Puppet Masters

Boris Johnson's no-deal Brexit stance could provoke a 'Tory coup' - junior defense minister

Peter Walker
The Guardian
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 19:50 UTC

© Andy Rain/European Press Association
Boris Johnson seen on Saturday speaking at the Conservative party leadership hustings in Birmingham.

Jeremy Hunt has stepped up his criticism of Boris Johnson for avoiding media scrutiny in the Tory leadership campaign, calling it "disrespectful", as another minister said Johnson could be brought down by his own MPs if he pushed for a no-deal Brexit.

Tobias Ellwood, the junior defence minister, said it was possible that the decision by Johnson actively to seek no deal could push some Conservatives to support a no-confidence motion against his government.

"I believe that absolutely is the case," Ellwood told the BBC. "I think a dozen or so members of parliament would be on our side, would be voting against supporting a no deal and that would include ministers as well as backbenchers."

Comment: Then there were 2: Boris Johnson, Jeremy Hunt final two in race for Tory leadership

Elijah Magnier: How Iran decided to down the US drone but spare the US plane, narrowly averting a war

Elijah J. Magnier
ejmagnier.com
Sun, 23 Jun 2019 00:00 UTC

Iran averted all-out war in the Middle East at the last moment when the Central command and control operational room of its Army and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ordered not to shoot down a US Navy anti-submarine warfare, Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance Poseidon P-8 .

Unusually, there were 38 on board the P-8 aircraft which requires a crew of 9. There were a minimum of 6-8 officers onboard (2-3 Col, 3-4 Lt) and the remaining crew likely held grades under Lieutenant. The plane was flying within range of Iranian missiles over Iranian waters when Iran's central command and control received confirmation that the US would not go to war or hit any target in Iran. This took place following the Iranian downing of one of the most advanced US drones last Thursday. The drone had been violating Iranian airspace, according to Tehran authorities, who later presented the debris of the unmanned drone to the media. Iran had received confirmation through a third country that President Donald Trump would refrain from bombing any Iranian positions.

"Iran was about to hit and destroy the US Navy P-8 Poseidon spy and anti-submarine Boeing that was flying in the area when we received confirmation that the US had decided not to go to war and not to bomb any control and command or missile batteries positions, cleared or non-cleared, along the Straits of Hormuz. Had Trump decided otherwise, we had orders to hit several US and US allies' targets and the Middle East would have been the theatre of a very destructive war with huge losses on all sides", said an Iranian IRGC General.

But how did war almost break out on the morning of June 20th, and how did Iran decide to down a US drone?

Comment: See also:

US hybrid war on Iran continues while also claiming that Washington is 'open for talks'

RFE/RL
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 01:19 UTC

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he has discussed heightened tensions in the region with Saudi Arabia's King Salman during a June 24 meeting in Jeddah.

Pompeo said they also discussed the need to promote maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, following attacks on oil tankers in Persian Gulf waters which Washington has blamed on Iran. Tehran denies the charges.

"Freedom of navigation is paramount," Pompeo said on Twitter.

Pompeo arrived in Saudi Arabia earlier in the day on a trip to the Persian Gulf to build a "global coalition" on Iran that will include a visit to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.).

Comment: While Trump claims he wants to talk, US intelligence are working on other avenues of attack - let this be a lesson to anyone considering talks with the US:

US intelligence and military are developing covert plans aimed at deterring Iran's alleged aggression in the Persian Gulf without plunging the region into a full-scale war, The New York Times newspaper reported, citing former and current officials.

According to the media, the White House has asked the intelligence and the military to come up with countermeasures similar to last week's cyberattacks against Iran, as well as with new operations that would be similar to the ones carried out by Tehran itself, the newspaper reported.

The officials did not give any details about the operations that were being considered against Tehran, but, according to the NYT the deterrence measures may include more cyberattacks, covert destabilising operations in Iran, actions against Iran proxies and operations against Iranian boats that had allegedly carried out the recent attacks on oil tankers in the region.

Sputnik reports that wannabe UK PM Jeremy Hunt has concluded that Britain probably would back the US in a war against Iran - despite having no authority, Parliamentary backing - yet - nor any semblence of support from UK citizens:

Although the UK officials, including Conservative party leadership contender Jeremy Hunt, have proclaimed de-escalation in the region, he admitted that London would consider Washington's request for military support amid the growing tension between Iran and the US.

"We will stand by the United States as our strongest ally but of course we have to consider any requests for military support on a case-by-case basis," the prime minister hopeful confirmed while campaigning in Scotland.

He admitted that London is "constantly in touch" with Washington. He also expressed the belief that that the solution is for Iran is "to stop its destabilising activity throughout the Middle East" and voiced concern about the recent incident with the two commercial vessels in the Sea of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz. He branded it sabotage, adding that the culprit "is almost certainly Iran."

'Almost certainly' is pretty demented reasoning considering it would take the UK into what would be WWIII.

"We want to de-escalate the situation but we are of course extremely worried," he reportedly said.

In another interview with BBC radio, he claimed that the UK has been doing "everything we can to de-escalate the situation" that he referred to as "very dangerous" and remained closely in touch.

He also claimed that the UK does not think that both Iran and the US want a war, but noted that it could be an "accidental conflict".

"We are very concerned: we don't think either side wants a war, but we are very concerned that we could get into an accidental war and we are doing everything we can to ratchet things down", Hunt noted.

His remark came amid Andrew Murrison's trip to Iran; the UK's Minister of State for the Middle East is there on a peace-making mission. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said that he would "call for urgent de-escalation in the region and raise the UK and international concerns about Iran's regional conduct and its threat to cease complying with the nuclear deal to which the UK remains fully committed".

At the same time, The Mirror reported that UK Special Boat Service frogmen, who are trained to remove mines from vessels, perpetrate underwater attacks as well as counter foreign troops, and highly-trained Royal Navy divers have been deployed to the Persian Gulf "as part of a deterrent".

And Saudi Arabia unsurprisingly backs the US, it's partner in crime in the region - although it doesn't support a 'real' war, most likely, solely, for purposes of self-preservation:

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, Adel al-Jubeir, said a possible war between Iran and the United States would be dangerous for everyone, but accused Tehran of escalating the situation in the Gulf region.

"Everybody is trying to avoid war in the region. War would be dangerous for everyone. However, the escalation has always come from the Iranian side. Iran attacked tankers in the Gulf, not once but twice. Iran sent ballistic missiles and drones through its proxies the Houthis against Saudi Arabia's oil pipeline and the Saudi airport", al-Jubeir told France 24.

The minister stressed that it was up to Iran to de-escalate as it had been engaged "in aggressive behavior and threatening moves".

"B Team was moments away from trapping Donald Trump into a war. Prudence prevented it, but Economic Terrorism brings tension", Zarif tweeted.

Zarif has repeatedly accused Trump appointee Bolton, as well as the Israeli prime minister and the Saudi and Emirati crown princes - so-called B Team - of plotting against Iran.

Zarif is probably not far off: Netanyahu "pleased" as Trump announces "crippling" new sanctions on Iran

The US president acknowledged in an interview with NBC on Sunday that Bolton was a "hawk" who would "take on the whole world at one time" if he had a chance, but he denied being pushed into a war with Iran, stressing that "I'm not looking for war [...] And if there is, it'll be obliteration like you've never seen before. But I'm not looking to do that".

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that Iran does not intend to wage war with the United States, but will continue to resist Washington.

US envoy Brian Hook declared Washington as "zealously neutral" on its regime change attempts in Iran:

Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir and US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook have commented on the increasing tensions between Iran and the United States.

Iran can either sit at the negotiating table or continue to watch its economy "crumble", US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook stated, accusing Tehran of "violent responses to diplomatic pressure".

"They are in a recession now, it is going to get significantly worse", he said ahead of an expected announcement later on 24 June on further US sanctions.

He continued on by saying that Washington is "zealously neutral" about Iranian groups it wants to replace the "corrupt religious elite".

According to Hook, US President Trump is very willing to sit down with Iran.

"This is a president who is very willing to sit down with the regime. I think the question people should be asking is ... why Iran continues to reject diplomacy", he said.

The US is prepared to restore diplomatic ties with Iran, to lift sanctions if Tehran is willing to do a deal, but the deal comes first, Hook noted.

Hook further elaborated that elements of a deal with Tehran would have to include an end to the detention of dual nationals in Iran and an end to supporting what he claimed were Iranian proxies in the Middle East who commit secret attacks on Iran's behalf.

The US Special Representative also emphasised he had shared intelligence on "current threats" posed by Iran during his visit to several countries in the Middle East.

"During all of my meetings in the four countries that I've visited ... during all of my meetings here in the Gulf, I have shared all of our declassified intelligence and also the detailed assessment of the current threats that are posed by Iran. These threats continue", Hook told reporters.

So while none of this 'intelligence' would be considered proof in a court of law, what we can be sure of is that the US has been on a propaganda tour attempting to recruit as many countries as possible to back its hybrid war on Iran.

The Kushner Plan's neocolonial arrogance

Rashid Khalidi
The New York Review of Books
Wed, 12 Jun 2019 07:22 UTC

"You cannot do without us," Lord Curzon condescendingly told the Indians over whom he ruled as British imperial viceroy more than a century ago. As the Trump family rubbed shoulders with the Windsors during their recent visit to London, there was no mistaking the difference between the real aristocracy and the trumped-up one. However, Jared Kushner, presidential son-in-law and senior adviser responsible for crafting a Middle East peace plan, does have something in common with Lord Curzon and his colonial ilk.

In an interview with Axios shown on HBO on June 2, shortly before he arrived in the UK, Kushner cast doubt on the feasibility of independent Palestinian self-rule, declaring, "we'll have to see," adding, "the hope is that they over time can become capable of governing." When asked if Palestinians should ever be able to enjoy freedom from "Israeli government or military interference," he said only that this was "a high bar." After suggesting that Kushner had consulted few if any Palestinians over the two years during which his peace plan was in the works, his interviewer asked if he understood why the Palestinians did not trust him. Kushner responded curtly, "I'm not here to be trusted."

Georgian protests are not spontaneous nor ordinary - aspects of a wider US agenda?

Henry Kamens
New Eastern Outlook
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 00:00 UTC

Upwards of 10,000 protesters attempted to storm Georgia's parliament building on June 20. The crowd swarmed the building during what at first glance appeared to an anti-government rally. They demanded the resignations of top officials, allegedly in response to a speech made by a member of the Russian Duma. It now continues on a daily basis, however, with less violence.

As reported by Georgian and Western news sources, "tensions flared up when Sergei Gavrilov, a Russian MP, addressed an assembly of lawmakers from Orthodox Christian countries from the physical seat of the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament."

Gavrilov was taking part in the Inter-parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), a meeting of a body set up by the Greek parliament in 1993 to foster relationships between Orthodox Christian lawmakers. From a political standpoint, it will never be a good idea to allow a Russian MP to sit in the Speaker's chair, in Georgia or any other country which fought long and hard to escape Russian domination through the Soviet Union. However it would also be ridiculous for either Georgia or Russia not to be part of the IAO, given their credentials and shared values as Orthodox countries.

One thing is certain in any such mass protest - few, if any of them, are spontaneous protests by ordinary citizens. Careful planning goes into any attempted coup or regime change - and that usually comes from the West. This has especially been the case in Georgia, dating back to the so-called Rose Revolution of 2003, and even earlier, to the free fire zone days of the early 90s.

Comment: See also:

Iran's Major General Rashid: Should war break out, no country will manage its 'scope and timing'

RT
Sun, 23 Jun 2019 12:15 UTC

The US should think about the lives of its military forces before considering further military action in the Middle East, an Iranian general has warned, predicting that a US-Iran conflict would devastate the entire region.

"The US administration should behave in a responsible way to protect the lives of American forces," Maj. Gen. Gholamali Rashid said on Sunday, while addressing Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Corps.

Rashid stressed that if war does come, it would be the fault of "US interventionist policy," and would have disastrous consequences for the entire region. "If a conflict breaks out in the region, no country would be able to manage its scope and timing."

The senior military officer insisted that Iran is not seeking war but "will powerfully defend" itself against "any threat and aggression." His comments come as National Security Advisor John Bolton boasted that the US military is "ready to go" and reserves the right to strike Iran.

Comment: More from Sputnik on reactions to post-drone downing escalation:

Iranian MPs have slammed the US amid a new crisis between the two countries. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump called Iran "terrorist nation number one", while the Pentagon sent reinforcements to the Middle East to oppose Tehran.

"America is the real terrorist in the world by spreading chaos in countries, giving advanced weapons to terrorist groups, causing insecurity, and still it says 'Come, let's negotiate'", deputy speaker of the Iranian parliament Masoud Pezeshkian, said during a session broadcast on state radio.

In response to this, multiple members of the parliament chanted "death to America".

Lavrov: The West 'turns a blind eye' to 'ultra-nationalists' in Georgia

RT
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 11:50 UTC

Western politicians ignore anti-Russian riots in Georgia, hoping to destroy the historical ties Georgians have with Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. Tbilisi, meanwhile, offered concessions to the protesters.

The recent anti-Russian protests and subsequent clashes in Georgia are "yet another example of the results of geopolitical engineering" performed by Western politicians, Lavrov said on Monday. "The Western supervisors are ready to turn a blind eye to rioting by ultra-nationalists and Russophobia, as long as they get to rip apart all the ties the people of Georgia have with our country, and rewrite our common history."

Despite all of that, Moscow remains open to dialogue and partnership wherever it is possible to "neutralize the common threats to all of humanity," the minister stated.

Comment: See also:

Report denied: Oman did not deliver a US message to Iran regarding drone response, none sent, none received

Sputnik
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 16:57 UTC

Tensions between Tehran and Washington escalated after Iran downed an American military drone, stressing the UAV had violated its airspace and didn't respond to demands to alter course.

Oman didn't relay the US message to Iran about the UAV, which was downed by Iranian air defences on 20 June, the country's Foreign Ministry stated on Twitter. "The Sultanate is watching current regional developments with concern and hopes that the Iranian and American sides show restraint and address unresolved issues through dialogue", the ministry's tweet said.

Earlier, Reuters reported, citing unnamed Iranian officials, that Tehran had received a message from President Donald Trump about an upcoming attack in response to the downing of the American drone, which was allegedly delivered via Oman.

However, the spokesman of Iran's Supreme National Security Council denied receiving such a message, while the US State Department denied that the President ever sent one.

The US had been planning to launch an attack on three Iranian targets, but US President Donald Trump stopped it minutes prior to launch, citing concerns that the strike might lead to 150 casualties.

Iran is ready to down more drones: 'We can do it again' claims Navy chief

RT
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 09:40 UTC

Iran is prepared to take down more US spy drones, should they violate its airspace, the Iranian Navy chief said. A similar claim earlier came from a senior commander of the Revolutionary Guard.

"The enemy sent its smartest and most sophisticated patrol aircraft into the forbidden zone and everybody saw that the drone was stopped," Adm. Hossein Khanzadi said as cited by the Tasnim News Agency. "We say we can do it again and again."

The remarks made by Khanzadi during a visit of a military facility in Fars province agree with what was said by Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh, who heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force. The general said Iran was ready to add more exhibits to its collection of US drones destroyed after straying into its airspace. The regular Iranian military and IRGC are two parallel defence structures, each with its own chain of command, troops and responsibilities.

Last week Iran shot down a US Navy RQ-4A Global Hawk surveillance drone. The aircraft was reportedly a BAMS-D experimental model, which is used to test technologies for the Navy's MQ-4C Triton version.

Comment: See also:

Vetting the Swamp? Trump transition team docs revealed 'opposition to torture' as a red flag

RT
Mon, 24 Jun 2019 18:59 UTC

Former CIA director David Petraeus was considered for secretary of state, but there were "red flags": he was against "torture" and a "military solution in Syria," according to leaked vetting documents from Trump's transition team.

A trove of internal vetting documents, compiled by the Republican National Committee (RNC) at the behest of then-president-elect Donald Trump's team, were leaked to Axios, which reported the scoop on Sunday.

While there is nothing unusual in a vetting process during which candidates' histories are checked for potential problems, the documents give a glimpse into Washington's "swamp," and have been picked apart for eye-catching quotes by commentators and Twitter 'pundits.' Some were dumbfounded by the RNC choice of that particular concern.

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Puppet Masters

Boris Johnson's no-deal Brexit stance could provoke a 'Tory coup' - junior defense minister

Elijah Magnier: How Iran decided to down the US drone but spare the US plane, narrowly averting a war

US hybrid war on Iran continues while also claiming that Washington is 'open for talks'

The Kushner Plan's neocolonial arrogance

Georgian protests are not spontaneous nor ordinary - aspects of a wider US agenda?

Iran's Major General Rashid: Should war break out, no country will manage its 'scope and timing'

Lavrov: The West 'turns a blind eye' to 'ultra-nationalists' in Georgia

Report denied: Oman did not deliver a US message to Iran regarding drone response, none sent, none received

Iran is ready to down more drones: 'We can do it again' claims Navy chief

Vetting the Swamp? Trump transition team docs revealed 'opposition to torture' as a red flag

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