Puppet Masters

Lieberman's resignation not a "victory" for Gaza but a warning that the worst is to come

Whitney Webb
MintPress News
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 18:10 UTC

© Ariel Schalit / Associated Press
Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman delivers a statement at the Knesset, Israel's Parliament in Jerusalem, Nov. 14, 2018.

In the wake of Lieberman's resignation the high probability of a Naftali Bennett-led Defense Ministry would unleash a new, even more brutal wave of extrajudicial murders of unarmed Palestinians, one that would deliberately target children.

A wave of instability now threatens Israel's government following the sudden resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday. Lieberman announced that he was resigning in protest of a recently brokered ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since winning elections in 2007. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will serve as interim Defense Minister until an official replacement is appointed. Netanyahu also currently serves as Israel's Foreign Minister and Health Minister.

Comment: Naftali Bennett as Defense Minister is a frightening possibility.

La Grande Armée 2018? Macron Taunts Trump on Armistice Day Amid Eurotalk of Empire-building

Robert Bridge
RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 15:41 UTC

French President Macron rebuked the concept of 'nationalism' during Armistice Day celebrations marking the end of WWI. At the same time, his government was pondering the merits of empire and building an all-European army.

Donald Trump's trip to France got off to a bumpy start, and the world is still experiencing the turbulence today. Ahead of Trump's arrival in Paris for the celebrations, Macron dropped a bombshell, speaking out on behalf of an all-European military force, which would be totally free of US patronage.

"We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America," he told French radio.

Although Trump and Macron made nice for the cameras in Paris, the US leader referred to Macron's remarks as "very insulting."

Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron 11/10/18

© Reuters / Christophe Petit Tesson
Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron at Elysee presidential palace, Paris, France, November 10, 2018 Reuters / Christophe Petit Tesson

Comment: The current leadership in all western EU countries (save Italy, perhaps) doesn't have the cojones to walk the walk:

Europe bows to Trump: Not a single member-state takes up EU offer to form alternative payment channel for bypassing Iran sanctions

'What's wrong with that?' Duterte skipped meetings at key Singapore summit for 'power naps'

RT
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 17:49 UTC

Philippines President Duterte raised a few eyebrows when he gave "power naps" as an excuse for missing key meetings at a Singapore summit. The president, however, said that he simply doesn't get the hype surrounding it.

President Rodrigo Duterte was among the world leaders and top officials taking part in the South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Singapore this week.

But the Philippines leader, who is renowned internationally for his bizarre and equally controversial comments, failed to turn up to four out of 11 appointments on Wednesday.

"He took power naps to catch (up) on sleep," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said, adding that "some quarters are making a big fuss of the President skipping a few meetings."

Trump warns Antifa had better hope the 'other side' doesn't mobilize: They are 'tougher, smarter & angrier'

Saagar Enjeti and Benny Johnson
The Daily Caller
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 17:16 UTC

© Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Anti-fascist counter-protesters wait outside Emancipation Park to hurl insluts as white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the “alt-right” are forced out after the “Unite the Right” rally was declared an unlawful gathering August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

President Donald Trump warned violent leftists and Antifa members that an opposition to them may "mobilize," and it would mean "big trouble" for the leftist group.

"They better hope that the opposition to Antifa decides not to mobilize," the president told The Daily Caller in an exclusive Oval Office interview Wednesday.

"These people, like the Antifa - they better hope that the opposition to Antifa decides not to mobilize. Because if they do, they're much tougher. Much stronger. Potentially much more violent. And Antifa's going to be in big trouble. But so far they haven't done that and that's a good thing," he continued.

Russia sidelines Netanyahu in its anteroom

M.K. Bhadrakumar
Indian Punchline
Sun, 11 Nov 2018 00:00 UTC

It is over a month since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had announced that he was going to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin with a view to open a new page in the relations between the two countries following the incident over Syrian skies on September 17 when a Russian reconnaissance plane was shot down killing 15 personnel.

However, Moscow has not scheduled Netanyahu's visit so far. Netanyahu hoped that on the sidelines of the ceremony marking the centenary of the World War 1 armistice in Paris to tomorrow there might be an opportunity for a meeting with Putin. The Israelis sought a meeting. But Moscow apparently hasn't confirmed Putin's convenience.

Clearly, Moscow is keeping Netanyahu in the anteroom to cool his heels, signaling that it cannot be 'business as usual'. In a hard-hitting interview with Times of Israel, the Russian ambassador to Israel Anatoly Viktorov made it clear in the weekend that the September 17 incident rankled. He said Russian defence establishment is "extremely disappointed" with the Israeli military's response to the incident.

Ambassador Viktorov also rubbed it in that the Israeli demand for the removal of all Iranian troops on Syrian soil is both "unrealistic" and unnecessary since Iran has no plans to attack Israel and it is Israelis, after all, who are killing Iranians and not vice versa!

Comment: Russia watches and waits. Honor or dishonor exhibited by its 'friends' determines Moscow's reactions.

Macron: Being America's ally doesn't mean becoming its vassal state

RT
Wed, 14 Nov 2018 19:33 UTC

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he wasn't offended by a slew of angry tweets directed at him earlier this week by Donald Trump, saying that he understood the US president was just playing to a domestic audience.

Macron, who was speaking to reporters on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, said that respect was due between the US and France, two long-time allies, recalling that France was at America's side during its fight for independence - something which many on Twitter also tried to remind Trump after he mocked French losses during both world wars.

"At every moment of our history, we were allies, so between allies, respect is due," Macron said. Asked about Trump's tweets, the French president said: "I think he's playing politics, and I let him play politics."

Macron also said that being an American ally does not mean being a "vassal" state.

"The United States are our historic ally and will continue to be. It's the ally with which we take all the risks, with which we carry out the most complicated operations. But being an ally doesn't mean being a vassal state," he said.

Comment: Macron and Trump: a battle of conceits. Is France a vassal state, given its most domineering factor is Macron?
See also:
Post-bromance spat: Trump taunts Macron for country's losses to Germany in both World Wars, low approval ratings and wine policy

What's the damage? About to top $6T, the war on terror's price tag tally has only begun

RT
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 05:08 UTC

With the longest war in US history now dragging into its 17th year, Americans are looking at a massive bill. Total costs of the War on Terror now approach $6 trillion, according to a new report - to say nothing of the human costs.

To arrive at this mind-boggling sum, Brown University's Cost of War report included not only Defense Department spending in Iraq and Afghanistan, which at $1.9 trillion is already nothing to sneeze at, but associated expenses from the State and Homeland Security Departments, an increase in the Department of Defense budget, and - perhaps the most significant hidden cost of the war - long-term healthcare costs for veterans. All told, the "check" comes to $5.9 trillion.

And will that be cash, or credit? The US has been financing these wars through deficit spending and borrowing, meaning there are hefty interest payments to be made. A 2011 calculation that capped total war appropriations at a fraction of their current level yielded a cumulative interest figure of $7.9 trillion. Given that the Trump administration has shown no sign of winding down the fighting - indeed, his cabinet has expanded its saber-rattling beyond Iran and Venezuela into outer space - there is no telling how long we will continue to borrow against the inevitable to fund our war habit.

Comment: Cost of War: If you feed it, it grows.

Google sparks privacy concerns after absorbing subsidiary with access to NHS patient data

RT
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 16:59 UTC

A nurse hands out methadone to addicts in Lisbon.

Google will integrate a UK-based health company into its main organization, igniting concerns that the tech giant will misuse NHS patient data that the health company had been given access to.

DeepMind, a company that develops artificial intelligence (AI), was purchased by Google in 2014 and will merge its health division with Google Health, a new venture focused on consolidating the tech giant's health-related projects.

The partnership aims to turn DeepMind's 'Streams' app into a fully-fledged "AI-powered assistant for nurses and doctors."

The news has caught the eye of privacy advocates and even government watchdogs.

After a string of failures, the West's goal is still to stoke sectarian war in Middle East

Elijah J. Magnier
ejmagnier.com
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 16:36 UTC

All wars initiated or supported by the US establishment - from the occupation of Iraq in 2003, the second Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006, the regime-change in Syria in 2011 and the occupation of a third of Iraq in 2014 - have failed in their goal of stoking the fire of sectarian war between Sunni and Shia in the Middle East. The failure of this strategy has pushed the US establishment towards two new options: the first, of using media to reveal Saudi Arabia's intention to harm the Iranian economy and assassinate its military commanders. The second is to promote and advertise for an "Arab (Sunni) NATO Army". The goal is to keep the possibility of sectarian war alive.

The struggle for dominance between Saudi Arabia and Iran has been going on since the fall of the Shah and the victory of the Islamic Republic in 1979. Nevertheless, today's level of direct confrontation in various parts of the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Bahrein and Yemen) is unprecedented. This is partly the result of US efforts to throw gasoline on the fire of hate and competition between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

It is against the interests of the US establishment to see the Iran-Saudi struggle wane because that would damage the US economy. Trump said clearly that he needs Arab money in exchange for the protection he is offering, otherwise "the Arab regimes won't last for one week". Accordingly, a state of non-war or non-competition between Tehran and Riyadh would significantly reduce the billions of dollars in US arms sales to Saudi.

Sec. of State Pompeo lashes out at Newsweek Magazine, claiming it 'spread lies' about US sanctions on food imported into Iran

Sputnik
Thu, 15 Nov 2018 16:43 UTC

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Monday that Newsweek had helped Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif spread "lies" about possible US sanctions on food imported into Iran.

In a tweet, Pompeo called the magazine "#FakeNewsweek," saying that the US "does not, and never did, sanction food and medicine," nor monetary transactions related to humanitarian needs.

Pompeo's comments came after Newsweek published an article last week with a headline suggesting Pompeo said Iranians would not eat if they did not follow the US' will. The story quoted an interview Pompeo gave to BBC Persian, in which he said that the Iranian leadership should make decisions that would address their people's needs.

The " I love my job, but not as much as my freedom " is much too tame. It should read " I love my job, but not as much as my life "

codis

.. .. W ho's the mayor of Bots-Biden, NJ? [Link]

Jibrish

Estimated impact energy 1200 megatons give or take a lot. The apparent impact point -20.758, -69.008 (not really a crater) is roughly 6km across....

StonedMentat

When is Space Weather Scary? & Top Science Updates | S0 News Nov.5.2021 [Link]

parzival

'Pfizer Shares Surge After Release Of 'Miracle' COVID Pill That Is 89% Effective At Preventing Hospitalization' [Link] * 'Take four red capsules....

parzival

Puppet Masters

Lieberman's resignation not a "victory" for Gaza but a warning that the worst is to come

La Grande Armée 2018? Macron Taunts Trump on Armistice Day Amid Eurotalk of Empire-building

'What's wrong with that?' Duterte skipped meetings at key Singapore summit for 'power naps'

Trump warns Antifa had better hope the 'other side' doesn't mobilize: They are 'tougher, smarter & angrier'

Russia sidelines Netanyahu in its anteroom

Macron: Being America's ally doesn't mean becoming its vassal state

What's the damage? About to top $6T, the war on terror's price tag tally has only begun

Google sparks privacy concerns after absorbing subsidiary with access to NHS patient data

After a string of failures, the West's goal is still to stoke sectarian war in Middle East

Sec. of State Pompeo lashes out at Newsweek Magazine, claiming it 'spread lies' about US sanctions on food imported into Iran

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