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How Fake News Becomes Fake History: British Propaganda and World War 1

Corey Schink
Sott.net
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 21:13 UTC
A British flag flies near the United Kingdom's embassy in Moscow.
© David Mdzinarishvili / Reuters
A British flag flies near the United Kingdom's embassy in Moscow.
While it took a while to pick up steam, the Skripal Salisbury poisoning incident has lately dominated Western media headlines. Daily we are treated to the smug and self-righteous faces who, in one breath, compare Putin to Hitler, Stalin, and Czar Nicholas II, before proceeding to compare Russia to Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire simultaneously. This would surely be the height of all evil, assuming it were true!

And of course we are supposed to assume it is true because this latest fake news is built on an edifice of an entire history of fake news. Simon Tisdall recently wrote in one of the largest purveyors of fake news, The Guardian:
It has taken a long time for western politicians to recognise the extent and depth of the threat represented by Vladimir Putin's Russia. Some in the Labour party still don't. It is also plain, as Theresa May embarks on an open-ended confrontation with Moscow, that the dispute provoked by the Salisbury outrage could take years to resolve.

Cold or hot, overt or covert, this is going to be a long war - and Britain will need all its friends and allies if it is to prevail against a ruthless opponent. Whether sincere, sufficient and timely support will be forthcoming is in serious doubt.
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Snakes in Suits

John Bolton's zeal for regime change extends to Latin America

Whitney Webb
Mint Press News
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 18:36 UTC
John Bolton

This article is Part III of a series exploring the past of soon-to-be National Security Adviser John Bolton and what his appointment will mean for U.S. foreign policy, with a focus on the Middle East, Latin America, and the Koreas. Part I examined Bolton's past advocacy for Israel, often at the U.S.' expense. Part II detailed how that same commitment to Israel has shaped his vision for the Middle East, a vision that calls for regime change in Iran, the division of both Syria and Iraq, and the creation of a new Sunni state. Part III explores Bolton's past and present policies in regards to Latin America, policies which threaten to return the region to bloody legacy of American-backed military coups.
While President Trump's appointment of John Bolton to the position of National Security Adviser has sent shockwaves throughout the country, most of the concern about his likely effect on U.S. policy has been focused on the Middle East as well as the Korean peninsula. Bolton's appointment has, however, also caused concern elsewhere, particularly in Latin America.

Though he is best known for promoting the invasion of Iraq on false claims of "weapons of mass destruction," Bolton has also made similar false claims against Cuba, stating that the island nation had a "developmental offensive biological warfare program" in order to include it among the "Axis of Evil" countries. Not only that, but Bolton has also conjured up false claims of Venezuela protecting Iranian "smugglers" in a bid to target its current government. More recently, he has called for "greater U.S. involvement" in the "critical" region of Latin America.

Bolton's past, along with his recent statements, have made many Latin Americans uneasy. As a former National Security Council member during the Obama administration told the Miami Herald,
He [Bolton] is a warmonger and Latin Americans get nervous when American presidents tend to lean toward military versus diplomatic solutions. It's a militaristic style that won't go down well in Latin America."

Comment: Meet John Bolton, the hawkiest hawk of the Bush Administration and Trump's new NSC adviser

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Light Sabers

NATO vs NATO: Turkey discloses French troop positions in northern Syria as payback for its support of Kurdish militias

Marko Marjanović
Checkpoint Asia
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 19:52 UTC
French soldiers
French President Emmanuel Macron entertained a Syrian Kurdish delegation last Thursday. He praised the Kurdish-dominated SDF militias for their role in fighting ISIS and promised continued support.

After the meeting Kurdish and French media outlets reported Macron had also promised to move French troops to Kurdish-held Manbij in northern Syria, and block the advance of the Turkish army, which for months now Ankara has threatened to use to take the northern Syrian city for the Syrian rebels in its employ.

This would not be outside the realm of possibility seeing French special forces were actually involved in helping take Manbij for the Kurds in 2016 and remain elsewhere in Kurdish-held Syria.

Comment: See also: US deploys about 300 additional soldiers in Manbij ahead of Turkish invasion

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Attention

ALL 44 Democrat swamp-creatures who hired Pakistani Awan IT aides exempted them from background checks

Luke Rosiak
The Daily Caller
Sun, 01 Apr 2018 17:47 UTC
wasserman shultz awan
© Facebook / Reuters
Imran Awan (L), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (R)
Every one of the 44 House Democrats who hired Pakistan-born IT aides who later allegedly made "unauthorized access" to congressional data appears to have chosen to exempt them from background checks, according to congressional documents.

All of them appear to have waived background checks on Imran Awan and his family members, even though the family of server administrators could collectively read all the emails and files of 1 in 5 House Democrats, and despite background checks being recommended for such positions, according to an inspector general's report. The House security policy requires offices to fill out a form attesting that they've initiated background checks, but it also includes a loophole allowing them to simply say that another member vouched for them.

Among the red flags in Abid's background were a $1.1 million bankruptcy; six lawsuits against him or a company he owned; and at least three misdemeanor convictions including for DUI and driving on a suspended license, according to Virginia court records. Public court records show that Imran and Abid operated a car dealership referred to as CIA that took $100,000 from an Iraqi government official who is a fugitive from U.S. authorities. Numerous members of the family were tied to cryptic LLCs such as New Dawn 2001, operated out of Imran's residence, Virginia corporation records show. Imran was the subject of repeated calls to police by multiplewomen and had multiple misdemeanor convictions for driving offenses, according to court records.

Comment: Past stories on the Awan case: At the very least, this scandal exposes an extraordinary degree of incompetence. It could potentially be worse, however. Why was this particular family chosen? Was it a favor? For what? What other connections did they have, and what did Wasserman Schultz know about them?

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MIB

UK 'torture guide' quietly being rewritten, reportedly failing to follow Intelligence Commissioner recommendations


RT
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 17:46 UTC
Thames House
© Peter Nicholls / Reuters
Thames House, the headquarters of the British Security Service (MI5) is seen in London
A guide for British intelligence officers on how to avoid breaching the human rights of detainees is being secretly rewritten by government, according to reports.

The guide is being redrafted without the help of rights groups, despite a clear recommendation from the intelligence services commissioner to this effect; leading UK activists to worry if the updated version will be dangerously lenient.

A previous version of the "consolidated guidance" was rewritten in the wake of the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York, and infamously allowed MI5 and MI6 officers to torture detainees overseas.
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Snakes in Suits

Egyptian incumbent President Sisi wins presidential election with 97% landslide


Sputnik
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 17:41 UTC
Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
© AP Photo/ Julie Jacobson
Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has won a second term with 97% of the vote and 41% of voter turnout after facing no serious challenge, according to the election committee.

Almost 100% Egyptians have given about 22 million votes for incumbent president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi with a 41.05 percent voter turnout, Egypt's election commission announced.

Egyptians cast their ballots electing the new head of state from March 26-28.
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Info

PM Abadi says Iraq may launch anti-terror ops in Syria - US probably isn't pleased


Sputnik
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 17:39 UTC
PMF iraq
© REUTERS/ Stringer
Iraqi military forces have plans to launch a cross-border operation to fight against terrorists on the territory of Syria, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi said Sunday.

"The situation in Syria remains a real challenge and we are focused on finding a solution. We have gone from fighting terrorism in Iraq to fighting terrorism in Syria," Abadi told reporters during his weekly press conference, as quoted by the Rudaw news agency.

Abadi noted that the plans were discussed on Saturday with Iraqi military commanders, stressing that Iraq did not intend to violate any country's sovereignty.

"Our project has developed from fighting terror in Iraq to fighting terror in the region.... [But] we do not want to exceed our limits, and we will not transgress those of other countries," the prime minister said.

Comment: Syria will welcome such a move, in all likelihood. Here's the thing: the Syrian border with Iraq is held by two groups, the U.S.-backed SDF, and ISIS. For the past couple months, the U.S. has been doing NOTHING to eliminate the last 2 pockets of ISIS to the east of the Euphrates. Having a continued ISIS presence justifies a U.S. presence. They've vowed to stay in Syria as long as ISIS does, after all. Iraq could move their eviction date a tad closer by taking matters into their own hands and eliminating the ISIS remnant. The U.S. still wouldn't leave, of course, but at least the pretext would be exposed for all to see.

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Arrow Up

Italy's Matteo Salvini says he'll end anti-Russian sanctions if he's in charge

Tom Winter
Fort Russ News
Mon, 02 Apr 2018 17:28 UTC
salvini
© Alberico / Fotogramma / Ropi / Global Look Press
Election campaign of the Northern League leader Matteo Salvini (C). Italy, Milan
Corriere Della Sera reports:
Salvini: «If I am in charge, it's away with the sanctions against Russia» The leader of the League responds via Twitter to the appeal launched by the president of Confindustria Russia: "They are causing incalculable damage to the Italian economy"
The appeal was launched by the president of Confindustria, in an interview with Libero. Ernesto Ferlenghi turns directly to Matteo Salvini to demand that sanctions against Moscow be eliminated. «Italian companies can not continue to lose tens of billions for potential orders and market shares, adopting a system of economic sanctions that is putting a strategic partnership between us and Russia in crisis, a partnership which has lasted for over 60 years», he says The League leader replies, promising on Twitter: "I hope to be able soon, from the government, to welcome the appeal: Away with these absurd sanctions that are causing incalculable damage to the Italian economy".

Comment: After the early March elections, Italy still has a hung parliament, so Salvini's leadership isn't guaranteed. Statements like the above are sure to gain him even more popular support, but they're just as sure to make him that much more hated by the Italian and EU establishment.

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Bad Guys

United States blocks UN from investigating Israel's violent crackdown in Gaza Strip

Jason Ditz
Antiwar.com
Sun, 01 Apr 2018 17:31 UTC
United Nations Naciones Unidas
© ONU ES
Israel's violent crackdown on Land Day protests in the Gaza Strip left at least 15 dead, and large numbers of people wounded. There are a lot of expressions of concern, but one thing there won't be is an investigation, by anyone.

A resolution in the UN Security Council sought to call for such an inquiry, and also issuing a statement of support for the right to peaceful protest. The US, however, quickly vetoed the bill. This is unsurprising, as the US generally vetoes anything that has anything to do with Israel. US officials have so far reused to comment, because clearly vetoing a call to respect human rights, and not kill peaceful protesters, is something of an embarrassment.
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Arrow Down

Macroeconomic analyst: Global gold supplies tighten but the money for hyperinflation has been printed

Greg Hunter
USA Watchdog
Sun, 01 Apr 2018 00:00 UTC
hyperinflation
Forensic macroeconomic analyst Rob Kirby says big money knows "gold supplies are tight" and getting tighter by the day. Kirby, who also arranges gold sales by the ton on a global scale, explains, "There are reports of people trying to buy institutional amounts of physical gold bullion in the Asian market, and there is none available even if they are paying a premium. I'm not talking about availability at the coin shop where you would buy two American Gold Eagles or a Gold Panda. I am talking about institutions wanting to buy serious amounts of physical gold bullion in bar form."

Kirby says the global financial system is packed with unpayable debt, and the insiders know many might wake up someday to find they are living in their very own Mad Max movie. Kirby says, "If the financial world is turned on its head, we could very likely see some social unrest. Things could get very, very unpalatable, and we could see a complete breakdown. . . . This leads naturally to the question if the system is this precarious, why hasn't anybody with a whole lot of money done anything to tip it over? The reason is that virtually nobody benefits from a situation where anarchy happens, and there aren't many people who want to be the person that pulls the pin on the grenade."

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