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Snakes in Suits

Iran's FM Zarif says he was sanctioned by US after refusing invite to White House


Sputnik
Tue, 06 Aug 2019 05:40 UTC
Zarif
© AP Photo / Richard Drew
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said Monday that he was sanctioned by the United States after refusing to visit the White House for talks earlier in July.

Zarif said in his twitter account that sanctions against him are an "example of US tactics" aimed towards "Iran's submission."

Sanctions against Zarif were announced by the Trump Administration last week. The Treasury Department said in a statement that it imposed sanctions on Zarif because he "acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran." The sanctions aim to freeze all of Zarif's US assets and prohibit any US person or entity from dealings with him.

Comment: Pepe Escobar commented that Zarif refused to attend the White House knowing that nothing would come from the meeting and that Iran was merely being used for a photo-op:

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Star of David

Best of the Web: Magnier: War no longer an option for Israel after failures in Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Yemen

Elijah J. Magnier
ejmagnier.com
Sun, 04 Aug 2019 02:28 UTC
lebanon war
During the summer war of 2006, Israel managed to destroy a large number of Hezbollah's rocket and missile stocks. Most Hezbollah missile units were destroyed and, in the suburb of the capital Beirut, over 250 buildings (mainly but not exclusively hosting Hezbollah offices, warehouses and officers' homes) were flattened by Israeli precision bombs targeting Hezbollah (and many civilians) in the suburbs of Beirut. Hundreds of houses were completely destroyed in the south of Lebanon. However, Israel was unable to fulfil its objectives due to the defeat of its infantry which faced harsh resistance and was unable to push deep inland. Moreover, the Kornet anti-tank laser-guided missiles and the "Nour" anti-ship missiles of Hezbollah surprised the enemy, indicating a serious lack of Israeli intelligence and confirming Hezbollah's strong fighting abilities.

Thirteen years later, the failure of US and Israeli policy in the region means it is no longer possible for Israel to contemplate a direct confrontation with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The US and Israel failed to achieve four main goals: regime change in Syria, the partition of Iraq, the defeat of the Houthis in Yemen, the Palestinian "deal of the century". Added to this, Israeli-US rejection of any fair Palestinian state has strengthened Palestinian resolve against Israel.

Israel has increased its firepower and military capabilities, but Hezbollah also moved from being a tactical local organisation to becoming a strategic player in the Middle East. The group's superior fighting abilities have been enhanced by new military hardware. This has had the effect of rendering war in the Middle East unlikely any time in the near (or medium-term) future.

Comment: That's what one might call a mighty big miscalculation on behalf of the U.S.-Israeli alliance. Better yet, a series of miscalculations. Unfortunately, millions have had to die in the process. But if Magnier's analysis and prediction is true, it's at least a small victory. The economic war will continue, however. With any luck, there will be miscalculations on that front, too.

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Info

Trump condemns 'racism, bigotry, white supremacy' after weekend shootings - proposes tighter gun control tied to immigration reform

Shannon Pettypiece and Adam Edelman
NBC News
Mon, 05 Aug 2019 01:42 UTC
Donald Trump
© AP Photo/ Susan Walsh
President Donald Trump condemned "racism, bigotry and white supremacy" in a televised address to the nation Monday after a devastating and bloody weekend left at least 30 people dead in two mass shootings in less than 24 hours.

"These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America," the president said from the White House. "Hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart and devours the soul."

Just before the first attack in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday morning, the suspect — identified by police as a 21-year-old white man from the Dallas area — posted a diatribe against immigrants in Texas, a senior law enforcement official told NBC News. He also pushed talking points about preserving European identity in America.

The president did not specifically condemn anti-immigrant rhetoric on Monday, instead blaming violent video games and mental illness for the scourge of mass shootings that have been a steady drumbeat throughout his presidency. It is unclear if either of those factors played a role in the Texas shooting or the second attack early Sunday morning in Dayton, Ohio.

Trump also voiced support for stronger death penalty legislation for those who commit mass shootings, putting additional resources and new tools toward helping to identify early warning signs before shooters act, and reforming mental health laws.

"Mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun," he said.

Comment: For more updates on the El Paso and Dayton shootings, see:

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Arrow Down

Trade relations spiral downward as Washington formally designates China a currency manipulator

Doug Palmer
Politico
Mon, 05 Aug 2019 23:40 UTC
Trump China Trade War
© Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump recently announced he would be setting a 10 percent tariff on another $300 billion worth of Chinese goods after earlier imposing a 25 percent tax on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports.
The United States took the rare step on Monday of formally labeling China a currency manipulator, as trade relations between the two countries continued to spiral downward following President Donald Trump's decision last week to impose additional tariffs on Chinese goods.

"In recent days, China has taken concrete steps to devalue its currency, while maintaining substantial foreign exchange reserves despite active use of such tools in the past," the Treasury Department said in a statement that followed the People's Bank of China's decision to let its currency, the renminbi, fall to the lowest level in more than a decade.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made the determination acting "under the auspices of President Trump," the department said. Mnuchin will now "engage with the International Monetary Fund to eliminate the unfair competitive advantage created by China's latest actions," it added.

Previous administrations have been loathe to label China a currency manipulator, arguing it was better to work with other countries to put diplomatic pressure on Beijing. The last time Treasury designated any country as a currency manipulator was in the early 1990s, when China was named.

Comment: With the trade war intensifying, a wave of panic has erupted in financial markets initiating a rush to safe-haven assets:

Global markets are in panic mode — sparking a wave of investment into gold, bonds and currencies

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Hourglass

Rise and fall of superhero Robert Mueller

Matt Taibbi
taibbi.substack.com
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00 UTC
'Robert Mueller'
© DonkeyHoteyCaricature of Robert Mueller
The testimony of Robert Mueller should have marked the end of a national nightmare. Instead, a new legend was born.

The change came in the space of a single news cycle. Beginning before and ending after the congressional testimony of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the depth of America's faith-based mania was laid bare. The Russiagate press managed to turn reality all the way around.

In the moment, while the event was being broadcast live, the assessment of the ex-FBI director's performance as a congressional witness was nearly unanimous. Mueller was a confused, vulnerable human being, not an indefatigable force.

"Very, very painful," said longtime Democratic strategist David Axelrod.

"I don't know what the #Dems were expecting from #RobertMueller, but this probably isn't it," tweeted Howard Fineman.

"Mueller is struggling," former prosecutor and Mueller subordinate Glenn Kirchner commented during the event. "It strikes me as a health issue."

This was a monstrous indictment of media. The Special Counsel's inability to follow questions or remember key details (he was "not familiar" with oppo firm Fusion-GPS!) exploded two years of hype.

Comment: Well done and worth the read!

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Blue Planet

Protectionism, there is an upside

Serban V.C. Enache
The Duran
Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00 UTC
Trump Xi
© UnknownChinese President Xi Jinping • US President Donald Trump
While everyone is bemoaning the US Administration raising tariffs on the 'usual suspects' and placing new tariffs on new players, like India, nobody's talking about the situation's upside or the upside's potential to grow over time.

We constantly hear the mainstream bang in our heads the importance of trade, international trade in particular - bilateral agreements being seen as out of fashion. But we rarely hear the domestic market being brought up at all. Aren't countries exposing themselves to numerous risks of varying degrees and different natures by allowing the unhindered flow of international capital to dictate their fate? Aren't we, the people at grassroots, tired of politicians apologizing to trans-national companies about how they can't give them sufficient tax breaks and other privileges in order to sway them to dismantle operations somewhere else and open them up here? Aren't we tired with corporations outsourcing every little thing? Aren't we tired of the narrow-minded focus on lowering costs while completely ignoring the necessity of giving people good jobs that pay big wages, from which workers can spend enough to secure better lives [without needing to use credit cards] while also allowing them to leave some money idle on their balance sheet for rainy days? [i.e. to postpone consumption into the future]. The home market is the most important of any nation, and for decades the prevailing orthodoxy is that capital knows best, that capital subservient to the Globalist outlook of world affairs.
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Attention

Putin: US quitting INF unleashes 'fundamental risks' for all in potential 'unrestrained' arms race


RT
Mon, 05 Aug 2019 13:32 UTC
banned missiles
© Global Look Press/Rüdiger Schrader/WikipediaINF-banned munitions: Pershing II missile • Soviet SS-20 IRBM
Russia won't be the first to deploy INF-banned munitions and will act only in response to potential US actions, President Vladimir Putin has said, warning that the US decision to withdraw risks an "unrestricted" arms race. He cautioned on Monday:
"The unilateral withdrawal from the INF treaty by the US, destruction of one of the basic documents on arms control, based on an imaginary pretext, has seriously complicated the situation in the world, [and] created fundamental risks for everyone."
The decision to ditch the landmark 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty will hark back to other accords on strategic nuclear weaponry and non-proliferation, he added. If the system crumbles, it will give way to an arms race and world-wide "chaos without any rules, restrictions, and laws."

Comment: See also:

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Briefcase

OAN sent 'Cease and Desist' notices to MSNBC, Rachel Maddow, Daily Beast, Kevin Poulson - lawsuits may follow

Cassandra Fairbanks
Gateway Pundit
Mon, 29 Jul 2019 00:00 UTC
Cease and Desist
© MSNBC/the ohiostar.com
One America News has sent Cease and Desist notices and demands for retraction to Rachel Maddow, MSNBC, The Daily Beast and its reporter Kevin Poulson over their claims that the network is a "paid Russian propaganda operation."

The notices to retract warned that if they do not comply with the conditions sent to them by August 15, 2019, they "will recommend that our client pursue all legal avenues to protect its interests, including damages and attorneys' fees and costs incurred as a result of your actions."

Miller Barondess, LLP, the law firm representing OAN, a pro-Trump right-wing network, wrote that Maddow and the others "maliciously slandered OAN" and asserted that they have never taken money from any foreign government, including Russia. The letter to Maddow states:
"The assertion that OAN is paid to disseminate propaganda on behalf of a foreign government is more than a mere falsehood — it amounts to an accusation of treason. Your comments were beyond the pale and unbecoming of a reporter at any respectable news organization.

"It also appears that the unwarranted attack on OAN was retaliation for OAN's suggestion that Comcast is refusing to carry it for non-business reasons. On July 15, 2019, Charles Herring emailed Gregory Rigdon, the President of Content Acquisition for Comcast. Herring made the compelling business case for adding OAN and also stated his concern that Comcast is refusing to carry OAN because OAN's coverage 'generally counters the voice of MSNBC.' Exactly one week after that email, MSNBC's number one show opens with a hit piece on OAN. This does not appear to be a mere coincidence. Tellingly, nobody at MSNBC or Comcast made any effort to reach out to OAN for comment prior to airing the defamatory statements."

Comment: More from The Ohio Star 30/7/2019:
Poulsen wrote July 22, in which he referred to OANN as being endorsed by President Donald Trump:
"Kremlin propaganda sometimes sneaks into Rouz's segments on unrelated matters, dropped in as offhand background information."... "If the stories broadcast by the Trump-endorsed One America News Network sometimes look like outtakes from a Kremlin trolling operation, there may be a reason. One of the on-air reporters at the 24-hour network is a Russian national on the payroll of the Kremlin's official propaganda outlet, Sputnik."
The article also reads that OANN is:
"increasingly dedicated to conspiracy theories and fake news, and became overtly supportive of Russia's global agenda."
Maddow described OANN as a
"boutique, little news outlet that is designed specifically for Trump mega-fans. It's called One America ... News Network."
She referred to The Daily Beast article during her show.
"We literally learned today that that outlet that the president is promoting shares staff with the Kremlin," Maddow said July 22. "I mean, what? It's an easy thing to throw out ... 'Hey, that looks like Russian propaganda.' In this case, the most obsequiously pro-Trump right-wing news outlet in America really, literally is paid Russian propaganda."
OANN's lawyers have given Maddow and The Daily Beast until Aug. 15 to retract its statements, according to the cease-and-desist requests.


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Target

Bellingcat founder unloads 4,000-word assault on Tulsi Gabbard for questioning Syria chem attacks


RT
Sun, 04 Aug 2019 20:56 UTC
Higgins/Gabbard
© Reuters/Simon Dawson/Reuters/Lucas JacksonElliot Higgins • Tulsi Gabbard
Running as an anti-war candidate in the US comes with a target painted on your back that draws fire from those rooting for foreign interventions. In [the] case of Tulsi Gabbard, it includes a lengthy piece on chemical attacks in Syria.

Gabbard, a Democratic presidential hopeful, became the most-googled candidate during the second primary debate - but the surge of public interest came with renewed attacks against her anti-interventionist agenda. In case you've missed it all, Gabbard has been branded a 'Russian' spoiler for whichever candidate is eventually picked, and, once again, an apologist for Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Joining the chorus of bashers on Sunday was Elliot Higgins, the founder of the UK-based 'citizen investigation' outlet Bellingcat, who wrote a whopping 4,000-word piece attacking Gabbard's negative attitude toward regime change wars. In particular, Higgins didn't like her skepticism over chemical weapons attacks in Syria reflected on her campaign website. The attacks were used by Washington to justify missile attacks against the country's government - and by extension continued illegal US military presence in the country.

Comment: See also:

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Document

DOJ to release Bruce Ohr 302 reports, other docs this week

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Sun, 04 Aug 2019 12:35 UTC
Simpson/Ohrs
© Getty Images; AP; The Epoch Times; Photo illustration The Epoch TimesNellie Ohr • Glenn Simpson • Bruce Ohr
The DOJ will release a cache of FBI documents early next week related to Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, who - along with his CIA-linked wife Nellie, had extensive interactions with Christopher Steele during the period in which the FBI was using the former British spy's fabricated dossier against the Trump campaign.

In a court filing submitted last Thursday, Justice Department lawyers said the agency will provide FBI notes of interviews conducted with Ohr to Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group that sued for the records last year.

Justice Department lawyers said the agency had initially determined that the Ohr transcripts, known as 302s, should be withheld in full. But "after further review in conjunction with DOJ's preparation of its motion for summary judgment, DOJ has decided to release the requested records in part to Plaintiff," the lawyers said.

"DOJ will make this release to Plaintiff by August 5, 2019." -Daily Caller

Comment: More from Washington Examiner 2/8/2019:
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton appeared optimistic about what might be learned next week, tweeting out that the news was "huge" and that "key Bruce Ohr 302 FBI reports on his coup cabal contacts with Christopher Steele are to be released to Judicial Watch imminently."

In September 2018, Trump directed the DOJ to declassify a series of investigative documents including "all FBI reports of interviews with Bruce G. Ohr prepared in connection with the Russia investigation." But a few days later he seemed to walk back that order in a follow-up tweet. It now looks like Judicial Watch's lawsuit might result in that info coming out, even if Trump backed down.
See also:

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