Puppet Masters

Are the EU and US ready for TTIP?

Lisbeth Kirk
EUobserver
Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:13 UTC

European business broadly backs the The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), because the EU-US pact is expected to boost economic growth.

But Europe's engineering industry has lit an amber light, saying that the two markets are very unlike each other and that a lot of effort is needed to be able to achieve a good trade deal.

American firms would get direct access to a single European market, which has the same rules and standards in all 28 countries. But the US market is not as unified or easy to sell into.

"Israel's lawyer" Dennis Ross tells American Jews, 'We need to be advocates for Israel' — and not for Palestinians

Philip Weiss
Mondoweiss
Fri, 17 Jun 2016 13:45 UTC

Pro-Israel lawyer Dennis Ross

Longtime peace processor Dennis Ross has denied the charge that he was "Israel's lawyer" in the White House, but the other night at Central Synagogue in New York he dropped all pretense to fairness. In what was billed by the rabbi as an "off the record intimate conversation with a thousand of your friends," Ross identified himself as a Zionist and attacked the trend inside the Jewish community to stand up for Palestinians.

"Plenty of others have been advocates for the Palestinians. We don't need to be advocates for Palestinians. We need to be advocates for Israel," he said to an outburst of applause from more than 500 people gathered in the historic landmark temple.

And lest anyone think he was an honest broker in the peace process, Ross also said, "In Arabic, the word for yes is na'am and the word for no is la. And when it comes to peace proposals, the Palestinians have used the word la only."

Comment: Still think our "elected" government is running things?

The Saker: A fascinating look into the delusional mind of a Ukraine nazi

The Saker
Fri, 17 Jun 2016 12:51 UTC

Note by the Saker: when "AB" send me a link with the subject heading "Outright Nazis" I was expecting some Ukronazi skinhead photos, or maybe a report about a Ukie death-squad. Instead, I got an absolutely fascinating insight into not only the kind of delusional insanity which takes place in the minds of these Ukronazis, but also a look into the kind of propaganda which (US financed) Radio Liberty targets at its Ukrainian audience.

I urge everybody to carefully read every word of this amazing piece of candid insanity as it is crucial to understand the kind of people the Empire put in power in Kiev and the kind of people Europe will now have to deal with.

The Saker

——-

Expecting World War III: How the world will change

by Dmytro Sinchenko

The Axis of Evil is the term first used by former U.S. President George Bush in his annual address to the U.S. Congress on January 29, 2002, which he frequently repeated throughout his entire presidency when describing the governments of the countries that were accused of sponsoring terrorism.

Back then they included Iraq, Iran and North Korea. During John Bolton's time, this list also expanded to include Cuba, Libya and Syria. Condoleezza Rice's list included such "strongholds of tyranny" as Belarus, Zimbabwe and Myanmar. Today this list should be confidently headed by Russia.

Immediately after the September 11 terrorist attack, the world started talking about World War III as a war between the civilized world and terrorism. It seems it has started today. And the Ukrainian front, despite being the biggest and most noticeable, is not the only one.

Putin: US is probably the only superpower, but we do not need their interference

Fort Russ
Sat, 18 Jun 2016 12:13 UTC

Russian President Vladimir Putin believes that at the moment the US is the only superpower, but it does not mean that Washington can interfere in internal Russian affairs.

"America is a great power. Today, probably the only superpower. We accept this. We want, and are prepared, to work with the United States, but we do not need them to be constantly interfering in our affairs, pointing out how we should live, and preventing Europe from building relationships with us," Putin said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Putin noted that the current anti-Russian sanctions and the Russian counter-sanctions, in fact, do not affect the United States, but affect only Europe.

"We hold no grudges": Highlights from Putin's SPIEF talk show he is still the preeminent diplomat in the world

RT
Sat, 18 Jun 2016 12:16 UTC

It definitely wasn't casual Friday for President Putin, who spoke for hours at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on the hottest topics on the global agenda, including Russia's relations with the EU and Washington.

When asked about his opinion of the candidates for US president, Putin explained his attitude towards "probably the only superpower," as the president called it. "America is a great state... We accept it, and we want to and are ready to work with the United States," he said, adding that no matter who is elected as America's next leader, Russia will work with him or her. Yet, the Russian President hinted that Donald Trump's foreign agenda might be more preferable to Moscow, "Mr. Trump has stated that he is ready to restore full format Russia-US relations... We all welcome it."

While saying that such a powerful state could be of benefit to the world, including Russia, Putin noted that the problem with the US is its tendency to interfere in the affairs of other countries.

"We need [the US]. But we don't need them constantly interfering in our affairs, telling us how to live, and hindering Europe in building relations with us," he said.

German FM blasts NATO military drills in Eastern Europe as 'saber-rattling and warmongering'

RT
Sat, 18 Jun 2016 12:10 UTC

Sharply criticizing NATO war games in Eastern Europe, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told Bild am Sonntag newspaper that inflaming the standoff with Russia would endanger European security and increase risk of reviving an "old confrontation."

The ongoing large-scale Anakonda-16 NATO military maneuvers in Poland, simulating the repulsion of "Russian aggression" against the country, are counterproductive, Deutsche Welle cited German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier as telling Bild am Sonntag newspaper, in an interview to be published Sunday.

"Whoever believes that a symbolic tank parade on the alliance's eastern border will bring security is mistaken," Steinmeier said ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw beginning July 8. "We are well-advised to not create pretexts to renew an old confrontation," he emphasized.

Comment: Courtesy of Fort Russ:

"It's the new NATO business model: get more done with less expense" (Above, the words; below, the deeds)

"No arms exports, no war! No war, no refugees! No refugees, no new employees" - "Securing Germany's future"

Erdogan: "Wait until he's finished."

Russia will give an 'effective' answer to any NATO military build up

Sputnik
Sat, 18 Jun 2016 12:08 UTC

Deputy Secretary of Russia's Security Council said that Moscow will give a symmetrical and effective answer to any NATO build up along the Alliance's eastern borders.

Moscow will give a symmetrical and effective answer to any NATO's build up along the Alliance's eastern borders, Deputy Secretary of Russia's Security Council Yevgeny Lukyanov said Saturday.

"The answer always to any suggestions [of NATO] will be mostly symmetrical. That's why, there is nothing to worry too much about. The response is adequate, effective and cheap," Lukyanov told RIA Novosti on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Comment: Further reading: What if Vladimir Putin knows a 'third way' for society?

Putin calls for closer integration between Russia and Asian countries

RT
Fri, 17 Jun 2016 12:11 UTC

© Artyom Korotayev / TASS
Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi at the 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, June 17, 2016

Russia and Asian countries should create a vast economic space, said President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

"With our partners we believe the Eurasian Economic Union may be one of the centers of a broader integration [with Asia]," said Putin on Friday.

The EEU is a trade bloc established in 2015 on the basis of the Customs Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. It currently has five members: Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, while Tajikistan is a prospective member.

"We are suggesting the creation of a larger Eurasian partnership involving the Eurasian Economic Union and countries with which we have already had a close relationship: China, India, Pakistan, Iran," he added.

New snooping tech the masses will welcome into their homes

Andrew Griffin
The Independent
Wed, 01 Jun 2016 11:40 UTC

A year from now, Google, Amazon and Apple might be listening in on your living room. And you'll be glad of it.

All three of those companies are working on or have announced voice assistants that sit in people's houses and talk to them. The boxes - which function as speakers, and look like them too - are meant do everything from asking questions to operating various parts of peoples' houses.

They represent the future of technology, at least according to some people. And there is reason to be scared, maybe.

Many people are already terrified about the idea that any company is listening to them, through their phone. But it already happens, regularly - Google and Facebook both listen in on their users, for instance, using the sound to help find information but also to better target advertising.

Comment: The Sinclair Lewis quote, "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross," comes to mind.

The Orwellian dystopian image of vans driving up and down your street with listening devices is certainly a possibility people will just accept under the guise of "It's for your safety", but why go to such measures when the dumbed-down masses will welcome such invasion of privacy right onto the living room table they eat their microwaved dinner off while watching Big Brother...

Oh, the irony.

Russian athletes banned from Olympics over doping claims after IAAF refuses to overturn suspension

Samuel Stevens
The Independent
Fri, 17 Jun 2016 18:19 UTC

In November, Russia was suspended from all track and field following an independent Wada report

A ban preventing Russian track and field athletes from participating in the Rio Olympics is to be upheld after accusations of state-sponsored doping, athletics' world governing body has announced.

In November, Russia was suspended from all track and field events following an independent report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) which revealed a culture of cheating and even included the accusation that secret services were involved.

A fresh Wada report on Wednesday made yet more damaging claims that Russian athletes have continued to fail anti-doping tests and stated that drug officers were faced with a lack of compliance when attempting to carry out their duties.

Comment: Hybrid warfare in action. Indeed, there will be many countries whose athletes are using 'performance-enhancing drugs', but it just so happens to be Russia that is the primary target. And even in cases where it is not (that's to say; some Russian athletes are banned among athletes from many other countries), Western media coverage gives the impression that Russian athletes are particularly bad, not least because their cheating is 'state-sponsored'.

As with the biased media coverage of the football hooliganism at Euro '16, the Euro-American war against Russia will use any and every strategy to hurt Russia in any way it can.

Winternights3 There's probs a good connection! Just think about it.

sbc

Moving the goalposts. and people are too shit stupid to notice or care

sbc

Hang em... All the jab pushers. At this point they are trying very hard to continue blatant bullshit lies in a bid for total societal control

sbc

It was interesting when the brothers (their family owns the dealerships/service center that were vandalized - something of like 130+ cars burned...

Scoot Over

I ain't going to watch any more than I didn't watch the OJ trial, which ended exactly as I predicted. The thing is that the state should have...

Rowan Cocoan

Puppet Masters

Are the EU and US ready for TTIP?

"Israel's lawyer" Dennis Ross tells American Jews, 'We need to be advocates for Israel' — and not for Palestinians

The Saker: A fascinating look into the delusional mind of a Ukraine nazi

Putin: US is probably the only superpower, but we do not need their interference

"We hold no grudges": Highlights from Putin's SPIEF talk show he is still the preeminent diplomat in the world

German FM blasts NATO military drills in Eastern Europe as 'saber-rattling and warmongering'

Russia will give an 'effective' answer to any NATO military build up

Putin calls for closer integration between Russia and Asian countries

New snooping tech the masses will welcome into their homes

Russian athletes banned from Olympics over doping claims after IAAF refuses to overturn suspension

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