Puppet MastersS


Propaganda

I don't always believe CIA narratives. But when I do, I believe them about China

Caitlin Johnstone
Medium
Wed, 22 Jul 2020 06:21 UTC
dos xx
My social media notifications have been lighting up the last few days with virulent Chinagaters sharing a video which purports to show Uighur Muslims being loaded onto a train to be taken to concentration camps. It's actually an old video that had already surfaced last year, but it is magically making the rounds again as a new and shocking revelation in 2020 now that western China hysteria has been officially kicked into high gear, at exactly the same time the US enacts one of the most dangerous and incendiary escalations of recent years in the South China Sea.


Everyone tagging me in this video presents it as a self-evident "gotcha" moment, in exactly the same way Russiagaters spent years tagging me in every HUGE BOMBSHELL WALLS ARE CLOSING IN item of thinly sourced narrative fluff in their debunked conspiracy theory that the Kremlin had infiltrated the highest levels of the US government.

They are one hundred percent certain that the video shows Uighurs being loaded onto a train to go to a concentration camp, solely because that is what the bit of text over the video tells them they are seeing. They aren't looking at the actual data and thinking critically about it, they're looking at the narrative and believing it on blind faith. Which, in a post-Iraq invasion world, is an absolutely insane thing to do when presented with information about a nation that is targeted by the US-centralized empire.
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Hammer

Trump throws down the gauntlet at Oval Office news conference

Seraphim Hanisch
The Duran
Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:00 UTC
Donald Trump
President Trump has enormous media transparency, far more than any president in history. Love him or hate him, his talent at using a hostile media to get his own message out is formidable and apparently quite effective. Here, the President gives a short, ten-minute interview in which he states in very clear terms that the spiraling violence is due to the weakness and complicity of Democrat leaders in major American cities. Of particular note are his own hometown of New York City, and Chicago, both run by extreme liberal radicals, Bill deBlasio and Lori Lightfoot, respectively.

The President also notes the ongoing developments regarding the coronavirus pandemic and efforts towards continued development of therapeutics and a vaccine against the virus. In a previous piece I note that the shifting information narrative about the coronavirus pandemic itself may be the most damaging aspect of the virus, which amazingly, has been "blessing" deadly and violent Black Lives Matter demonstrations while "cursing" Church attendance in the US and elsewhere.

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Better Earth

New Silk Road prepares new paradigm in Latin America

Matthew Ehret
Rising Tide Foundation
Tue, 21 Jul 2020 09:26 UTC
china belt and road
Over the past three years, over 17 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) nations have signed onto the new operating framework of the Belt and Road Initiative which extends far beyond the limited China-to-Europe corridor which many presumed it to be when it was announced in 2013. With its focus on long term planning and inter-connectivity, China is already number one in vital infrastructure investments globally and while not number one in overall trade in the Americas, has now produced over six times more investment into Latin American energy infrastructure than the World Bank.

This new paradigm has been a breath of fresh air for many nations of the south that have been gripped by drug money laundering, poverty, debt slavery and organized crime.

In spite of the 17 nations on board the BRI, the big four powers (Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Columbia) have not yet joined, which has been a frustrating obstacle for the greater vision of integrated infrastructure to blossom. However, in the past few weeks, even this has begun to change.
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Bad Guys

US House approves more baseless sanctions in attempt to stop Nord Stream 2


RFE/RL
Tue, 21 Jul 2020 22:13 UTC
Nord Stream 2
© Reuters/Maxim Shemetov
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an amendment that would impose new sanctions on companies helping Russia complete a controversial natural-gas pipeline to Germany.

The Democratic-controlled House passed the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on July 20.

The NDAA must be approved by the Senate and signed by the president before the new sanctions would become law.

Russia is seeking to complete the construction of the Nord Stream 2 project, which would transport gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea.

European vessels laying the pipeline halted work in December following the first round of U.S. sanctions that specifically targeted their activity.
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X

Trump signs order barring illegal immigrants from census count

Dave Boyer
The Washington Times
Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:00 UTC
Trump, photo
© AP/Evan VucciPresident Trump holds an image of the U.S. border wall between the US and Mexico at Yuma Station, Arizona, June 23, 2020.
President Trump signed an executive action on Tuesday to prevent illegal immigrants from being included in the 2020 census for congressional apportionment, saying the move is needed for "respect for the law and protection of the integrity of the democratic process."

The president said for the purposes of determining the number of House representatives from each state, it will be U.S. policy "to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status."

In the memorandum to the Commerce Department, Mr. Trump said the Constitution does not specifically define which people should be counted every 10 years to determine the number of each state's representatives in the House. The president said:
"Determining which persons should be considered 'inhabitants' for the purpose of apportionment requires the exercise of judgment. The discretion delegated to the executive branch to determine who qualifies as an 'inhabitant' includes authority to exclude from the apportionment base aliens who are not in a lawful immigration status."
Democrats blasted the move as anti-immigrant.

Comment: It is not, as the Democrats claim, an anti-immigrant policy. There is nothing in Trump's order that refers to 'silencing' or 'disempowering Latino/persons of color'.

According to Whitehouse.gov:
"We will collect all of the information we need to conduct an accurate census and to make responsible decisions about public policy, voting rights, and representation in Congress." -President Donald J. Trump

PROTECTING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY: President Donald J. Trump is taking action to prevent illegal aliens from being counted in the 2020 census for the purpose of apportionment.
  • President Trump is issuing a memorandum clarifying that illegal aliens are not to be included for the purpose of apportionment of Representatives following the 2020 census.
  • This follows the President's order directing the Federal government to collect the information needed to ensure that accurate citizenship data is compiled in connection with the census.
  • Giving congressional representation and political influence to illegal aliens - people who have blatantly disregarded our laws - would be a perversion of our democratic principles.
  • Allowing illegal aliens to be counted for the purpose of apportionment could also create perverse incentives - such as potentially rewarding states that encourage violations of Federal immigration law - that would undermine our system of government.
  • President Trump will never allow our democracy to be eroded by giving congressional representation to illegal aliens when the Constitution does not require it.
UPHOLDING CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES: Excluding illegal aliens
  • President Trump is issuing a memorandum clarifying that illegal aliens are not to be included for the purpose of apportionment of Representatives following the 2020 census.
  • This follows the President's order directing the Federal government to collect the information needed to ensure that accurate citizenship data is compiled in connection with the census.
  • Giving congressional representation and political influence to illegal aliens - people who have blatantly disregarded our laws - would be a perversion of our democratic principles.
  • Allowing illegal aliens to be counted for the purpose of apportionment could also create perverse incentives - such as potentially rewarding states that encourage violations of Federal immigration law - that would undermine our system of government.
  • President Trump will never allow our democracy to be eroded by giving congressional representation to illegal aliens when the Constitution does not require it.
UPHOLDING CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES: Excluding illegal aliens for the purpose of apportionment reflects a better understanding of our Constitution and democratic principles.
  • The Constitution does not specifically define which persons must be included for the purposes of apportionment and requires only that Representatives be apportioned according to what has long been understood to mean the "inhabitants" of each State.
  • Under the law, Congress and the President are required to make judgments concerning which persons should be considered inhabitants of a State for the purpose of apportionment.
    • For example, people only temporarily in the United States, such as those only in the country for business or tourism, have long been excluded from this count.
    • Likewise, overseas military and other Federal personnel have at times been included in and excluded from the populations of states where they maintain homes of record.
  • As the Supreme Court recognized in Franklin v. Massachusetts, inclusion in the apportionment base may require "more than mere physical presence," including "some element of allegiance or enduring tie to a place."
  • Failure to exclude illegal immigrants for the purposes of apportionment would have major ramifications and could cause some American citizens to be proportionally underrepresented.
    • Estimates suggest that one State - home to more than 2.2 million illegal aliens - could receive two or three more congressional seats than would otherwise be allocated.
PRIORITIZING AMERICANS: President Trump is always working to put American citizens first.
  • After years of neglect, President Trump is restoring the rule of law, securing our border, and protecting our Nation's communities.
  • The President is reversing disastrous trade deals that shipped our jobs overseas and is replacing them with better deals, like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
  • To give American workers first priority in our coronavirus recovery, the President has extended and expanded the suspension of certain visas through the end of the year.
  • The President is also ensuring that immigrants to our country are self-sufficient and do not strain American's public welfare or healthcare systems.


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Red Flag

Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile shut down Trump campaign texting program

Sean Moran
Breitbart
Mon, 20 Jul 2020 19:45 UTC
trump
© AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile temporarily shut down President Donald Trump's campaign texting program, which serves as a cornerstone of the president's digital platform.

Politico reported on Monday that Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T flagged "potential regulatory problems" with the Trump campaign's messaging operation. Within "Trump's orbit," many continue to speculate that big tech companies "are looking to influence the election" against the president.

Trump recently accused Twitter and Facebook of censoring conservatives, and Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son, contended that Google's Gmail platform is sending Trump campaign emails to voters' spam folders.

Republican operatives have said that email and text messaging lists are some of the most vital parts of a campaign apparatus.
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Dig

Grab a shovel, America! This election season the fake news, hoaxes, tell-all books are flowing fast down the pipe

Robert Bridge
RT
Mon, 20 Jul 2020 18:49 UTC
keyboard
© Getty Images / Peter Dazeley
Amid an epic political battle for the White House, Americans can no longer believe what they read and hear in the media. This is a dangerous reality for the nation, which needs accurate information to meet a flurry of challenges.

Every four years, the US mainstream media should be required to carry a surgeon general's warning on its TV and print publications that states:
'Consuming mainstream media in an election year may critically impair a voter's ability to make rational decisions due to skewed information. Use at your own discretion.'
Anyone who doubts that statement may wish to consider the impressive hatchet job that CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta performed last week when quoting White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.


Comment: See also:
CNN's Acosta mangles WH quote on science and reopening schools, correction after misleading tweet goes viral

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Arrow Down

Russia report: Inquiry into potential Brexit vote interference rejected by UK government

Rob Merrick
Independent
Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:00 UTC
Putin/Brexit fans
© Getty ImagesRussian President Vladimir Putin • Brexit supporters
The intelligence committee's call for an urgent investigation into "potential" Russian interference in the Brexit referendum has been dismissed by ministers within one hour.

Dominic Raab rejected the demand, claiming: "A retrospective assessment of the EU referendum is not necessary." The foreign secretary's statement was issued despite the long-suppressed report arguing the security services must launch the probe - and release it in full to the public.

Boris Johnson was told it was an "outrage that no-one wanted to know if there was interference" and of not "wanting to touch the issue with a 10-foot pole." But Mr Raab said:
"We have seen no evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum.

"The intelligence and security agencies produce and contribute to regular assessments of the threat posed by hostile state activity, including around potential interference in UK democratic processes.

"Where new information emerges, the government will always consider the most appropriate use of any intelligence it develops or receives, including whether it is appropriate to make this public."
However, the foreign secretary went on to insist a fresh inquiry was "not necessary" - risking a furious backlash from the committee, after it was finally allowed to speak out.

Comment: Russia has become the political punching bag for 'no fault' governments in all things controversial, with obviously no end in sight.


In addition to Britain, there is 'credible commentary' claiming Russia meddled in the Scottish vote two years ago:
"In response to our request for written evidence at the outset of the inquiry, MI5 initially provided just six lines of text. It stated that ***, before referring to academic studies," the redacted version reads, adding that "the government was slow to recognize the existence of the threat."

The report did, however, say Russia attempted to interfere in a 2014 independence referendum in Scotland.

"There has been credible open-source commentary suggesting that Russia undertook influence campaigns in relation to the Scottish independence referendum in 2014," the report says.

The Scottish referendum, a closely fought contest that divided the country and drew attention worldwide, narrowly failed, with 55.3 percent voting against independence while 44.7 percent backed it.

Russia has constantly denied meddling in the affairs of any other sovereign nation, often meeting accusations of interfering with claims of anti-Russian sentiment.

Analysts say Russia apparently saw a "yes" vote in the Scottish plebiscite as a way of justifying its own annexation of Crimea earlier in 2014, after a hastily arranged "referendum" condemned by the West.

"Russia has never interfered in the electoral process in the United States, the United Kingdom, or any other country. We don't do such things and we won't tolerate other countries' attempts to interfere in our political affairs," Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said on July 21.
The people of Crimea welcomed Russian annexation of Crimea with well over 90% approval. It needed no justification, except in the twisted minds of the West looking for easy leverage.

See also: Why Brexit really was anything but a Russian revolution

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Stop

Britain suspends Hong Kong extradition treaty


dw.com
Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00 UTC
police/bus Hong Kong
© The Balkantimes Press/W.Siawillie Siau/AP/Reuters
British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab expressed concerns over the new Hong Kong security law. China warned that the UK was heading down the "wrong path," not long after sidelining Huawei from its future 5G network.

The United Kingdom has suspended its extradition treaty "immediately and indefinitely" with Hong Kong after China implemented a new security law, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said on Monday.

The move makes the UK the fourth country after Canada, Australia and the United States to suspend its extradition agreement with the partly autonomous Chinese city.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Raab called the suspension a "reasonable and proportionate response" and called the security law "a clear and serious violation" of the UK-China joint declaration that returned Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

"The imposition of this new national security legislation has changed key assumptions underpinning our extradition treaty arrangements with Hong Kong," Raab said.

Comment: See also:



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Arrow Up

Egypt's parliament approves deployment of troops to secure 'western front' and intervene in Libyan war


RT
Tue, 21 Jul 2020 01:29 UTC
Egyptian military vehicle
© Reuters/Amir Abdallah DaishEgyptian military vehicle on patrol
The Egyptian parliament has approved the deployment of armed forces abroad to fight "terrorist groups" and "criminal militias." The move comes amid repeated threats from Cairo to openly intervene in the Libyan conflict.

The deployment of troops to the "strategic western front" was greenlighted by the country's legislators on Monday. The military would be used to protect national security and battle "terrorist groups" and "criminal militias," the legislators said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi and his US counterpart Donald Trump agreed in a phone call on the need to maintain a ceasefire in Libya and to avoid an escalation between the forces fighting there, the presidency in Cairo said.

The parliament's approval did not give any time frame or explicitly mention any country in particular where the troops could be deployed. However, the situation on Egypt's "western front" - in Libya - has been especially explosive lately.

Comment: Libya keeps paying the price as more nations become engaged within its borders to stake self-serving claims in its outcome. Middle East conflicts do not resolve easily and the ongoing wars merely expend lives and resources with minimal returns.

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