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EU's foreign policy chief Mogherini urges Ankara to refrain from military operation in Syria


Sputnik
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 06:02 UTC
Mogherini
© AFP/Thierry Charlier
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Saturday commented on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's plans to conduct a military operation in the east of Syria, urging Ankara to refrain from any unilateral actions in the area.

On Friday, Erdogan said that Ankara was ready to launch an operation in the Syrian Manbij against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) if the United States does not withdraw them from the area. Erdogan discussed the situation in Syria with Trump on the same day.
"We expect the Turkish authorities, therefore, to refrain from any unilateral action likely to undermine the efforts of the Counter-Daesh Coalition or to risk further instability in Syria. As the fight against Daesh is entering its final stages, all parties must work towards the goal of ensuring its upcoming defeat, which remains an indispensable objective for any durable solution to the Syrian crisis," Mogherini said.

Comment: Eliminating the YPG has been a primary goal for Turkey all along. It has kept Erdogan in the war and tucked under Putin's wing, waiting for precisely this opportunity.

See also: Erdogan: 'Cleanse them'; remove Kurdish militias or Turkey will send troops

More from Sputnik:
US intelligence and diplomatic officials have urged the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SMDK) not to support the planned Turkish military operation against the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) east of the Euphrates River.

Turkey's Anadolu news agency cited a number US officials as saying in a message that any participation by SMDK or FSA in the operation is "an attack on the United States and the Coalition Forces", which may lead to "direct confrontation" with them.

"That will fully destroy" the relations between the US, SMDK and FSA, Washington warned.

The US officials also recalled the interaction of the US military with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), insisting that the group "cannot be attacked without aggression and confrontation with Coalition Forces and US forces and advisers."

"When elephants dance, you must stay away from the dance floor," they noted.

The remarks came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip and his US counterpart Donald Trump discussed Ankara's future military operation in eastern Syria over the phone.

Erdogan shared with Trump his concerns over the YPG's growing military presence, supported by the United States, as the two leaders agreed to coordinate military actions on the Turkish-Syrian border. Earlier, the Turkish President signaled Ankara's readiness to launch an operation against the YPG "in a few days" if the United States does not withdraw them from the area.


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Briefcase

The Flynn filing suggests Mueller team hid exculpatory evidence

Brian Cates
The Epoch Times
Fri, 14 Dec 2018 00:00 UTC
Michael Flynn
© azerbaycan24.com
Michael Flynn
On Tuesday, Dec. 11, the legal team representing General Michael Flynn, Trump's former NSA adviser who was convicted by the Mueller Special Counsel of a single count of perjury, made a legal filing in the court of federal judge Emmet Sullivan.

That legal filing was very revealing, but to understand why it is such a bombshell requires briefly going over the timeline of events in this most unusual case.
  1. On Dec. 1, 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty before Judge Rudolph Contreras.
  2. On Dec. 7, 2017, Judge Contreras was suddenly removed from the case without any public explanation.
  3. That same day it was announced Judge Emmet Sullivan would be replacing Judge Contreras.
  4. On Feb. 21, 2018, Judge Sullivan filed what is known as a "Brady Ruling" instructing the prosecution team to hand over any exculpatory evidence to Flynn and his legal team that had been withheld from them up to that point.
  5. The Mueller team then spent the next 11 months asking for Flynn's sentencing to be delayed, pushing the date back three times, until finally a firm date of Dec. 18, 2018, was set.
  6. Having a firm date set at last allowed both sides involved in the case to file the required pre-sentencing memorandums.
(Note: A Brady disclosure filing is made when a judge wants to make absolutely sure before proceeding to sentencing that a defendant who pleaded guilty received all the favorable evidence from the prosecutors. For prosecutors to withhold exculpatory evidence from a defendant who pleaded guilty is one of the most serious legal and ethical violations that an officer of the court can commit.)

Comment: We are all still guessing what goes on in Mueller Country. See also:

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Arrow Down

Saudi Arabia lambasts US Senate for announcing MBS as 'responsible' for Khashoggi murder


RT
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 22:45 UTC
MBSalman
© AFP
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
Riyadh has denounced the US Senate resolution that blamed the Saudi Crown Prince for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, as baseless allegations and a blatant attack on the Kingdom's sovereignty and internal affairs.
"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia rejects the position expressed recently by the US Senate, which was based upon unsubstantiated claims and allegations, and contained blatant interferences in the Kingdom's internal affairs, undermining the Kingdom's regional and international role," its Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The ministry emphasized that "surprising" actions and statements by American officials had diminished the "stature" of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who'd worked for decades on building economic and security ties between the countries.

The Kingdom has previously asserted that the murder of Saudi citizen Jamal Khashoggi is a deplorable crime that does not reflect the Kingdom's policy nor its institutions.

But even though the US Senate had sent a "wrong message" that had damaged bilateral relations, Riyadh is nevertheless willing to maintain ties with the US, with the ministry reminding Washington that the Gulf state acts as a "cornerstone" of peace and security at both regional and international levels.

On Thursday, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution saying it "believes Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is responsible for the murder" of the Washington Post columnist, effectively undermining the Trump administration's effort to play down and contain the fallout from the high-profile assassination.

Comment: A decision - brought to you by the same folks that blame humans for fake global warming and Russia for the election of Donald Trump - not yet proven.

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Rocket

Netanyahu brags Israel can reach any target in ME with offensive missiles


i24News
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 09:51 UTC
Neti/rocket
© Kobi Gideon (GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Israel Aerospace Industries on December 17, 2018.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Israel has the capabilities to reach any target in the Middle East with offensive missiles. Netanyahu visited Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on Monday where the Chairman of the board Harel Locker, as well as President and CEO of IAI Nimrod Sheffer presented the Prime Minister with ways to strengthen Israel's national security. Netanyahu said:
"There is an accumulation of very talented minds and people here who are developing the cutting edge of the defense of the State of Israel, from micro-satellites that we will launch into space to missiles, only part of which you see here behind me. Space is a huge sphere that the State of Israel is entering.

"They are developing offensive missiles here that can reach anywhere in the area and any target. This is the offensive power of the State of Israel which is very important for us in all sectors. They are developing weapons systems here with special capabilities that no other country has."
IAI Chairman Harel Locker spoke enthusiastically about the company's abilities, saying:
"You have seen and heard here a little of our abilities. This is the realization of the Jewish genius to its fullest. IAI knows how to reach anywhere for the benefit of the people of Israel. Decide and we will go anywhere we like. The sky is the limit."

Comment: Netanyahu's brag is also a threat - one Israel will make good on.
See also:

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Magnify

WADA experts begin inspection of Moscow anti-doping lab


RT
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 12:47 UTC
2 athlete bottles
© REUTERS/Christinne Muschi
An athlete's A and B-samples
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) representatives have started checking Moscow laboratory data, access to which was granted by the Russian authorities as part of a deal reached between the two sides.

The five-person WADA delegation, headed by independent expert Jose Antonio Pascual, is planning to conduct a three-day inspection in order to check the database and doping samples which have been stored in the laboratory since 2011.

By providing access to the Moscow lab, Russian officials fulfilled a final requirement stipulated by the world anti-doping watchdog which reinstated the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in September ending a three-year doping saga which undermined Russia's credibility on the international stage.

Access to the laboratory was a key factor in RUSADA's restoration, with WADA emphasizing it would suspend the body again if the commitment was violated. WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said in a statement on Friday:
"Gaining full access to the laboratory and the data contained within it was the reason behind the 20 September decision (to reinstate RUSADA) and it is satisfying that we are another step closer to realizing that. The raw data is the missing piece of the puzzle that will complement the duplicate LIMS (Laboratory Information Management System) database that is already in WADA's possession and help conclude WADA's McLaren and Operation LIMS investigations."

Comment: See also:

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Airplane

What sanctions? France wants in on jetliner project with Russia and China


RT
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 15:01 UTC
Jetliner model
© Reuters/Wu Jin
French firms are planning to take part in a Russian-Chinese project to build a wide-body long-haul passenger airplane, according to Bertrand de Lacombe, Director of International Cooperation at French Civil Aviation Authority.

"France is interested in participating in the project together with Russia and China," Lacombe told journalists on the sidelines of the Russian-French Council for Economic, Financial, Industrial and Trade Issues (CEFIC).

According to the official, French producers are ready to bid for a tender that is currently being set by Russian and Chinese manufacturers. Lacombe didn't specify precisely what kind of contribution to development and production French enterprises are ready to make. However, he stressed that they can provide a wide range of opportunities, including producing engines and other principal parts.

"We already expressed our interest towards the project at China's Zhuhai Air Show in November," Lacombу said. "They [Russian and Chinese partners] let us know that they are also interested in participation of French companies in this project."

Parties will cooperate in the project on a competitive basis if French suppliers meet economic and technical demands and are ready to work under sanctions, according to Ravil Khakimov, the head of the department of aviation sector at Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Comment: The art of the deal goes beyond sanctions' borders.

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Brick Wall

Prof: UN Migration Compact is threat to sovereignty of free member countries


Sputnik
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 17:05 UTC
UN Migration Conference
© AFP 2018 / FADEL SENNA
A picture taken on December 9, 2018, shows the site of the UN Migration Conference in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh.
The UN Global Migration Compact will legalise illegal immigration and regularise rapid, unsustainable, mass migration. Sputnik spoke about this issue with Dr Waheed Uddin - a professor, consultant, former UN expert, author of books on infrastructure, and contributor to books on climate.

Sputnik: How could the UN migration pact resolve the migration crisis?

Dr Waheed Uddin: The migration of people due to non-political and non-ethnic/religious reasons is entirely an issue for the law makers and judicial process within the jurisdiction of each independent country. The UN migration pact is infringing on the governmental authority of each country according to the country's own constitution and policies.

The pact is not going to solve the overwhelming issue of unwanted migration on mass scale that is caused by poverty and ethnic suppression. These must be addressed by the government of each country itself and UN should provide expert help to provide guidance based best practices.
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Black Cat

Gowdy calls Comey an 'amnesiac with incredible hubris,' as hearing resumes on Hill

Greg Wilson
Fox News
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 16:43 UTC
James Comey

Former FBI Director James Comey
Former FBI Director James Comey is back on the Hill for an encore, after a controversial appearance more than a week ago in which he told lawmakers seeking answers over the FBI's handling of the Trump-Russia collusion probe some version of "I don't know" at least 245 times.

Comey is set to testify behind closed doors again Monday morning, before members of the House oversight and judiciary committees.

The prior Dec. 7 session left lame-duck Republican lawmakers fuming as Comey repeatedly said "I don't remember," "I don't know" and "I don't recall" when grilled about investigations Republicans believed were aimed at hurting President Trump. The questioning covered the FBI's probe of Hillary Clinton's email server and how a counter-intelligence investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election morphed into an all-encompassing probe of Trump's inner circle, including the obtaining of FISA warrants used to spy on American citizens.

Comment:

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Propaganda

Media have been reporting a false Yemen death toll for years - too 'lazy' to update it, says NGO


RT
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 16:48 UTC
yemen aid
© Reuters / Abduljabbar Zeyad
The body count from the conflict in Yemen surpassed 60,000 last week, according to an independent tally, yet mass media continue to cite old figures that heavily underestimate the devastation, an informed researcher has told RT.

More than 60,000 people have been killed in Yemen since January 2016, according to a new report by Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), which estimated that nearly half of those deaths occurred this year.

"From what we can see from the reporting at least, there has been quite a general lazy attitude in using, for instance, the 10,000 figure provided by the UN, the sole official figure since 2016. And still many newspapers and media outlets are using that, which significantly downplays the devastation," said Andrea Carboni, one of the researchers behind the report, who feels the crisis in Yemen has gone largely under-reported.

The death toll is likely to increase further, amid an ongoing battle for Yemen's port city of Hodeidah, despite a UN-brokered ceasefire. It was agreed between the Saudi-backed government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Houthi rebel group last Thursday, but the truce was pushed back at least until Tuesday, as warring parties refuse to honor it. According to reports, the Arab coalition launched new airstrikes on the port city on Sunday, while clashes continue to plague the region.


Comment: This is what Moon of Alabama wrote about the subject, back in October:
More reports about the true casualty numbers of the war on Yemen emerge. A year ago Moon of Alabama criticized the often quoted "10,000 dead" that the media continue to repeat as the official casualty count of the war:
Up to July 2017 the U.S.-Saudi coalition had flown more than 90,000 air-sorties over Yemen. Most of those will have involved weapon releases. Are we to believe that only 10,000 civilians have been killed by all these bombs and the additional artillery, sharpshooters and suicide attacks? That would be inconsistent even with western reports of the known mass incidents during the war. 100,000 dead civilians caused by the war so far is a more likely number than the never changing 10,000.
Since then the numbers increased due to continued fighting but even more due to the raging famine.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a group formerly associated with the University of Sussex, estimates that since March 2015, when the Saudis launched the war, 70,000 to 80,000 were killed due to combat. That estimate is conservative based on documented death as a result of fighting. The Save the Children NGO estimated in late 2017 that 50,000 children died that year for lack of food and from a ravaging Cholera epidemic.

The famine only increased since then. By the end of this year another 50,000 children will have died. The total number of dead caused by the war and blockade since March 2015 has thus likely exceeded the 200,000 mark.
We wonder how much the Saudis had to pay their 'influencers' in the Western media to repeat the 10,000 figure ad nauseam...

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Document

Joe Hoft: Flynn didn't lie to FBI - must have been coerced into guilty plea

Joe Hoft
Gateway Pundit
Sun, 16 Dec 2018 16:31 UTC
Michael Flynn
© azerbaycan24.com
Michael Flynn
There is really almost no way that General Flynn lied to the FBI when being interrogated four days into the Trump Administration. There must be some reason for his guilty plea, but lying to the FBI is almost certainly not what he did.

General Mike Flynn was berated by the media in January 2017 for alleged illegal activities with Russians. The far-left media was in a frenzy about an article released by the Washington Post on January 12th based on classified information that was stolen and leaked to the press.

Later that January, only a few days after the Trump Administration moved into the White House, General Mike Flynn, the decorated war hero, was set up and interrogated in the White House.

As TGP previously reported in February 2018, according to Mike Cernovich, fired and corrupt former FBI Head Andrew McCabe altered far left FBI investigator Peter Strzok's 302 notes on his interview with General Flynn. And then McCabe destroyed the evidence.

In early May of 2018, Senator Grassley demanded the FBI and DOJ produce the transcript of Flynn's intercepted calls with Russian Ambassador Kislyak and the 302's by May 25th. The DOJ and FBI ignored him. They either refused to provide them or they were altered and deleted as previously noted.

Comment: The above is all speculation. But the fact remains that the Flynn set-up stinks to high heaven. The 'interview' (in which the FBI made sure Flynn did not have a lawyer present - compare that to Hillary Clinton's FBI interviews!) took place on January 24, 2017. The 302 write-up submitted in the case was not written until July 19, 2017, six months later.
FBI rules require that a 302 report be prepared within five days of an interview. Instead, Fox News reports that the 302 submitted to Judge Sullivan was dated July 19, 2017 and "specifically came from an interview with Strzok in which the Flynn encounter was discussed - and not the original Flynn interview." Worse still, this report was heavily redacted. One and a half pages were completely redacted.
Given the FBI's refusal to provide the actual write-up, we can hardly be blamed for suspecting a cover-up of some sort. If Mueller et al. are telling the truth, what do they have to hide?

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