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Fri, 05 Nov 2021
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Here we go again: EU claims Russia is a threat to Europe's 'free and fair parliamentary elections'

Putin EU
The Council of the European Union described Russia as a "threat to the EU's free and fair parliamentary elections" to be held in May, citing the country's alleged "disinformation strategies".

"The sources and phenomena of disinformation can be identified inside and outside the Union and come from a range of state and non-state actors. In this regard, efforts must target evil actors, including Russian sources," said the Council European Union of the document which presented the official conclusions of the bloc on the subject.

The Council accused Russian sources of increasingly using disinformation strategies and suggested that any action against them should be guided by analyzes of threats and intelligence assessments.

Comment: And once again: Where is the evidence for such allegations?!? Answer: There is none. Which only goes to show that Russia's government has become the West's favorite whipping boy and scapegoat for when things "go wrong" according to the elite neo-liberal political class who want to maintain and/or increase their grip on power.


Evil Rays

"Not an atomic bomb": Huawei founder thanks Trump for helping to 'promote' 5G technology

Ren Zhengfei
© Reuters / Bobby Yip
The founder of Chinese tech giant Huawei has thanked the Trump administration for helping him to "promote" 5G technology in advance of an expected ban on the company operating in the US over concerns about "national security."

During an interview on CBS This Morning, Ren Zhengfei said, with a hint of sarcasm, that US officials who have been sounding warnings about 5G were "great figures" because it was helping to spread the word about the technology.

Zhengfei said that until now, 5G was not widely known about. "But now, these great figures are all talking about 5G... and we're becoming more influential and getting more contracts," he said.

"Please tell them - I'm actually thanking them for promoting us," he told host Bianna Golodrgya.

Comment: He has a point; if the US establishment wants to shut you down, chances are you've got something worthwhile, and that applies to China's mobile phones as it does to Russia's S-400s. Although what Mr Zhengfei may not be aware of the danger to health that 5G does pose: For more on China, the Huawei case, and the US' possible motivations, see:


Rocket

Why S-300s in Syria Are Not Being Used Against Israeli Aircraft

s-300 syria
There has been considerable speculation in recent months concerning reasons why the S-300 air defense systems supplied to the Syrian Arab Army by the Russian Federation have yet to fire a shot in anger at Israeli aircraft encroaching on its airspace and launching ordnance against a variety of targets on Syria's territory. This video attempts to explore a reasonably complete range of explanations. On the one hand, the S-300 batteries in Syria operate under a handicap of operational and political restrictions. However, it would be a mistake to believe that just because missiles are not being launched, that the weapons in question are ineffective.


Comment: Until Israel can no longer rely on Uncle Sam to protect its aggressive designs on its neighbors, Israel will continue to act with near-impunity. Russia seems to be trying to convince Israel that - being closer, more disciplined, and thus more effective - it is a more reliable 'big power partner' than the US, but it will not have escaped Israeli attention that this option, while offering better security, necessitates a drastic haircut on its belligerent interference in neighboring countries.

The other major consideration Putin must balance 'in Syria' is domestic policy. As is becoming transparently obvious - that is to say, it's moved from Internet 'conspiracy theory' to being blasted all over the evening mainstreamnews - in Western capitals these days, 'Israel' is a strange country with unusual capabilities for getting its way:


No Entry

Venezuela closes border with Brazil, may do the same at Colombia border - President Maduro

The road BR-174 Venezuela
© Mauro Pimentel / AFP
The road BR-174, which links the border cities of Santa Elena de Uiaren in Venezuela and Pacaraima in Brazil.
Starting Thursday evening, Venezuela is closing its border with Brazil, President Nicolas Maduro has announced. He added the same measure may apply to the border with Colombia, though he does not want to order it.

The Venezuelan military was ordered to enforce the travel ban in airspace and on the sea until further notice, Maduro said during a televised address from a military headquarters.

Speaking about possible cut of border travel with Colombia, Maduro said he didn't want to take such a decision but was considering it.

Comment: US air freight company caught smuggling weapons into Venezuela is linked to CIA 'black site' renditions


Arrow Up

Iran hacks and controls US drones, shows footage from missions as proof

drone iran us

Screen grab from a video published by FARS News
A senior Iranian commander claimed his country has managed to take control of several US drones. As proof of Tehran's claim, it has released some footage, apparently taken from the drones' cameras.

"Seven to eight drones that had constant flights over Syria and Iraq were brought under our control and their intel was monitored by us and we could gain their first-hand intel," Iran's FARS news agency quoted Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

The general heads the air force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Iran's powerful quasi-military force.

Comment: It's highly likely because Iran has already reverse-engineered US drones, and they've done it before. This is yet another report which demonstrates that regardless of how many billions the US spends on its military tech, further impoverishing its people, it's almost always doomed to failure: Also check out SOTT radio's: NewsReal: Israeli-French Deception Downs Russian Spy Plane Off Syria, US Escalates 'Regime Change' Against Iran


Snakes in Suits

Jimmy Dore: 'Silicon Valley bureaucrats now decide who gets freedom of speech'

facebook
© Illustration by Alex Castro / Th
The US government tries to control political narratives on social media, encouraging Silicon Valley giants' censorship in exchange for good graces, a top US social commenter said, after Facebook closed some RT-linked pages.

"The ultimate goal of all this Russiagating that is happening in the United States is to expand the security state's control over social media," popular social and political commenter -and stand-up comedian- Jimmy Dore told RT, after Facebook unexpectedly suspended pages belonging to Maffick Media - a company 51 percent owned by RT's video agency Ruptly.

"They are working in conjunction with the state, with the government," Dore speculated, noting that the banned RT- linked content did not violate any of the rules of the platform, despite Facebook's claim that the blocked pages failed to disclose their funding. Dore believes that Mark Zuckerberg's company has overstepped a line when it comes to censorship.

NPC

Democrats will attack Trump no matter what Mueller report says

trump and mueller
The Mueller report will be the starting pistol for an all-out assault on President Trump by Democrats in Congress.

There have been strong indications that Mueller could wrap up his investigation as early next week. Republicans predict that Mueller will not find any evidence he colluded with Russia, and Justice Department policy is that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

But even if the Mueller report turns out to be far from the smoking gun Democrats have yearned for, they are now in control of the House of Representatives and show no signs of letting up.

No Entry

Study finds that Euroskeptics could paralyze Brussels after May elections

Euroskeptics
© Reuters / Phil Noble
Anti-EU parties are set to gain a third of European parliamentary votes in May, a new study says. Analysts warn it may bring down the whole political system in Europe, leaving Brussels powerless.

The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) report describes the vote as "the most consequential parliamentary vote in the EU's history" and says it is even possible for Euroskeptic parties to gain more than 30 percent of the EP's seats "if their popularity continues to grow or if some of the fringe members of the mainstream join them."

The report argues that if such a situation occurs, the EU could find itself "living on borrowed time" and outlines ways that various anti-EU parties could align with each other to garner more power in Brussels.

Newspaper

U.S. to leave 200 American troops in Syria after pullout

US Troops Syria withdrawal
© AFP
The United States will leave "a small peacekeeping group" of 200 American troops in Syria for a period of time after a U.S. pullout, the White House said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump pulled back from a complete withdrawal.

Trump in December ordered a withdrawal of the 2,000 American troops in Syria on the defeat of the last remnants of the Islamic State militants there.

But Trump has been under pressure from multiple advisers to adjust his policy to ensure the protection of Kurdish forces, who supported the fight against Islamic State and who might now be threatened by Turkey, and to serve as a bulwark against Iran's influence.

Comment: see also:


Pirates

Ex-Reagan official Dr. Paul Craig Roberts on Afghanistan's long saga of opium, oil, proxy wars

2 USAF flag
© CC BY 2.0/DVIDSHUB
USAF, Alexander's Castle near Qalat City, Afghanistan
US policy-makers are continuing to oppose Donald Trump's decision to pull troops out of Afghanistan. Speaking to Sputnik, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, economist, author and former US official, shared his views on the US' decades-long Afghanistan saga, surprising rise in opium crops under the American occupation and apparent use of Islamists by the US.

Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 1,000 or more US troops from Afghanistan has prompted concerns among American lawmakers and Washington's European allies. On 16 February the bipartisan group of US congressmen met with Afghan President Ashaf Ghani on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss the painful dilemma.

The US' Afghanistan war, which will mark its 18th anniversary this October, started in 2001 following the 9/11 terror attack under then-US President George W. Bush.

"Officially, Washington invaded Afghanistan because the Afghan government was allegedly harbouring Osama bin Laden who allegedly organised the attack on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon", Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, economist, author, and former US assistant secretary of the Treasury for economic policy under President Ronald Reagan, told Sputnik, adding that "Bin Laden was the excuse for an invasion that served several interests."

Comment: See also: