Puppet MastersS


Arrow Down

US-Russian relations could get a lot worse with Pompeo as Sec of State

Pompeo
© Leah Mills/ReutersNewly appointed US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo
Being more competent than Rex Tillerson, newly appointed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to be much better at executing Washington's anti-Russian policies, according to former diplomat Jim Jatras.

The firing of Tillerson, which was announced by Donald Trump on Tuesday, came as no surprise because "it was clear to everybody that he really never had control of the State Department and was really out of his depth," Jatras said.

CIA Director Pompeo has been handed the reigns due to the fact that Trump "seems to have built a very strong personal relationship" with him, the ex-diplomat explained.
"He just preferred to have him on the job as somebody whom he trusted more... Remember, he didn't even know Tillerson very well before he appointed him to the State Department, and it seems that now he wants somebody that he personally trusts there."
Pompeo's assignment is likely to lead to further deterioration of the already poor relations between Moscow and Washington, Jatras warned.

Comment: There has to be more to this switch out than we are being led to believe. CIA Pompeo has his deficits as well. More likely he has been tagged to watchdog Trump and keep him on the 'destroy Russia' agenda.


War Whore

Neocons' war for the cause - Attempt to regime change in Russia

Theresa May
The events of the past two weeks have been stunning. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled new 'doomsday' weapon systems at his State of the Union address, the West has gone completely bonkers.

In the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, ""I simply don't have any normal terms left to describe all this,"

With the U.K. expelling Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury last week, the push to isolate Russia and create conditions for a World War is here.

The questions are Who is behind this? And Why?

Windsock

Nancy Pelosi flip flops on Rex Tillerson being fired

Nancy Pelosi
The Democrats and entire liberal left are infected with a Russia hysteria that often leaves then contradicting their very own statements...and sometimes in record time.

Zerohedge has a quick reminder on Democrat's flip flop on all things Trump and Russia...

Having been thoroughly embarrassed by their brazen flip-floppery over former FBI Director James Comey:
Democrats were enamored with Comey over the summer of 2016 when when he famously recommended against pressing charges in the Clinton email investigation.

Then, they soured on Comey after he reopened the investigation a little over a week before the election, demanding he resign.

And then they vehemently defended the honorable FBI Director, shocked and horrified when Trump fired him.

Handcuffs

Venezuela's former intelligence chief arrested in connection with armed attacks on public institutions

Miguel Rodriguez Torres
© ReutersFormer Venezuela's Interior and Justice Minister and intelligence service head Miguel Rodriguez Torres talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas, Venezuela June 27, 2017.
"He has been captured and handed over to the justice system," read a statement from Venezuela's communications ministry.

Venezuelan security forces on Tuesday detained Miguel Rodriguez Torres, a former interior minister and intelligence chief who officials say was connected to armed attacks on public institutions last year.

The former official was apprehended as part of an operation to dismantle "aggressive and violent plans" against the government, according to a statement from Venezuela's communications ministry.

"He has been captured and handed over to the justice system," read the statement.

Chess

British government seeks urgent UN Security Council meeting over Salisbury spy attack

UN Security Council
© Mike Segar / ReutersUN Security Council
The British government is seeking an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council to update members about the attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal.

Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury on March 3. British authorities claim both were poisoned with a Soviet-engineered nerve agent called Novichok. Both remain in critical condition in hospital.


Comment: Further reading:


Stock Up

Venezula seeks to ditch US dollar in trade with India

Jorge Arreaza
© ReutersVenezuela's Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza addresses the media during a news conference in Caracas
Venezuela, which has similar arrangements with Turkey, China, and Russia, offered the proposal to India in the light of the recent U.S.-imposed sanctions.

During a recent visit to India, Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, said the South American country was interested in conducting transactions with the Indian government and business sector using India's national currency, the Indian Rupee (INR), instead of the U.S. Dollar.

"We don't want to use the dollar at all," Arreazasaid, according to the Times of India, an Indian daily. "We want to import technology, food products, and medicines by paying (Indian) rupees and they will pay us (Venezuela) not in (US) dollars but in Rupees."

Bad Guys

'Legitimate target': Turkish airstrikes kill 8 pro-Syrian gov't forces near Afrin - Government forces shell Turkish troops in response to airstrike - Update

The main entrance to Afrin
© AFP 2018/ George OURFALIANThe main entrance to the city of Afrin, along Syria's northern border with Turkey
After pro-Syrian government militia joined the battle in Afrin on behalf of the Kurds, Ankara slammed the move, saying that the fighters had become Turkey's "legitimate target." Damascus has dubbed the Turkish campaign as "aggression," however, refrained from sending armed forces to the area.

Three Turkish air strikes hit Syrian government forces checkpoint on road to Afrin, killing eight fighters and wounding six, according to a source. Damascus have yet to confirm the information.

On February 22, the Syrian pro-government forces entered Afrin to support the Kurds being attacked by the Turkish army and the FSA, as part of Ankara's Olive Branch Operation launched on January 20. The residents of the city greeted the pro-Damascus forces.

Comment: Turkish warplanes have unexpectedly struck a government-controlled Shiite-majority town and military checkpoint area in the northern countryside of Aleppo province amid an intensified air campaign over northwest Syria.
According to a statement released by local pro-government activists, Turkish aircraft bombed the town of Nubl an unspecified number of times. Early reports say that at least three civilians were killed in the strikes.
Update: A local government militia reportedly shelled Turkish forces in the town of Marea in northern Syria today, in retaliation to an airstrike on a checkpoint, which killed eight of their combatants near Afrin.
Another six militiamen were injured in the airstrike by a Turkish warplane. It's unclear if the subsequent artillery fire resulted in the death of any Turkish servicemen or Turkey-backed militants.
A pro-Syrian government militia has attempted to revenge comrades killed in a Turkish airstrike against their positions in the northwest Syrian region of Afrin.
The Turkish airstrike hit the Iranian-organized National Defense Forces (NDF) who are made up of local Syrians and usually act as a defensive force rather than offensive, as reported earlier by FRN. A total of eight NDF fighters were martyred in the attack.

The NDF in response has just fired dozens of rockets and mortars at Olive Branch forces.



Eye 1

'Godmother of torture should be in dock at The Hague, not directing CIA', says whistleblower

Gina Haspel
© CIA / ReutersGina Haspel, a veteran CIA clandestine officer picked by U.S. President Donald Trump to head the Central Intelligence Agency.
Donald Trump won't get alternative viewpoints by surrounding himself with 'yes men' and 'yes women,' and that is the mark of a failing presidency, former CIA analyst and whistleblower John Kiriakou told RT.

Trump fired US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, making him the first to fall in Washington after the president promised a shake-up last week, saying he was seeking perfection in his administration.

The newly appointed US Secretary of State is Mike Pompeo, former director of the CIA, although Rex Tillerson will remain in office until the end of this month and will then effectively step away from politics. Gina Haspel was nominated to succeed Mike Pompeo as CIA director.

Rocket

Trump announces plan for 'space force,' recognizes space as a 'war-fighting domain'

X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle
© NASA Handout / ReutersAn artist's rendering of the X-37 Orbital Test Vehicle
US President Donald Trump has floated the creation of a Space Force, a new military branch to utilize outer space as a "war domain," just like land, air or sea. Apart from that, he promised the Americans will soon reach Mars.

Speaking to a crowd of Marines at Miramar Air Station in San Diego, California, Trump said his administration may consider establishing what he termed the "Space Force." The new arm of the US military would operate just like the Army or Air Force, only in outer space.

"My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a war-fighting domain, just like the land, air and sea. We may even have a Space Force. We have the Air Force. We will have a Space Force," Trump said, as quoted by AP.

Noting that many service members, including sailors, airmen and marines, had become astronauts in the past, Trump said the military "will be vital to ensuring America continues to lead the way into the stars."

Bad Guys

UK to wage 'economic war' with Russia and expel Russian diplomats over Skripal poisoning

UK flag Big Ben
© AP Photo/ Matt Dunham
A British government minister has revealed the kinds of measures London plans to take in connection with the poisoning of Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal. Prime Minister Theresa may plans to announce measures against Moscow on Wednesday afternoon, despite protests from Moscow that it has received no proof of Russian involvement in the Skripal case.

An anonymous minister has confirmed that London's response to the ex-spy's poisoning will be economic. "What happens will be an economic war, these will be economic measures," the source said, speaking to The Independent. Bragging about the size of the British economy compared to Russia's, the minister promised that the government would "do our bit to make [Russia's economy] smaller if they want to carry on like this."

"The message has to be economic, political and diplomatic," the minister stressed, noting that European countries must "behave within the rule of law and not like gangsters."


Comment: Behaving within the rule of law? Say, doesn't that mean relying on things like evidence rather than propagandist fantasies?