Puppet MastersS


Vader

Reading the Runes of War

Alastair Crooke
The Telegraph
Wed, 20 Jul 2022 17:19 UTC
military funeral
© REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko
Putin's policy of cleansing the Augean Stables of 'predatory western capital' is music to the ears of the Global South, Alastair Crooke writes.

Of course, the conflict, to all intents, is settled - though is far from over. It is clear that Russia will prevail in the military war - and the political war too - by which is meant that whatever emerges in Ukraine after the military action is complete will be dictated by Moscow on its terms.

Plainly, on the one hand, the regime in Kiev would collapse were it to have terms dictated to it by Moscow. And, on the other hand, the entire western agenda behind the Maidan coup d'état in 2014 would implode, too. (This is why an off-ramp, short of a Ukrainian rout, is next to impossible.)

This moment thus marks a crucial point of inflection. One American choice might be to end the conflict - and there are many voices calling for a deal, or a ceasefire, with the understandably humane intent of ending the pointless slaughter of Ukrainian young men sent to 'the front' to defend indefensible positions, only to be cynically killed for no military gain, merely to keep the war going.
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Evil Rays

Worshipping Dead Horses

Douglas Macgregor
The American Conservative
Mon, 18 Jul 2022 12:03 UTC
Biden NATO
Europeans see a collision with Russia is a growing probability. That does not seem to have occurred to President Biden.

Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus, known to history as Caligula, ruled as the Emperor of Rome from A.D. 37 to 41. For those who are unaware, Caligula, the great grandson of Rome's first emperor, the brilliant Augustus Caesar, squandered the enormous wealth of the Roman State, declared himself to be a god, appointed his favorite racehorse to serve in the Roman Senate, and according to some sources, considered deifying the animal.

After a little less than four years in office, Caligula was removed. Rome's citizens, as well as its legions, were spared the indignity of having to worship a dead horse. Americans and Europeans are not so lucky.

Determined to fight his proxy war with Russia to the finish, Biden is losing the fight in Ukraine and his favorite, deified horse, NATO, is on life support. The only things sinking faster than Biden's approval ratings are the American and European economies.

Readers will recall that President Trump wanted to reduce European dependence on American military power — to make Europeans their own "first responders." Biden reversed Trump's policy and promised to reinvigorate NATO, in the words of French President Macron, the "the brain dead alliance."

Comment: The author is one of the very few ex-US military to not only have the insight to understand Russia's perspective in the
Ukraine, but who has the guts to say something about it quite publicly.

Watch this interview with Judge Napolitano about the points made in the above article:



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Bug

Climate Change dictates are self destructive - but also part of a bigger agenda


Zerohedge
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 04:15 UTC
climate change UN
For many years we have been anticipating the implementation of far reaching and transformative restrictions on industry and agriculture in the name of "climate change" initiatives, and now it would seem the time has come for the fight to commence. The first major battleground is clearly Europe, as individual nations follow the emissions dictates if the centralized EU government, crushing their own economies while in the midst of a self induced energy crisis. It seems like madness, but there's a bigger agenda at play here.

Today, a farmer's rebellion is rising across Europe as the actual producers of the food that keeps the public alive are being demonized for refusing to work under conditions that would essentially bankrupt them. European emissions rules are not just about carbon, though that is a big focus. Rather, the rules include other natural gases including methane and nitrogen which are a byproduct of large farming operations. The nitrogen restrictions alone are set to destroy most farming operations in the Netherlands, which is one of the largest agricultural nations in the EU. Germany is set to follow the Netherlands with its own emissions rules in the near term.
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Dollar Gold

Tucker explores Pelosi's stock wealth and how she's raking in the cash: 'Limousine liberalism' on steroids

Kevin Haggerty
American Wire
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 00:01 UTC
Nancy Pelosi
© Shutterstock
Like any good Democrat, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) purports to be a champion of the underdog, but the optics of her husband's latest financial investment had Fox Business senior correspondent Charlie Gasparino pointing out who's really benefiting from her policies as she practiced "'limousine liberalism' ...on steroids."

Gasparino joined "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Monday where he addressed concerns over Paul Pelosi's acquisition of up to $5 million worth of stock in Nvidia ahead of a vote in the House that would benefit the company with Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Before bringing the correspondent in, Carlson drew attention to Pelosi's track record.

"Well, you often hear politicians brag about their public service that's such a sacrifice. And yet Nancy Pelosi's career suggests maybe you missed your calling," the host expressed before adding, "She spent three decades in Congress and yet somehow Nancy Pelosi is worth tens of millions of dollars. How'd you get so rich?"

Comment: See also:

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Pirates

EU will unfreeze Russia's assets to boost food trade amidst looming shortages


Press TV
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 16:20 UTC
European Union flags headquarters
© Reuters
The European Union (EU) will amend some of its tough sanctions on Russia by allowing the unfreezing of some of the country's funds to boost food trade, amid an unfolding global food crisis, according to a draft document.

Only hours after it proposed additional sanctions on Russia's top lender, Sberbank, the EU revealed a new regulation under which it will unblock assets at Russian banks linked to trade in food and fertilizer.

EU nations will be able to unfreeze previously blocked economic resources owned by top Russian lenders VTB, Sovcombank, Novikombank, Otkritie FC Bank, VEB, Promsvyazbank and Bank Rossiya, said the document.
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Mr. Potato

Protest theater: AOC fakes being handcuffed outside Supreme Court

Hannah Nightingale
The Post Millennial
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 20:50 UTC
aoc fake handcuffs protest
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fakes being handcuffed
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faked being handcuffed as she was escorted away by police at Tuesday's pro-abortion Supreme Court protest, video shows.

Cori Bush, as well as other Congresswomen were seen being escorted away from the Supreme Court on Tuesday as pro-abortion activists protested outside the nation's highest court.

Ocasio-Cortez was seen being walked away by an officer alongside another protestor with her hands crossed behind her back, both of which had green bandanas, with the color being associated with the pro-abortion group Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights and pro-abortion protests across the country.

Comment: Ilhan Omar got in on the play acting too:

Not serious people.

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Target

Ukraine threatens to destroy Russian fleet


RT
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 13:18 UTC
Russian ships
© Sputnik/Vasily BaranovRussian Black Sea vessels in Crimean port of Sevastopol
Ukraine will crush Russia's Black Sea fleet and regain control of Crimea with Western weapons, the country's Deputy Defense Minister, Vladimir Gavrilov has vowed during a visit to the UK.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol, is "a permanent threat" to Ukraine, and Kiev has to address this issue, Gavrilov said in an interview with the Times on Tuesday.

Kiev was waiting to get longer-range weapons from foreign nations before launching an assault, he added.
"We are receiving anti-ship capabilities and sooner or later we will target the fleet. It is inevitable because we have to guarantee the security of our people."
Gavrilov claimed that Ukraine is also planning to take back Crimea - which overwhelmingly voted to reunite with Russia in a 2014 referendum after a coup in Kiev. According to the official, the Ukrainian government was holding discussions with their Western backers on whether it could use foreign-supplied arms to target Russian forces on the peninsula.

Comment: Ukraine is doubling down on defeat.

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Snakes in Suits

Ukraine president sacks security chief, top prosecutor over 'treason'


Press TV
Mon, 18 Jul 2022 05:51 UTC
Zelensky map
© AFPUkraine President Volodymyr Zelensky checks the map during a visit to Dnipro region
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sacked the head of the country's powerful domestic security service, the SBU, and the prosecutor general, accusing them of collaborating with Russia on security and military issues.

The embattled president issued the executive orders late on Sunday, citing more than 650 alleged treason and collaboration cases and alleging that more than 60 officials from the SBU security service and prosecutor's office have been spying for Moscow in Russian-liberated territories.

Zelensky stated:
"As of today, some 651 criminal cases have been registered on high treason and collaboration activities of employees of the prosecutor's office, pre-trial investigation bodies, and other law enforcement agencies."
The sackings of SBU chief Ivan Bakanov, and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova marks the biggest political development since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine almost five months ago.


Comment: Since this announcement there appears to be a walkback on allegations of treason and collaboration for Bakanov and Venediktova.
See also:
Zelensky fires head of security service and prosecutor general

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Arrow Down

Switzerland turns down NATO request on Ukrainians


RT
Tue, 19 Jul 2022 17:55 UTC
ambulance
© Getty Images/Robert HradilSwiss Ambulance
Bern has refused to treat Ukrainian civilians, arguing that they are "indistinguishable" from soldiers, local media report

The Swiss federal government has turned down a request to treat wounded Ukrainians, arguing that the move would violate the Alpine nation's neutral status, the country's Tages Anzeiger newspaper has learned. The request was made by a NATO department.

The Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre - a NATO structure that currently coordinates international medical evacuations and treatment of Ukrainians injured during the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kiev - reportedly reached out to the Swiss Army's Coordinated Medical Service (KSD) in May. The military bloc sought aid from Swiss medics in caring for not just Ukrainian soldiers but for civilians in need of hospital treatment as well, media reported on Monday.

Switzerland's national association of health-service providers - the conference of cantonal health directors (GDK) - then said it was "fundamentally open" to the idea of admitting injured Ukrainians to Swiss health facilities. The Federal Health Office signaled its approval as well. In mid-June, the idea, however, was turned down by the Foreign Affairs Department, which said any such admission would be impossible for "legal and practical reasons," Tages Anzeiger reports.
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Arrow Down

Zelensky fires head of security service and prosecutor general


RT
Sun, 17 Jul 2022 19:06 UTC
ZelenskyVenediktovaBakanov
© Facebook/Irina Venediktova/Ukrainian Presidential Press OfficeIrina Venediktova and Ivan Bakanov • Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and SBU chief Ivan Bakanov have been fired from their positions effective Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced by presidential decree, citing a high number of cases of treason among law enforcement and the intelligence service.

Some 651 criminal cases relating to high treason and "collaboration activities" had been registered on law enforcement employees, while more than 60 SBU agents were supposedly "working against our state," Zelensky announced on Sunday, explaining this rationale for firing the senior officials.

Bakanov was removed under Article 47 of the Disciplinary Statute of the Ukrainian military, which refers to failure in official duties "which caused loss of life or other grave consequences or create a threat of such consequences." His replacement has not yet been named.

Venediktova, who had served as Ukraine's prosecutor general since March 2020, has been replaced by Oleksiy Symonenko.

Comment: Zelensky is on a purge - to eliminate slackers and create a diversion for blame. However, cooler heads prevail.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in Sunday's dramatic announcement, claimed that a large numbers of staffers at Kiev's successor to the KGB, the SBU — were working with Russia.

Zelensky claimed the vast "array of crimes," as well as contacts between "employees of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and Russia," are posing "serious questions" to the heads of the respective bodies, he went on, warning that "every such question will get an appropriate answer."
The walk back...according to officials:
Contrary to reports on Sunday night, Ukraine's prosecutor general and Security Service (SBU) chief have been suspended, but no decision has been made on whether to fire them, the office of President Volodymyr Zelensky clarified on Monday.

The deputy head of Zelensky's office, Andrey Smirnov, has now said
"there's currently no talk about firing those two officials. We're talking about suspending the Prosecutor General from office, and the head of the SBU being temporarily barred from his duties."
The move was intended to prevent Venediktova and Bakanov from influencing criminal investigations against staff of their agencies, Smirnov explained, according to Interfax-Ukraine. The probes could end with both the prosecutor general and SBU chief being reinstated, he pointed out.

In a later TV appearance, Smirnov reiterated that Zelensky would decide the future of the two officials only after investigations are concluded.

The deputy head of Zelensky's office rejected speculation that Aleksey Simonenko, who has been appointed acting prosecutor general, is set to keep the role permanently.

"Some politicians should engage in less politics during wartime," he advised.

Smirnov also noted that the president would need approval from the Ukrainian parliament to reshuffle officials in such high-profile positions as prosecutor general or security chief.
Ukraine's parliament had this to say:
Ukraine's parliament has approved a proposal by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to fire Prosecutor-General Iryna Venediktova, two days after he announced he was removing her and another top security official from their posts over dozens of alleged cases of collaboration with Russia by officials at agencies they supervise.

Lawmaker David Arakhamia confirmed on Telegram the July 19 vote in the Verkhovna Rada to support Zelenskiy's move, which has put a spotlight on Kyiv's battle to purge its powerful security agencies of collaborators and Russian agents.

Arakhamia said Venediktova was still part of Zelenskiy's team and that with her experience she "will serve the state in a new place that needs to be strengthened by professional managers and lawyers."

In a related move, the State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) said in a statement on July 19 that the former chief of the SBU's directorate for Crimea, Oleh Kulinich, had been placed in pretrial detention on a charge of high treason. He will remain in custody until at least September 13.

Kulinich, who led the SBU's directorate for Ukraine's Russian-occupied Crimea from October 2020 until March this year, was arrested on July 16 on suspicion of collaboration with Russian secret services. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.


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