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James Comey, a menace to society

Patricia McCarthy
American Thinker
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 00:00 UTC
FBComey
© DonkeyHotey/KJN
Is there a person on earth more oleaginous than James Comey? The man known for his phonogenic and photogenic memory suddenly can hardly remember anything at all. In short, he lied, over and over again while being questioned by members of Congress recently. Given his memory deficits, he was most assuredly too incompetent and unaware to be head of the FBI . Yeah, right. He has a good memory and he's a practiced but bad liar. He thinks he is a cover-up artist.

If there is any justice left in America, he will be charged with a panoply of crimes. He obviously should have been fired long ago, certainly on the first day of the Trump administration. Like his pal Robert Mueller, Comey has long pretended to be non-partisan when in fact he is a vicious and supremely arrogant anti-Trump zealot. In the talk he gave at the 92nd Street Y a week ago, he bragged about flaunting the process and took advantage of the "chaos" of an administration four days old.

In collusion with John Brennan, James Clapper, Andrew McCabe, the Clinton campaign and the Obama administration, Comey orchestrated the agreed-upon plan to take Trump down and out before the election with their fake "dossier" and then, once Trump won, to see that he would not be inaugurated or would be removed from office posthaste.
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No Entry

Russia passes a law to thwart foreign meddling in its elections


RT
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 12:41 UTC
Russian ballotbox
© Sputnik/Vitaly Ankov
An election official seals ballot boxes before start of a poll in Russia.
The Russian parliament has passed a law which says foreign organizations meddling in any kind of election in Russia may be declared 'undesirable' and ousted from the country. Election observers are exempt.

The law, passed on Tuesday, will make a small amendment to the legislation which regulates how a non-governmental organization (NGO) may be barred from operating in Russia.

The current rules say Russia may oust an NGO, which is considered a threat to Russia's "constitutional order, defense or security". The new piece of legislation, once signed into law, would clarify that such a threat may be posed by meddling in elections in Russia.

The meddling is defined as promoting or obstructing candidates or issues for a referendum or affecting the outcome of a ballot, but does not include the activities of registered international observers monitoring the campaign.

Comment: This sort of legislation should be made standard in all countries.

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Stock Up

China to mark 40th anniversary of economic miracle, reforms pulled 700M out of poverty


RT
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 13:17 UTC
China 40 yrs
© Reuters
Installation, marking the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up, lights up during the Guangzhou International Light Festival in Guangdong.
China has pledged more economic reforms to push growth higher and help offset any impact from the US trade conflict. It comes as the world's second-largest economy marks the 40th anniversary of "reform and opening up" this week.

Statistics show that more than 700 million Chinese people have shaken off poverty since Beijing started its program of economic reforms four decades ago. The figure accounts for over 70 percent of global poverty reduction during that period.

The first wave of reform, which lasted from 1978 to 1989, was characterized by agricultural reform and revival of the private sector. The second wave of reform (from 1992 to 2012) resulted in the legalization of the market economy, China's accession to the WTO, and a booming private sector.

Comment: But will it continue? Recent estimates are doubtful.
See also: A financial 'winter is coming': Subservience to bankers, failure to reform will lead to another crash

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Star of David

Lebanon registers violations: Israel invades its domestic airspace on a regular basis


Sputnik
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 23:21 UTC
Israelijets
© Unknown
Lebanon registers breaches of its airspace by Israel almost on an everyday basis, Lebanese Ambassador to Moscow Chawki Bou Nassar told Sputnik Monday, calling on the global community to put an end to aggression against Beirut.
"Israel almost daily invades Lebanese airspace and territorial waters and sometimes violates the border of Lebanon. Almost every day they violate Lebanese airspace, which constitutes a breach of an international law. Therefore, we have called on the international community and countries that have an influence on Israel to take a clear stand opposing any aggression against Lebanon."
However, the situation on the border with Israel remains calm despite the ongoing Israeli operation dubbed Northern Shield, the ambassador noted. "The situation on the ground is stable, calm, there are no military clashes," Bou Nassar added.

In late November, the Israeli army launched the Northern Shield operation in order to expose and neutralize cross-border attack tunnels that Hezbollah dug from Lebanon into Israel.

After the launch of the operation, the Lebanese army and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) increased the number of patrols along the Blue Line in order to prevent incidents that could lead to increased tensions in the border area.

Comment: See also:

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Black Cat

Christopher Steele told court that Trump-Russia dossier was created so Clinton could challenge 2016 election results


RT
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 19:11 UTC
bill hillary clinton
© Jewel Samad/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Hillary Clinton concedes 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump
The British ex-spy who authored the infamous dossier alleging collusion between Donald Trump and the Kremlin said one of his goals was to give Hillary Clinton legal basis to challenge the 2016 election results.

Christopher Steele's salacious 17-page report was commissioned by Fusion GPS, a firm connected to Clinton's campaign.

"Based on that advice, parties such as the Democratic National Committee and HFACC Inc. (also known as 'Hillary for America') could consider steps they would be legally entitled to take to challenge the validity of the outcome of that election," Steele wrote in recently unsealed declaration that was published by the Washington Times.

Comment: May Mr. Gubarev prevail in court.

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Gear

Japan approves major defense spending plan: $242 billion over next five years


France 24
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 18:12 UTC
helicopter carriers
© JIJI PRESS/AFP/File
Japan's new five-year defence plan calls for the military to upgrade two existing "helicopter carriers" so that they will also be able to launch fighter jets Japan's new five-year defence plan calls for the military to upgrade two existing "helicopter carriers" so that they will also be able to launch fighter jets
Japan on Tuesday approved plans to convert two ships into aircraft carriers -- the nation's first since World War II -- as it tries to counter growing Chinese military power in the region.

The new five-year defence plan calls for the military to upgrade two existing "helicopter carriers" so that they will also be able to launch fighter jets, and is the latest in a series of steps under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to boost Japan's military.

Abe's government argues the efforts are necessary given growing defence challenges in the region, including tensions with North Korea.

Japan says the secretive expansion of China's military footprint creates "strong concerns" in the region.

Comment: How long before Germany cops on and follows suit? Maybe once Merkel is shooed into a retirement home...

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Pirates

Goldman Sachs faces criminal charges for helping billions vanish from Malaysian state fund


RT
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 17:34 UTC
goldman sachs
© Reuters / Lucas Jackson /File
A Goldman Sachs sign at the New York Stock Exchange
Malaysia filed criminal charges against Goldman Sachs and two ex-bankers over the multi-billion dollar looting of state fund, 1MDB. The US bank denies the accusation, claiming it was deceived by the previous Malaysian government.

The subsidiaries of the Wall Street banking giant and its former key employees, ex-chairman of Goldman's South East Asia, Tim Leissner, and ex-managing director, Roger Ng, are accused of giving false statements when helping to arrange bonds for 1MDB, Malaysia's Attorney General Tommy Thomas announced on Monday.

Malaysia says the accused wanted to misappropriate $2.7 billion from $6.5 billion in bonds, issued by 1MDB and underwritten by Goldman Sachs, in three separate offerings between 2012 and 2013.

Comment: Reuters adds:
Malaysia on Monday filed the charges in Kuala Lumpur against three Goldman Sachs units in connection with the bank's role as underwriter and arranger of three bond sales that raised $6.5 billion for 1MDB.

The charges were the first criminal action against the bank over its involvement in the scandal, which the U.S. Justice Department has estimated involved the misappropriation of $4.5 billion by high-level 1MDB fund officials and their associates between 2009 and 2014.

Malaysian authorities charged the Goldman units as well as former Goldman partner Tim Leissner, 1MDB employee Jasmine Loo and Jho Low, the Malaysian financier believed to be at the heart of the scandal, as part of their investigation into suspected corruption and money laundering at 1MDB, founded by former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak.

The alleged crimes carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of at least 1 million ringgit ($240,000), according to the charge sheets, seen by Reuters.

The charges name Goldman Sachs (Asia) LLC, a key U.S.-registered unit of the bank, as well as London-based Goldman Sachs International and Goldman Sachs (Singapore) PTE. The bank's Kuala Lumpur-based unit has not been charged.

The charges claim Goldman omitted key facts on the fund's management - including the role of Low, who is described as the "operator and key intermediary for 1MDB".

The charges also claim Goldman made untrue statements about the planned use of proceeds from a $3 billion bond sold in 2013.


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Stormtrooper

Out of control: US Special Ops command launches unprecedented investigation into troops' drug-smuggling, child abuse and murder

Carlo Muñoz
The Washington Times
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 17:30 UTC
special ops
They are among America's most elite military fighters, but a string of recent high-profile scandals and abuse allegations - including drug-smuggling, detainee abuse and murder - has put the U.S. special operations forces under unprecedented scrutiny, prompting a commandwide soul-searching.

Top officers at the Pentagon and the Florida-based U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) have issued a series of commandwide mandates to review and reinforce ethical and conduct standards, according to internal communications and memorandums obtained by The Washington Times.

The missives issued by Gen. Raymond A. "Tony" Thomas, head of Special Operations Command, and Owen West, head of the Pentagon's Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict directorate, are initiating an intensive three-month review starting Jan. 1 to reinforce "core values and their role in [special operations forces] culture," they state.

"The first step in any treatment program is admitting you have a problem. ... That is not lost on the senior leadership," a Special Operations Command official said in a recent interview.

Comment: Of course they end up committing violent crimes; they (and American society) are infused with the belief that they're exceptional, untouchable, and 'free' to do whatever the heck they want.

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Russian Flag

Russian military police: An effective peacekeeping force in Syria


Sputnik
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 17:16 UTC
Russian military police syria
© Agence France-Presse / George Ourfalian
Members of the Russian Military police stand guard in the northern city of Manbij as Syrians who fled the city of Aleppo due to the fighting prepare to return to their hometown, on April 5, 2017
The Russian military police have established themselves as an effective structure in Syria and earned a good reputation among civilians for their peacekeeping efforts, the chief of the main directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry's military police, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Ivanovsky, said on Tuesday.

"According to the assessments of the leadership of the armed forces, local population, observers, the military police, first of all, have established themselves as a successful structure in conditions of these special objectives of humanitarian mission and peacekeeping operations," Ivanovsky told reporters at the Hmeimim air base after decorating those Russian military police officers who have completed their mission in Syria and are leaving for the home country.

Comment: The military police have shouldered much of the domestic security burden in Syria, freeing up the regular forces to aid the Syrian army.

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Eye 2

UN approves Ukraine's resolution to scapegoat Russia for their Azov sea violation, despite majority abstaining


RT
Tue, 18 Dec 2018 02:31 UTC
UN assembly
© Globa Look Press / Wang Ying / Xinhua
The UN General Assembly has voted for a Ukraine-sponsored draft denouncing "militarization" of the Azov and Black Seas. About half of member-states abstained and Moscow said it's like giving Kiev a blank check to scapegoat Russia.

Sixty-six countries voted in favor of the resolution and 19 against, while 72 countries abstained.

The resolution, brought forward by Ukraine, serves to accuse Russia of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity by deploying military forces to Crimea. The document also accuses Moscow of restricting the freedom of navigation in the Azov Sea and condemns what Kiev sees as a similar ramped-up militarization in the Black Sea.


Comment: Crimea democratically voted to reunite with Russia, so Russia is merely deploying military within its own borders.


Before the vote, Syria and Iran proposed amendments to the resolution for more balance, which would have included a mention of the Minsk Agreements and Kiev's responsibility to abide by them. The agreements stipulate that both Kiev and the forces of the self-proclaimed breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine must observe a ceasefire, as well as withdraw troops and military hardware. Kiev also must ensure local elections take place in accordance with the law.

Comment: See also:

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