Puppet MastersS


Vader

Good luck with that: Mattis says Syria's Assad eventually will have to be 'managed out of power'


Sputnik
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 17:11 UTC
Bashar Assad
© Reuters/SANASyrian President Bashar Assad
Syrian President Bashar Assad will ultimately have to be "managed out of power" because he lost credibility, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis said during a discussion at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.

"We see the reason that I think eventually Assad will have to be managed out of power," Mattis said on Tuesday. "I don't think any election run under the offices of the Syrian regime is going to have any credibility with the Syrian people or with the international community."

The United States is committed to supporting local forces in Syria and finding the settlement through the Geneva process, Mattis added.

Comment: Mattis' "vacuum" that he is so worried about is actually Syria reclaiming the territory that rightfully belongs to the country. By propping up the Kurdish SDF in their sham offensive against a miniscule pocket of ISIS in southeastern Deir Ezzor, the US maintains control of Syria's richest oil and gas fields. Which was always the point, with the added bonus of having a strategic drop on Iran. However, at this point in time it seems the only way Assad will be 'managed out of power' is when he chooses to retire. Those who've tried to force him out by various means have not fared well.
assad must go
© Twitter


Read More...
Attention

Sabotage? Russia's largest floating dock sinks, tower crane makes hole in nation's sole aircraft carrier


RT
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 16:45 UTC
Russian Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser
© Sergey Eshenko / SputnikRussian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov
Four workers were injured and one is missing as Russia's largest floating dock quickly went underwater. Its tower crane fell 15 meters, crashing on the country's only aircraft carrier and piercing a hole in its hull.

The incident occurred at a shipyard in the port city of Murmansk in northwest Russia, where the aircraft carrier 'Admiral Kuznetsov' was undergoing planned repair and maintenance. The ship was parked in the floating dry dock PD-50. It could hold up to 80,000 tons, and was considered one of the largest floating docks in the world, as well as Russia's largest.

Things went wrong on Tuesday after a short circuit on the shore suddenly shut down the dock's pumps. Once that happened, the tanks were quickly filled with water, and the massive structure began to submerge, the shipyard's spokesman told TASS news agency.

Comment: One must start to wonder at the spate of bad luck Russia is having with regard to major infrastructure.

Alarming: Russia says drilled hole in International Space Station was intentional

Read More...
Info

Kremlin sees no reason to question Saudi royals' statements on Khashoggi case


TASS
Fri, 26 Oct 2018 16:21 UTC
Saudi Arabia consul general residence in Istanbul
© AP Photo/Lefteris PitarakisSaudi Arabia consul general residence in Istanbul
Kremlin sees no grounds to question the Saudi Royal Family's statements on its non-involvement in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

He dismissed as inappropriate reporters' question whether the Kremlin believed the Saudi Royal Family was not involved in the journalist's murder.

"There is the king's official statement, there is the crown prince's official statement. Actually, no one should have any grounds not to believe (them)," the Kremlin spokesman stressed.

According to Peskov, the Kremlin welcomes Riyadh's determination to thoroughly investigate Khashoggi's murder. "Russia's stance has been outlined by [President Vladimir] Putin. We heard the Royal Family's statements condemning this murder, stressing that the Royal Family was not involved in that. All the rest is a matter of investigation, and the Royal Family itself wants that too. We welcome that," he stressed.

Comment: That's the diplomatic approach: it offers the King the opportunity to save face. And it might also be correct, too: Saudi Royals reviewing options for replacement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Read More...
Russian Flag

India agrees to buy Russian S-400 in rubles, not dollars


RT
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 16:09 UTC
S-400
© Alexander Nemenov / AFPA Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile launching system
The contract between Moscow and New Delhi on supplies of Russian S-400 air defense systems will be settled in rubles, according to Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov.

The move comes as Moscow intensified recent efforts to make de-dollarization of the Russian economy one of the main pillars of its policy. The Kremlin is looking for an alternative to the US dollar in mutual settlements with international partners. The key point of the plan is to make it more profitable for Russian exporters and importers to use rubles instead of dollars.

Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin said safety and security of the economy was the major driver behind the decision to eliminate the role of the US dollar. The measure reportedly comes amid threats from Washington to cut Russia off from dollar transactions and hit Russia's sovereign bonds with another round of sanctions.

The Indian government has been increasing military cooperation with Russia. In early October, Russia and India agreed on supplies of Russia's S-400 missile systems worth $5.4 billion. The deal was clinched during Putin's two-day visit to New Delhi. The country is also reportedly planning to buy Russian T-14 Armata tanks and guided-missile frigates, and could potentially develop submarines and next-generation fighter jets in cooperation with Russia.

Comment: See also:

Read More...
Monkey Wrench

As deadline to implement Iranian sanctions looms, Washington now in disagreement over 'hardline' approach

Nick Cunningham
OilPrice.com
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 01:00 UTC
Iran oil tanker fleet
© Reuters / Umit Bektas
The deadline for implementation of US sanctions on Iran is just days away, and the Trump administration is having second thoughts about how hard to press the Islamic Republic.

More accurately, there seems to be disagreement from within the Trump administration. According to the Wall Street Journal, Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin is leaning towards a more cautious approach, which would mean refraining from punishing the European Union for its efforts at keeping business ties alive with Tehran.

One of the key issues is the use of SWIFT, a financial-messaging service that is critical to global finance. SWIFT helps process international financial payments, and the cooperation of SWIFT during the prior round of Iran sanctions between 2012 and 2016 was critical in isolating Tehran.

This time around, Europe is resisting the US' "maximum pressure" campaign. The EU is forbidding European companies from complying with US sanctions, although the measure is mostly toothless.

Nevertheless, top officials from within the Trump administration are at odds over how far to go. "Our objective is to make sure that financial institutions do not process sanctioned transactions," Mnuchin told the WSJ last week. The Treasury Department is "having very specific discussions with SWIFT," Mnuchin said, before adding that "I will use all the tools in my power to make sure that sanctioned transactions do not occur."

Comment: Countries in need of Iranian oil will find ways to circumvent sanctions; the US establishment may be surprised to discover it can no longer command loyalty.

Read More...
Attention

Cuban crisis 2.0? Moscow ponders reactivating old military bases in Cuba after US INF pullout


RT
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:36 UTC
Kennedy Cuban missile crisis tv broadcast
© Reuters / Brian SnyderA display shows excerpts to US President John F. Kennedy's October 22, 1962 televised address about the Cuban Missile Crisis
Moscow's response to Trump's plans to quit the INF treaty could be to reinstall military bases in Cuba, the State Duma defense committee head said. He also predicted "a new Cuban crisis" if the US and Russia fail to come to terms.

The US is planning to walk away from the crucial Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, and Russia's response may well be in the spirit of those times - namely, reactivating military facilities in Cuba. That is according to Vladimir Shamanov, the head of the State Duma defense committee and a former Airborne Troops commander.

Indeed, the Cuban government has to allow the Russian military back, and this is more about politics than defense issues, Shamanov speculated.

Comment: Of course this latest possibility will be spun as more evidence of "Russian aggression", when in fact it is a logical, defensive response to moves initiated by the Empire.

Read More...
Jet5

Oops: Germany figures out that most of its military equipment is inoperative

Paul Antonopoulos
Fort Russ News
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:21 UTC
German Defense Secretary Peter Tauber said only one-third of military equipment adopted in service in 2017 could be considered to be in good condition, according to the German daily Stuttgarter Nachrichten.

Of the 97 combat vehicles delivered, only 38 are fully operational, representing about 37% of the total number. Meanwhile, the Bundeswehr intends to increase the military readiness rate by up to 70%.

"We, as always, think that the industry is obliged to reach the indexes indicated as soon as possible," according to the report of Stuttgart , according to Stuttgarter Nachrichten .
Read More...
No Entry

Moscow finalizing retaliatory sanctions bill against Ukrainian companies and individuals


RT
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 13:37 UTC
Vladimir Putin sanctions ukraine
© Kremlin.ruPutin’s decree says the decision was made "in response to Ukraine’s unfriendly actions, related to the introduction of restrictive measures against citizens and legal entities of the Russian Federation," as well as to “protect national interests."
The Russian government is finalizing work on a sanctions bill against Ukraine. This comes in retaliation to Kiev's economic restrictions against Moscow.

The sanctions will affect 360 Ukrainian companies and more than 50 individuals, a source in the Russian government told local media.

"In the near future, the document will be handed over to the head of government for signing, and published after the signing," the source told reporters. The incoming sanctions could be canceled if Ukraine revokes its sanctions against Russian nationals and companies.

The source added that the list will contain many interesting discoveries for Ukrainian citizens. According to the source, some Ukrainian top officials have radical views about Russia but don't mind having business in the country.

Comment: Ordinary Ukrainians have been paying a heavy price for their government's willingness to be a US vassal simply to thwart Russia.

Read More...
Brick Wall

Pentagon: 'We can and will send more than the initial 5,200 troops to keep migrant caravan from entering US'


RT
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 10:55 UTC
US Army US Mexico border
© FILE PHOTO Instagram / US Army photo / 1st Lt. Ryan DeBooyThe US soldiers which are being positioned with weapons, the general said, will undergo special training about the permitted use of force against illegals, noting that the rules for the interaction will be “consistent with CBP.”
The need to allocate more troops to secure the US southern border against caravans of illegal aliens will likely stretch beyond the announced deployment figure, the Pentagon said, as the first 1,000 troops arrived at the frontier.

While the Pentagon still has little clue about the composition of the so-called migrant caravans heading to the US from Central America via Mexico, the US Northern Command is willing to throw in more power to achieve their objective.

"I can tell you 5,239 is not the top line," General Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Commander of US Northern Command told reporters on Tuesday. "What I can confirm is that there will be additional force over and above the 5,239."

"The magnitude of that difference I don't have an answer for now because we don't know what that answer is," the general added.

Comment: Here's a question: why is it ok for the US to send the army to protect its borders from a wave of migrants, but not the EU, or individual EU countries?

Read More...
Clipboard

No more anchor babies? Trump vows to nullify birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants with executive order


RT
Wed, 31 Oct 2018 14:28 UTC
baby in stroller
© Reuters / Hannah McKay
President Donald Trump said that the US Constitution does not guarantee the right to citizenship to everyone born in the country and doubled down on his promise to end the practice.

Trump wrote in a Twitter post:
So-called Birthright Citizenship, which costs our Country billions of dollars and is very unfair to our citizens, will be ended one way or the other. It is not covered by the 14th Amendment because of the words 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof.' Many legal scholars agree.....
In a follow-up tweet, Trump referenced former Democratic Senator Harry Reid's 1993 calim that "no sane country" would award birthright citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants, and vowed that the issue will be "settled by the United States Supreme Court."

Comment: Anchor baby population in U.S. exceeds one year of American births

Read More...