavez in April 2002. After their failure days later, USAID opened an Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) in Caracas to, together with the NED, inject more than $100 million in efforts to undermine the Chavez government and reinforce the opposition during the following 8 years.

Did Trump float 'military option' in Venezuela with war-hawk Lindsey Graham?

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Mon, 28 Jan 2019 19:23 UTC

Military option on the table - that's what Axios reporter Jonathan Swan was told when discussing the Venezuela crisis with Sen. Lindsey Graham. In a breaking exclusive Sunday evening, Axios has revealed key explosive contents of a recent meeting between President Trump and Sen. Graham wherein the president "mused to him about the possibility of using military force in Venezuela, where the U.S. government is currently pushing for regime change using diplomatic and economic pressures." According to Axios:

Graham, recalling his conversation with Trump a couple weeks ago, said: "He [Trump] said, 'What do you think about using military force?' and I said, 'Well, you need to go slow on that, that could be problematic.' And he said, 'Well, I'm surprised, you want to invade everybody.'"

Graham laughed. "And I said, 'I don't want to invade everybody, I only want to use the military when our national security interests are threatened.'"

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Puppet Masters

Idiot ex-Pentagon official blocks journalists on Twitter for pointing out Ukrainian MP's neo-Nazi ties

Daylight robbery! Washington gives opposition leader Guaido control over Venezuela's deposits in US bank

Like the 'Gerasimov Doctrine' it spawned, it's time to retire the concept of 'Russia-watching'

The Empire Strikes Back: YouTube announces plan to permanently blacklist all 'conspiracy videos'

Blow for May's no-deal as Ireland stresses it will not yield on Brexit backstop

George Galloway censured over Salisbury poisoning claims

US finally presents its allegations against telecom competitor China's Huawei

Canada joins with imperial Mafia threatening Venezuela

Dirty CIA front: The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in Venezuela

Did Trump float 'military option' in Venezuela with war-hawk Lindsey Graham?

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