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Wed, 27 Oct 2021
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Trump's distractions - or is the empire in retreat?

Venezuela protestor
Things continue to spiral out of control in the U.S. as the myth of policing fails and anti-civilizational forces move into the power vacuum.

And while I'm still completely committed to the end of the U.S. empire and its imperial edicts, It's also not lost on me what's happening, who's making it happen and how they are taking advantage of this.

I warned you President Trump's near atavistic pursuit of U.S. 'enemies' in places like Syria, Iraq, Iran and Venezuela would turn the world against us. Look at the protests for George Floyd across Europe and tell me things haven't changed.

The empire is the problem. It's a lesson Justin Raimondo taught me at Antiwar.com twenty years ago. And it's only now that that idea has reached any kind of critical mass.

Are we going to dismantle the empire in an orderly fashion or a chaotic one? The animals on the streets have cast their vote. What's yours?

And while Trump has made a hash of foreign policy in so many ways, I also told you that he was smart enough to only play the crazy Ivan role up the to point of actually starting a shooting war.

Comment: This last point is an important one. Regardless of how much the rioting in the US is being organized, pushed along and fomented (though it appears that a lot of it is being given a "helping hand"), it will be used politically - in whatever way shape or form possible - to attempt to oust Trump.

See also:


Blackbox

Can China's Silk Road survive Coronavirus?

China supply chain
China's priority infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), faces enormous problems just seven years after it was proclaimed in 2013. Serious problems and charges of China luring poorer nations into what a leading Indian analyst termed a "debt trap diplomacy," began to appear already in 2018 when Malaysia and Pakistan, under new governments demanded a renegotiation of terms with Beijing. Now the global economic impact of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, with the simultaneous collapse of economies from China to the USA, to the EU and across the developing world, are creating staggering new challenges for the China prized project.

When Xi Jinping first announced the ambitious China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), then known as the Economic Silk Road in 2013, it was hailed as a much-needed boost to world infrastructure development which had the promise to lift hundreds of millions across Eurasia and beyond out of poverty. Many saw it as the effort to replicate the economic model that gave China the most extraordinary industrial growth of any nation in modern history.

Blue Planet

Trump says Russia will 'get things done' if back in the G7

Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump
© Sputnik / Mikhail Klimentyev
FILE PHOTO: Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump mmet at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 28, 2019.
US President Donald Trump has dubbed Russia rejoining G7 "common sense" - but the move was met with resistance by some US allies. Trump insists it is better to talk with Moscow, instead of talking about it.

"Many of the things that we talk about are about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," Trump told Fox News Radio. Having the Russian leader in the room during the G7 talks would "get things done," he added.

His statement came after the UK and Canada - two of America's closest allies, and fellow G7 members - voiced their opposition to the idea of having Russia onboard again. London, for example, demanded Moscow be barred from rejoining the group until it "ceases its aggressive and destabilizing activity."

Bad Guys

Senate opens probe on Trump-Russia investigation

Mueller investigation
Republican allies of President Donald Trump attacked the FBI's probe of his 2016 presidential campaign on Wednesday, but failed to get a key witness to agree that former U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation was unfounded.

At the opening hearing in a Republican-led Senate probe that Democrats called politically motivated, former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended his 2017 decision to appoint Mueller to investigate Russian election interference and numerous contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"I still believe it was the right decision under the circumstances," Rosenstein told the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"All the charges that were filed were legitimate," he said when asked about cases filed against a half-dozen campaign officials and Trump associates.

Attention

Governments And WHO Changed Covid-19 Policy Based on Suspect Data From Tiny US Company


Comment: The outfit that somehow got the ears of the WHO and every major world nation, appears to have been a dodgy front operation for something else, and was used to destroy the credibility of hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for covid-19. In short, it seems someone with a lot of influence really wanted to prevent the widespread acceptance of an effective treatment for Covid-19 (looking at you, Big Pharma).

Dr. Mandeep Mehra, the lead co-author of the dodgy study, is a director at Brigham & Women's Hospital, which is credited with providing funding. Dr. Mehra and The Lancet failed to disclose that Brigham Hospital has a partnership with Gilead and is currently conducting TWO trials testing the drug Remdesivir, the prime competitor of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19, the focus of the study.


surgisphere hoax hydroxychloroquine

A tiny US company, Surgisphere, is behind flawed data which led to governments and the world to dismiss an effective treatment for Coronavirus
Surgisphere, whose employees appear to include a sci-fi writer and adult content model, provided database behind Lancet and New England Journal of Medicine hydroxychloroquine studies

The World Health Organization and a number of national governments have changed their Covid-19 policies and treatments on the basis of flawed data from a little-known US healthcare analytics company, also calling into question the integrity of key studies published in some of the world's most prestigious medical journals.

A Guardian investigation can reveal the US-based company Surgisphere, whose handful of employees appear to include a science fiction writer and an adult-content model, has provided data for multiple studies on Covid-19 co-authored by its chief executive, but has so far failed to adequately explain its data or methodology.

Data it claims to have legitimately obtained from more than a thousand hospitals worldwide formed the basis of scientific articles that have led to changes in Covid-19 treatment policies in Latin American countries. It was also behind a decision by the WHO and research institutes around the world to halt trials of the controversial drug hydroxychloroquine. On Wednesday, the WHO announced those trials would now resume.

Footprints

AG Barr personally gave the order to clear WH area of protesters

Trump, Barr, group
© The Federalist
President Donald Trump, AG Bill Barr and others in front of the White House.
Attorney General William Barr reportedly made the call to clear protesters near the White House before President Trump spoke Monday.

The Washington Post reported that Barr gave the direct order for law enforcement to push protesters away from the streets around Lafayette Square before Trump addressed the demonstrations from the Rose Garden.

Smoke canisters exploded and rubber bullets were fired during the dispersion, during which Barr was spotted on camera overseeing the law enforcement operation from behind security near the White House. After the crowds were cleared, the Secret Service maintained a clear path so that Trump could walk from the White House to the historic St. John's Episcopal Church, where he was photographed holding up a Bible, a move that was criticized by the bishop and by some lawmakers.

According to two law enforcement officials, a decision to extend the perimeter around Lafayette Square by one block was made late Sunday evening or early on Monday with the goal of enforcing it Monday afternoon. When Barr saw that the protest-free area had not been extended, he then demanded it.

Comment: Relentlessly, media's false claims continued:
These actions were further proof that Orange Man Bad is literally the worst, restoring rule of law is criminal, and standing in front of a church holding a Bible is an assault on the American conscience. They focused on how the Park Police had cleared the area ahead of the city-wide curfew declared by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

United States Park Police acting Chief Gregory T. Monahan exploded the entire false narrative:
On Monday, June 1, the USPP worked with the United States Secret Service to have temporary fencing installed inside Lafayette Park. At approximately 6:33 pm, violent protestors on H Street NW began throwing projectiles including bricks, frozen water bottles and caustic liquids. The protestors also climbed onto a historic building at the north end of Lafayette Park that was destroyed by arson days prior. Intelligence had revealed calls for violence against the police, and officers found caches of glass bottles, baseball bats and metal poles hidden along the street.

To curtail the violence that was underway, the USPP, following established policy, issued three warnings over a loudspeaker to alert demonstrators on H Street to evacuate the area. Horse mounted patrol, Civil Disturbance Units and additional personnel were used to clear the area. As many of the protestors became more combative, continued to throw projectiles, and attempted to grab officers' weapons, officers then employed the use of smoke canisters and pepper balls. No tear gas was used by USPP officers or other assisting law enforcement partners to close the area at Lafayette Park. Subsequently, the fence was installed.
The false story spread internationally despite its lack of evidence. Here are just a few of the uncountable examples:

Reuters published a video it claimed showed U.S. Park Police using tear gas. The video did not show any such thing.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter tweeted out an NPR piece headlined "Park Police Tear Gas Peaceful Protesters To Clear Way For Trump Church Photo-Op."

PBS Yamiche Alcindor reported erroneously that she was "still processing that I saw peaceful protesters teargassed outside the White House so Pres Trump could walk to St. John's Episcopal Church."

The Washington Post ran an article falsely headlined, "Inside the push to tear-gas protesters ahead of a Trump photo op," authored by Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey, and Rebecca Tan. Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson claimed Tan "was tear-gassed in reporting this story." Gender and family issues reporter Samantha Schmidt retweeted that claim, adding, "There were five of us Post reporters — all young women — near Lafayette Square when federal officers started spraying gas and rubber bullets."

The New York Times falsely headlined its article, "Tear Gas Clears Path for Trump to Visit Church."

Garrett Haake claimed, "Tear gas was definitely used, and park police can't 🤷🏼‍♂️that." Asked what made him sure about his claim, he cited his "experience. the burning sensation it caused in my lungs, & my retired marine security."

MSNBC falsely reported, "Trump Visits Church After Police Clear Protesters With Tear Gas."

ABC News' George Stephanopoulos reported the doubly false "Police use tear gas, push back peaceful protesters for Trump church visit."

The Washington Post's dramatic Philip Rucker falsely claimed in a tweet that "Military police fire tear gas at peaceful protesters to clear street in front of St. John's."

Peter Baker of the New York Times falsely reported on the security threats and how they were removed, saying, "police and troops have moved against peaceful protesters with tear gas and flash bangs." Here the New York Times falsely claimed the protesters were peaceful and that tear gas was used against them:

Brett LoGiurato, the senior editor of Wharton Press peddled the tear gas lie and instructed his political allies to censor the news:

Maggie Haberman of the New York Times also peddled the lies about tear gas and peaceful protesters.


NPR hit a trifecta by falsely reporting about tear gas, falsely reporting about peaceful protesting, and as a bonus downplaying the arson against the church:

And Trump's take on the incident went unheeded:
"They didn't use tear gas," Trump claimed, contradicting multiple media reports which appears to show a massive police contingent evicting protesters and journalists alike from the president's route just moments before his "surprise" walk to the church. "Now, when I went, I didn't say 'Oh, move them out.' I didn't know who was there," he added, insisting that he merely wanted to visit the church after it "went through trauma."

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who accompanied the president, claims he did not even know they were heading for a photo op. "I thought I was going to do two things: to see some damage and to talk to the troops."

The church stunt drew anger from all sides, with critics accusing Trump of using the Bible as a political prop, and assaulting peaceful protesters so he could pose for photos.

The stunt even prompted disturbing comparisons online between Trump and Adolf Hitler, with people posting photos of the two holding a Bible in a similar fashion - only to find the picture of the Nazi leader was fake.


More than enough evidence and justification that MSM just copies each other to reinforce any message they choose, facts not necessary.

See also: CNN reporter lambasted online after finger-wagging at Trump and officials for no masks at church


Dominoes

NYC Mayor de Blasio's demarcation: Mass protests acceptable, religious observances are not

de Blasio
© Reuters
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D)
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio (D.) told a reporter for a Jewish newspaper that "400 years of American racism" justify his decision to permit mass protests but not prayer services.

"Four hundred years of American racism, I'm sorry, that is not the same question as the understandably aggrieved store owner or the devout religious person who wants to go back to services," de Blasio told Hamodia's Reuvain Borchardt.

Comment: In times of crisis some people take to the streets and some seek refuge for the soul. It is likely these two options need to be in balance - a fundamental disregard by de Blasio, whether consciously or not.


Mail

Ex-President Bush goes 'woke' with rant about 'systemic racism'

GwBush
© Tim Heitman/USA TODAY
Former US President George W. Bush
Former President George W Bush earned establishment praise by addressing the current turmoil with platitudes about institutional racism, oppression and empathy, but some weren't quite willing to absolve the invader of Iraq.

Saying he and his wife were "anguished" over the "suffocation" of African-American George Floyd in Minnesota last week, and the "injustice and fear that suffocate our country," Bush talked about "systemic racism" and "doctrine and habits of racial superiority."

"We can only see the reality of America's need by seeing it through the eyes of the threatened, oppressed, and disenfranchised," Bush wrote.

Comment: The USA is an experiment at best with gigantic flaws and waning execution of its principles. It has been made to drift off-course and in doing so, began a process that negates everything foundational to its existence. We blame government and a myriad of self-serving actors, but the initial responsibility was offered to and accepted by 'the people' as our inheritance and security. We the People have LET this happen. The blame is both on us and through us. Sadly it takes tragedy, destruction, and tyranny - up close and personal - to jog our memories and revive our resolve. We decide how much or how little.


Arrow Down

Unbelievable: The CDC has lost all credibility

CDC Atlanta
© Getty Images/Bloomberg
CDC Headquarters Atlanta, Georgia
Why hasn't the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lost all credibility? Any individual or institution that had been so often wrong would have lost public trust long ago. For instance, since people of every political persuasion have determined that media sources lack credibility, polls indicate that journalists are not regarded as particularly trustworthy.

A third of the country is showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression due to the severity of lockdown measures imposed by governors. More than 40 million workers are now unemployed. It is estimated that half of cancer patients and 80% of brain surgery patients have seen delays in crucial appointments. Schools remain closed, impeding education opportunities and hindering the return to work of parents.

Nobel laureate Michael Levitt noted that the lockdowns have caused damage:
"Social damage — domestic abuse, divorces, alcoholism — has been extreme. ... And then, you have those who were not treated for other conditions. The real virus was the panic virus. For reasons that were not clear to me, I think the leaders panicked and the people panicked."
While the federal government did not mandate policies to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the CDC, together with career bureaucrats Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx, influenced the direction of the policies of state and local jurisdictions. The results: draconian guidelines and hysterical warnings based on horrifically bad models and science.

Comment: See also:


Bad Guys

UK opposition to Russia's return proves that Trump is right on the G7/G8 being past sell-by date

trump
© Pool via Reuters / Markus Schreiber
President Donald Trump has called the make-up of the G7, a club of wealthy developed nations, 'very outdated' and, right on cue, up pop the UK and Canadian governments to prove him right.

If you point one finger at someone, you have three pointing back at yourself. The truth of that old adage was proved once again with the news that the UK (along with Canada) is strongly opposing any plans to allow Russia back into the G7.

A Downing Street spokesman said that, while it was up to Donald Trump whether he invited Vladimir Putin to the next summit, which is to be hosted by the US, "Russia should not be readmitted to the G7 unless it ceases the aggressive and destabilising activity that threatens the safety of UK citizens and its allies."

Where does one even begin when faced with such incredible hypocrisy? "Aggressive and destabilising activity"? That describes very accurately what the UK got up to in the Balkans in the late 1990s, and later in Iraq, Libya and Syria.