Welcome to Sott.net
Mon, 08 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Puppet Masters
Map

Take 2

Duterte defends his behavior: 'If I don't act like a dictator, nothing will happen to this country'


RT
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:12 UTC
duterte
© Dondi Tawatao / Reuters
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has said that if it weren't for his dictatorial style, his country would stagnate and never improve.

Opposition leaders have railed against Duterte's proposal to revise the Philippines' constitution. Currently the executive, legislative, and judicial powers of each state in a body of states are contained within a central authority, but the proposal aims to switch these over to a federal system.

"If you say dictator, I am really a dictator. If I don't act (like a) dictator, son of a b****, nothing will happen to this country," the president said at the meeting in Visayan, as cited by The SunStar Manila. Duterte made the inflammatory remarks when speaking to a gathering of former Communist rebels, insisting that his style of governance was necessary in order to sustain progress and growth in the country.

"That's true. If I don't act (like a) dictator, which is my style now, nothing will happen to this country," he added. "I had to (act like a dictator). Besides, you have chosen me as your president. Why won't you follow me when my dreams are all for you?"
      Read More...
Fire

A dumpster full of grease fire: There's no way to shrug off the level of corruption within the FBI / DOJ / DNC

Douglas Wilson
Blog and Mablog
Mon, 05 Feb 2018 00:00 UTC
grease fire
I read the released FISA memo last Friday night, and since then have been mulling over how bright-yellow-gaudy-outrageous the whole thing is. And by outrageous, I mean horrific from the outset, and getting worse with each passing day. And by worse, I mean more yellow. Right now it is like a bushel basket full of jaundiced canaries. It is like that headache that Wodehouse described once, the one that started at the ankles and got worse going up. So this is not a dumpster fire. This is not a grease fire. This is a dumpster-full-of-grease-fire.

For the remainder of this rant, I would request that my readers not attempt to interrupt me with any words or gestures calculated to soothe. This is no time for sootheries. And don't tell me I am using too many metaphors. My metaphors have all joined hands and are full of strange oaths. They are dancing around in a circle with a dangerous kind of gleam in their eyes.

Allow me to attempt my part in explaining the level of corruption involved in all of this. The issue is not what was done in private by various officials. There have always been dirty deeds done in secret. Politics has always been dirty, and it has always been this dirty. For those who are shocked, shocked, that this could possibly have happened, somebody needs to get them their hospitality basket and say, "Welcome to earth, kid."

The terrifying issue is what is being done, now, on a massive scale, by respectable people, in public, right out in front of everybody. The issue is not that there was a cancer deep in the innards of the Republic. That happens from time to time. The true measure of our corruption is how the establishment johnnies are reacting now that the corruption has been made known. Every large nation has always had people doing things in back rooms that were better left undone. The problem, the crisis, is that massive numbers of people, well placed and hell-bent on brazening it out, are trying to shrug the whole thing off.
      Read More...
Binoculars

Israel's power show on northern border aimed at Hezbollah leader Nasrallah

Ben Caspit
Al-Monitor
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 20:16 UTC
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
© REUTERS/Baz Ratner
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits a military outpost on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights, Feb. 4, 2015
On Feb. 6, Israel's Security Cabinet paid a visit to the country's northern border. The ministers, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, were photographed in fashionable windbreakers, baseball caps and binoculars looking out over the Syrian border from the Golan Heights. Photos from the tour that reached the press were shot in the Golan Heights, with the ministers looking northeast, or in other words, at the Syrian front.


Comment: Netanyahu pays rare visit to Golan Heights, issues warning against 'testing' Israel's resolve


According to official reports from the Syrian army, that same night, Israeli aircraft attacked a target on the outskirts of Damascus. That same area, where a Syrian research facility involved in the "Precision Project" for missiles is located, had already been bombed in the past. Indeed, this site is considered by Israel to be a direct strategic threat. The Syrian army's statements about the attack were unusually detailed. The official statement said that Israeli jets fired missiles from Lebanon's air space. The Syrians are trying to reshuffle the deck and get Israel to violate its "balance of fear" with Hezbollah. The Syrians charged Israel with having "complete responsibility for its repeated and uncalculated adventurism and shows of force."


Comment: Israel launches strike near Iranian base in West Damascus, Syrian army responds


The Syrian statement was intended, supposedly, to reveal what the Syrians believe are Israel's true intentions and to entangle Israel in a conflict with Hezbollah, with whom it has a "balance of fear." The irony is that Israel operated freely in Lebanon for decades while taking care not to violate Syrian sovereignty. Now the situation is reversed. According to the current rules of the game, the foreign press reports that the Israeli air force has been bombing targets in Syria on a weekly basis, while taking every precaution not to violate Lebanese sovereignty.
      Read More...
Quenelle

"No evidence" of Russian interference in Brexit referendum YouTube exec tells parliamentary committee (VIDEO)


RT
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 18:49 UTC
YouTube found no evidence of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum
YouTube found no evidence of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum, a British parliamentary committee inquiry into fake news has heard.

Britain's Digital, Media, Culture and Sport Committee is hearing evidence on Thursday at George Washington University as part of its inquiry. YouTube's Juniper Downs told MPs: "[YouTube] have conducted a thorough investigation around the Brexit referendum and found no evidence of interference.

"Again, we looked at all advertisements with any connection to Russia, and we found no evidence of our services being used to interfere in the Brexit referendum. We are happy to cooperate with any further efforts," she said.

Comment: The inquiry has failed to produce the answer the UK government wants - they're not interested in the truth - but they're persevering and it seems their delusions have been scuppered by reality yet again. The thing is, you can't find evidence for something that didn't happen - you can, however, make it up.

Also See:

      Read More...
SOTT Logo

Why Communists Can't Stand Jordan Peterson

Harrison Koehli
Sott.net
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 19:55 UTC
jordan peterson
The leftist magazine Jacobin has published a "review" of sorts of the work of Prof. Jordan B. Peterson, with reference to his new book 12 Rules for Life. Written by Harrison Fluss, the article is affectionately titled "Jordan Peterson's Bullshit". According to Fluss, Peterson's thought is "filled with pseudo-science, bad pop psychology, and deep irrationalism." The article is quite an entertaining read - if you enjoy pulling your hair out. If I were to lower my standards of civilized speech for a moment, I'd even call it bullshit. Let's take a look. Fluss begins by commenting on Peterson's recent interview with Cathy Newman. By the second sentence, we can already see how it will end.
With his recent book's success and with over 40 million views on YouTube, Jordan Peterson's star is on the rise. His conservative and alt-right fan base is heralding his interview with Channel 4 News' Cathy Newman as a victory against "PC Culture."
Apparently Fluss has access to the demographics of Dr. Peterson's fan base. I'd like to see those statistics for myself. Who knows, maybe I can count myself among the outliers, not being conservative or alt-right. But then again, maybe the shoe fits? "Alt-right" is no different to many other popular words these days that serve as catch-alls thrown about by lazy thinkers in order to smear anyone who might violate even the tiniest jot or tittle of the Law of PC Culture. (Note that Fluss puts PC Culture in quotation marks, as if to imply there's no such thing.)
      Read More...
Star of David

Netanyahu maintains innocence as Israeli police edge closer to indicting PM for corruption


RT
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 19:39 UTC
Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu
© Baz Ratner / Reuters
A protest sign reading "go home" calls for the resignation of Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu
As Israeli authorities prepare to indict Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges, the Prime Minister has addressed his supporters to reassure them of his innocence and his readiness to battle the charges in court.

Netanyahu has been under investigation for allegedly taking bribes from campaign contributors in exchange for political favors since August. The Prime Minister is also suspected of seeking to strike a deal with a major Israeli newspaper in exchange for favorable political coverage.

On Wednesday Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh met with other top brass Israeli police chiefs to discuss Netanyahu's cases as they near consensus to formally indict the Prime Minister. Investigators believe they've gathered enough evidence to prove Netanyahu is guilty of receiving bribes. However, before an official indictment recommendation is made to the State Attorney's Office, the police team will examine the remaining "holes" in the case, Israeli media report.

Comment: See also:

      Read More...
Dominoes

Turkey's Syria op will move to Idlib after mission completed in Afrin - Erdogan


RT
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 19:21 UTC
Turkish army tanks gather close to the Syrian border
© Bulent Kilic / AFP
Turkish army tanks gather close to the Syrian border on January 21, 2018 at Hassa, in Hatay province
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has promised to take Ankara's Syria operation to Idlib after completing the current mission in Afrin, where they are targeting Kurdish militants.

"We want our Syrian brothers and sisters to return to their land, and now we want to do the same in Idlib what we have done in Afrin," Erdogan said.

It's not the first time the Turkish leader has stated that the campaign against Kurdish militia in Syria could actually spread beyond Afrin.

Comment: See also: Russia-Turkey-Iran talks: Ankara finally openly voices its readiness to work with Assad

      Read More...
Bullseye

German lawmaker blasts anti-Russian sanctions as 'counterproductive,' urges Ukraine to accept will of Crimean people


RT
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 18:11 UTC
Alternative for Germany party
© Alexey Malgavko / Sputnik
Members of the Alternative for Germany party on a guided tour of Massandra Winery during their official visit to Crimea
A regional lawmaker from Germany has called Western sanctions against Russia "counterproductive," and said accepting the choice that the Crimean people made in 2014 could bring peace to Ukraine.

"I think that the sanctions introduced after Crimea held its referendum and was reunited with Russia are counterproductive. This is a way of escalation," said Helmut Seifen, a member of parliament in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, according to RIA Novosti.

"Some political forces must come to power in Ukraine that would accept the will of the Crimean people. This would bring peace between the nations and ordinary people could resume their travels from Ukraine to Crimea and back. All ties would be restored," added the German politician.
      Read More...
Chess

'Non-negotiable right to act in self-defense': US-led coalition conducts 'defensive' airstrikes against Syrian forces - UPDATE


RT
Thu, 08 Feb 2018 08:33 UTC
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet
© Ina Fassbender / Reuters
A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet
The US-led coalition has carried out several "defensive" airstrikes on Syrian forces in retaliation for what they called an "unprovoked" attack on the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and foreign military "advisers."

"In defense of Coalition and partner forces, the Coalition conducted strikes against attacking forces to repel the act of aggression against partners engaged in the Global Coalition's defeat-Daesh (Islamic State, IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) mission," the Central Command said in a press release.


The retaliatory attack was carried out after Syrian "pro-regime forces initiated an unprovoked attack against well-established Syrian Democratic Forces headquarters," the coalition claimed.

Comment: Some 'interesting developments' after Russian Su-25 was shot down in Idlib: Update: A strike by the US-led coalition on Syrian pro-government forces is an unprecedented act of aggression, Russian Senator Franz Klintsevich said.
"The actions of the US coalition do not comply with legal norms. Beyond all doubt, it is aggression," Klintsevich, the first deputy chairman of the Federation Council's Committee for Defense and Security, told Interfax on Thursday.

"The Americans have never acted so openly before in Syria - this is unprecedented."


      Read More...
Hourglass

Pelosi breaks record in longest House filibuster in demand for 'dreamer' protections

Lauretta Brown
Townhall
Wed, 07 Feb 2018 18:02 UTC
UPDATE: Pelosi has ended her speech at 8 hours and 7 minutes, making it the longest-continuous speech in House history. The previous record was held by Rep. Champ Clark (D-MO) back in 1909.


***Original Post***

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) launched her own sort of filibuster on the House floor Wednesday morning to insist on a vote in the House on protections for Dreamers.
      Read More...
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts