Puppet Masters

US troops leave Afghanistan's Bagram airbase after nearly 20 years

Emma Graham-Harrison, Julian Borger
The Guardian
Fri, 02 Jul 2021 07:43 UTC

US troops have left Bagram, the sprawling airbase north of Kabul that was the symbolic and operational heart of the American military operation in Afghanistan.

With that hub handed over to Afghan security forces, it sets the scene for the final departure of American forces from the country only months before the 20th anniversary of the start of US operations to topple the Taliban, launched in response to the 9/11 attacks.

The US departure was marred by disorganisation. There was a gap between the American troops leaving and their Afghan replacements arriving, allowing looters to ransack parts of the base. "Unfortunately the Americans left without any coordination with Bagram district officials or the governor's office," the district administrator, Darwaish Raufi, told the Associated Press.

The Pentagon said the outgoing US force commander, General Austin Miller, would be formally handing over his responsibilities to US Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie "effective later this month".

Comment: Prolonging the troop removal for 20 years gave the US access to uncommon resources and a strategic ME location. Though US troops are leaving, America's foot remains wedged in the door.

The war led to more than 2,300 US troop deaths and more than 20,000 others wounded. That is among the estimated tens of thousands of other war-related deaths and casualties, including around 1,000 troops deaths among other NATO forces.

A 2020 report from the Department of Defense estimated war-fighting costs had topped $815 billion. The Costs of War project at Brown University estimates the US has spent a total of over $2.2 trillion on the conflict.

Cyberhack dispute: Russian diplomats say Moscow not behind attacks on US targets, but itself constantly bombarded by Americans

Jonny Tickle
RT
Sat, 03 Jul 2021 10:12 UTC

One day after the US accused Moscow of being behind cyberattacks on both government bodies and private business, the Russian Embassy in Washington has pointed the finger at the Americans, accusing them of hacking Russian targets.

Writing on Facebook, the diplomatic mission rejected accusations that Russian state structures are involved in targeting trans-Atlantic IT infrastructure. The embassy, turning the focus back on the US, said:

"We strictly deny the involvement of Russian government agencies in attacks 'on government and private facilities in the United States and abroad.' Besides, it's high time to put things in order on the American soil, from where constant attacks on critical infrastructure in Russia emerge."

On Thursday, multiple American intelligence agencies, along with Britain's National Cyber Security Center, released a joint document alleging that Russia had carried out hundreds of attempted cyberattacks worldwide against government and private targets, from early 2019 to early 2021.

Comment: Finger pointing and outright denials are always met with absolute skepticism and counterattack. "We know you know we know."

'Flood' of Iraqi migrants from Belarus prompts Lithuania to declare emergency, appeal to EU

RT
Fri, 02 Jul 2021 15:41 UTC

iraqi migrants from belarus to lithuania

© pasienis.lt/VSAT
Lithuania declares emergency, appeals to EU over ‘flood’ of Iraqi migrants from Belarus
Migrants caught by the Lithuanian border service VSAT crossing from Belarus, July 2, 2021

After catching 150 migrants illegally crossing the border from Belarus, Lithuania has declared an emergency and appealed to the EU for assistance. Vilnius and Brussels say Minsk is weaponizing migration in reprisal for sanctions.

Lithuania has requested help from Frontex, the EU border service, after catching 150 people who tried to sneak across the border from Belarus in just the past 24 hours. Most of them were Iraqi nationals, who immediately claimed asylum.

Visiting Vilnius on Friday, European Commission chair Ursula von der Leyen said a "politically motivated pattern" was on display, and that the EC and the EU in general "really stand by your side in this difficult time." Lithuania has been an EU and NATO member since 2004.

Comment: While it's hard to say why Lithuania is receiving the majority of migrants, it's not hard to see the NATO/Atlantic Council hand in the pressure Belarus is under. Perhaps Lukashenko is taking preventative measures against another round of color revolution nonsense?

Tone deaf: White House mocked for pun-filled tweet claiming cheaper July 4 cookout

Samuel Chamberlain
New York Post
Thu, 01 Jul 2021 15:58 UTC

The White House social media team set off some fireworks it didn't want Thursday when it attempted to counter inflation fears by claiming Americans will enjoy cheaper Independence Day parties this year.

"Planning a cookout this year?" the groan-worthy tweet began. "Ketchup on the news. According to the Farm Bureau, the cost of a 4th of July BBQ is down from last year. It's a fact you must-hear(d). Hot dog, the Biden economic plan is working. And that's something we can all relish."

The tweet was accompanied by a GIF laying out the price change for select food items. Among them: the cost of two pounds of ground beef is down 8 percent on last year, the price of a pound of sliced cheese and a 13-ounce bag of potato chips are both down 1 percent, and the cost of a half-gallon of vanilla ice cream is down 5 percent from 2020.

NATO-Ukraine Sea Breeze exercise could ultimately help create the circumstances for real conflict with Russia in the Black Sea

Scott Ritter
RT
Wed, 30 Jun 2021 19:51 UTC

NATO and Ukraine have carried out joint naval exercises for 24 years, but the current drill comes at a time when NATO expansion and Russian pushback looks like it might escalate.

The question is: do some elements within the military alliance want it?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is upholding a 24-year tradition by engaging in a joint naval exercise with Ukraine. The exercise, known as Sea Breeze 21, runs from June 28 through July and will be conducted exclusively in the Black Sea region. It consists of various amphibious warfare, land maneuver warfare, diving operations, maritime interdiction operations, air defense, special operations integration, anti-submarine warfare, and search and rescue operations.

Comment: See also:

Facebook goes full Big Brother

Off-Guardian
Fri, 02 Jul 2021 20:41 UTC

Pop-ups mark an all-time high for creepiness from the internet giant.

Have you been reading things you shouldn't online? Have you found yourself feeling frustrated and angry at the corruption of the ruling class, wealth inequality or the general state of the world?

Well then, the chances are good you've accidentally been exposed to "misinformation" or "extremist content" spread by "violent groups" in order to manipulate you.

But don't worry, Facebook is on the case. Simply report the offensive and upsetting materials to your local content controller, and then contact their pre-approved counsellors for immediate de-programming.

If it's not you that's been exposed to harmful content, but a loved one, and they're proving resistant to the proper un-extreming methods, then Facebook is here to help there, too.

UK police violated "fundamental rights" to protest during lockdown - MPs

BBC
Fri, 02 Jul 2021 19:26 UTC

Police breached "fundamental rights" at a vigil for Sarah Everard and "Kill the Bill" protests earlier this year, an inquiry by MPs has found.

Police breached "fundamental rights" at a vigil for Sarah Everard and "Kill the Bill" protests earlier this year, an inquiry by MPs has found.

It says there were "multiple failings" in how both events were handled, despite an official report clearing the Met of heavy-handedness.

New legislation going through Parliament has triggered a debate about the extent of police powers.

Ministers say it will enable officers to better manage demonstrations.

Comment: It's highly unlikely that any significant changes will be implemented and, instead, protests (that actually challenge the establishments position) will continue to be suppressed and shut down, because the police can simply claim they have been granted 'emergency powers' by parliament. This kind of draconian policing has already been in effect for well over a year now and there's every reason to think it will only get worse:

Brazil's Bolsonaro says he won't hand over presidency if there is vote fraud

Reuters
Fri, 02 Jul 2021 11:44 UTC

© REUTERS/Adriano Machado
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro gets in a vehicle after attending Mass at a Catholic church in Brasilia, Brazil July 1, 2021.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he would hand over power to whoever wins next year's presidential election cleanly - but not if there is any fraud.

His comments will do little to dispel the concerns of his critics, who fear that the far-right former army captain will not accept any election loss in next year's vote. Bolsonaro is almost certain to face his political nemesis, former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Polls show Lula ahead.

"I'll hand over the presidential sash to whoever wins the election cleanly," Bolsonaro said in a weekly address via social media. "Not with fraud."

Comment: The same Bolsonaro who, not long ago, was exposing, at least in part, the manufactured coronavirus crisis is now thinking of extending the state of emergency? Is that because there's some benefit in him doing so? Either way, it's clear that corrupt forces have a significant influence in Brazil:

Also check out SOTT radio's: Newsreal #33: Strange Days in DC - Military Checkpoints as US Capital Awaits 'Virtual Inauguration'

Viktor Orbán hits back at European leaders over controversial LGBT law

Euronews
Fri, 02 Jul 2021 20:00 UTC

© Olivier Matthys/Associated Press
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban leaving an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels last week.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused European leaders of acting like "colonialists" in their criticism of a controversial law on homosexuality.

EU leaders challenged Orbán at a summit in Brussels last week over the law, which is seen as limiting the rights of LGBT people in that Hungary.

The new bill prohibits the "display or promotion" of homosexuality or gender reassignment in television programmes, films, and sexual education programs in schools.

Comment: So it's actually a law against pedophilia.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte suggested that the Hungarian leader should either uphold EU values or leave the 27-member bloc.

Comment: The tyranny of the majority. Comply or get out.

But speaking on public radio on Friday, Orbán defied calls to repeal the law and hit back at his fellow European Council members.

"They behave like colonialists. They want to dictate what laws should take effect in another country, they want to tell us how to live our lives and how to behave," he said.

Comment: This is basically the same law the Russian government passed almost 10 years ago.

Yes, it has taken that long for another country in the 'western orbit' to risk the ire of the gender-bender agenda by doing what is obviously the right thing to do.

'Not a healthy environment': Kamala Harris' office rife with dissent

Christopher Cadelago, Daniel Lippman
Politico
Wed, 30 Jun 2021 05:05 UTC

When Vice President Kamala Harris finally made the decision to visit the Mexico border last week, people inside her own office were blindsided by the news.

For days, aides and outside allies had been calling and texting with each other about the political fallout that a potential trip would entail. But when it became known that she was going to El Paso, it left many scrambling, including officials who were responsible for making travel arrangements and others outside the VP's office charged with crafting the messaging across the administration.

The handling of the border visit was the latest chaotic moment for a staff that's quickly become mired in them. Harris' team is experiencing low morale, porous lines of communication and diminished trust among aides and senior officials. Much of the frustration internally is directed at Tina Flournoy, Harris' chief of staff, a veteran of Democratic politics who began working for her earlier this year.

In interviews, 22 current and former vice presidential aides, administration officials and associates of Harris and Biden described a tense and at times dour office atmosphere. Aides and allies said Flournoy, in an apparent effort to protect Harris, has instead created an insular environment where ideas are ignored or met with harsh dismissals and decisions are dragged out. Often, they said, she refuses to take responsibility for delicate issues and blames staffers for the negative results that ensue.

Comment: No qualifiers nor personnel replacements will neutralize what is intrinsically the dysfunction, disjointedness and disrespect directly emanating from VP Kamala Harris.

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Puppet Masters

US troops leave Afghanistan's Bagram airbase after nearly 20 years

Cyberhack dispute: Russian diplomats say Moscow not behind attacks on US targets, but itself constantly bombarded by Americans

'Flood' of Iraqi migrants from Belarus prompts Lithuania to declare emergency, appeal to EU

Tone deaf: White House mocked for pun-filled tweet claiming cheaper July 4 cookout

NATO-Ukraine Sea Breeze exercise could ultimately help create the circumstances for real conflict with Russia in the Black Sea

Facebook goes full Big Brother

UK police violated "fundamental rights" to protest during lockdown - MPs

Brazil's Bolsonaro says he won't hand over presidency if there is vote fraud

Viktor Orbán hits back at European leaders over controversial LGBT law

'Not a healthy environment': Kamala Harris' office rife with dissent

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