Puppet MastersS


Attention

Why this Iraq war vet has created panic within the Democratic Party

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Sat, 12 Jan 2019 16:15 UTC
Tulsi Gabbard
© UnknownCongresswoman and Army reserve officer Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii
Hawaiian Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard's just announced 2020 presidential bid has unleashed fury from both the right and the left, but more so from within her own party, and especially from corners long focused on regime change in Syria and who generally lobby for a more muscular "boots on the ground" foreign policy from Ukraine to Syria to Afghanistan. Some pundits have already gone so far as to say"keep an eye on her finances," suggesting illegal foreign campaign funding through Damascus or Moscow.

Both neocons and liberal interventionists alike have united to slam the anti-war progressive as "Assad's mouthpiece in Washington" and an "Assad apologist" and of course there's the customary "Putin puppet" slur - the latter because as journalist Michael Tracey puts it, she "hasn't been sufficiently Russiagate-crazy for Democrats".

The former charge was regularly sounded after her early 2017 trip to Damascus to meet privately with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a diplomatic gesture to personally investigate the West's regime change efforts and its consequences for the Syrian people. The move was slammed by fellow Congressional Democrats, who raised questions over possible violation of the Logan Act.

Funny enough as a mixed race far-left congresswoman (of American Samoan descent), Hindu, and US Army reserve officer one would think she would be lionized by the left given her "impeccable identity-politics bona fides". But her unforgivable sin? She's long made it a central goal of her political career to "end America's interventionist wars of regime change that have cost our nation trillions of dollars and thousands of lives," for which she's introduced Syria-related resolutions in Congress toward that end.

Comment: Tulsi Gabbard is a breath of fresh air with a conscience, not afraid to speak up. Translation: She is the new target on both sides of the political aisle.
See also:

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Attention

Tehran claims it is designing 'modern' uranium fuel, enriched above nuclear deal limitations


RT
Sun, 13 Jan 2019 21:50 UTC
Iran nuclear
© My Future America
Iran is "on the verge" of producing fuel made up of highly enriched uranium, Iran's top nuclear power official said. While it hasn't reached weapons-grade level, the new fuel might still cross a line set by the 2015 nuclear deal.

"Initial steps have been taken to create modern 20 percent [enriched uranium] fuel and we are on the verge [of producing it]," the head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization (AEOI), Ali Akbar Salehi, told local media on Sunday. He added that the Islamic Republic can now create new types of nuclear fuel on its own and no longer needs to rely on reverse-engineering of foreign technologies.

The new product would be "different" from the 20 percent enriched uranium fuel, which had previously been produced in Iran and could be used to "supply fuel to any reactor similar to the Tehran Research Reactor," Salehi said. He also pointed to significant advances in reactor development, saying that "designing a reactor has now become a very possible task for the Iranian experts."

Twenty-percent enrichment is at the lower scale of the boundary set for what is known as highly enriched uranium. While this level is still far lower than the one used in nuclear weapons - where it exceeds 80 percent - such fuel is still considered dangerous as it can be potentially be used as a nuclear explosive material.

Comment: How will those countries still in the JCPOA view this new development? While Iran is still within range and confines of the agreement, it is certainly giving indications that may signal concern.

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USA

US remains in Syria to help PYD strike better deal with Damascus


Sputnik
Sun, 13 Jan 2019 16:44 UTC
Kurds hide caves
© Sputnik/Mikhail AlaeddinKurdish villagers hide in caves.
The United States is likely to maintain its military presence in Syria long enough to allow the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) to negotiate an acceptable deal with the Syrian government, member of the Syrian Negotiations Commission Bassma Kodmani told Sputnik.
"The United States will withdraw its military forces but they will be also maintaining the presence to protect the Kurds of PYD. Strategically, I think, they know that this military and political force would have to initially negotiate the end of its control over the area but on condition slightly better than simply surrendering and dissolving its own forces. They want to maintain a certain level of military capacity in Syria to allow them to prevent Turkish military offensive and to seek a better agreement with the Syrian regime", Kodmani said.
According to Kodmani, Washington feels moral responsibility for the Kurds, who have been instrumental in fighting Daesh* in Syria.

"Besides, they feel that if they will let them down not only they will be letting down their allies but sending a wrong message to any allies anywhere," she noted. Kodmani also underlined that the US military establishment might fear that Iran could step into a vacuum that the United States would leave in Syria after troops' pullout.

"This vacuum can be filled not by the [Syrian] regime forces but Iran-led militia. It would increase the Iranian control over Syria and this is something that the United States doesn't want and the Syrians definitely resent and fear," she concluded.

Comment: More from Sputnik:
Ayman Soussan, an assistant to the Syrian Foreign Minister, confirmed: "The Kurds are an integral part of the Syrian nation. We are sure that we are able to resolve a number of difficult issues through a dialogue, and this is guaranteed as long as the dialogue is based on the principle of territorial integrity of Syria and the unity of its people."

In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the Turkish army was ready to start an offensive against the Kurdish forces on the eastern bank of the Euphrates at the earliest opportunity. However, after talks with US President Donald Trump, who informed the Turkish counterpart of the US troops withdrawal from Syria, Erdogan shelved its plans, saying that the offensive would be launched only after the complete pullout of the US forces.


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Attention

Trump threatens to 'economically devastate Turkey' if it attacks Kurds amid US withdrawal from Syria


RT
Sun, 13 Jan 2019 23:05 UTC
Trump
© AOL.comUS President Donald Trump
Donald Trump has warned its NATO ally to beware of the devastative wrath of US economic pressure if Turkey dares to attack the Kurdish allies America is leaving behind in its "long overdue" pull-out of troops from Syria.

The US military, Trump promised, will still use an "existing nearby base," apparently in Iraq, to attack the Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants if the terrorist organization re-emerges in Syria. Using his typical mode of communication to reaffirm the withdrawal of American troops from the ground, the US president warned Ankara against seeing this as an opportunity to stage any military campaign against Syrian Kurds.

"Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds," Trump tweeted, urging Ankara to create a "20-mile safe zone."

Comment: See also:

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Calendar

Iran summoned Polish chargé d'affaires in protest of upcoming anti-Iran meeting


IRNA
Sun, 13 Jan 2019 09:51 UTC
someplace Iran
© Unknown
Iranian Foreign Ministry has summoned Polish chargé d'affaires Wojciech Unolt to protest over co-hosting an anti-Iran meeting. The managing director of Iranian Foreign Ministry for Eastern Europe conveyed Iran's formal protest to the Polish side for cooperating with the US to hold the anti-Iran meeting on February 13-14.

Referring to US hostile measure, the Iranian diplomat said Poland is expected to avoid accompanying US in this case. He warned Poland of taking reciprocal act [reciprocal actions] if the Polish government did not take urgent compensation measures.

Meanwhile, the Polish diplomat elaborated on the details of the upcoming meeting. He also underlined the fact that Polish officials' stances are different from Americans'.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier announced holding a meeting with the focus on Iran on February 13-14. He claimed that countries from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East will participate in this meeting. The meeting will be held in line with US efforts to promote Iranophobia policy.

Earlier on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javq Zarif in a post on his Twitter page wrote, "Reminder to host/participants of anti-Iran conference: those who attended last US anti-Iran show are dead, disgraced, or marginalized. And Iran is stronger than ever."

Comment: See also:

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Binoculars

"The odds are nothing": Strzok's earlier acknowledgment that collusion narrative was bogus gets new significance after NYT report

Chuck Ross
The Daily Caller
Sat, 12 Jan 2019 17:35 UTC
PeterStrzok
© Samira Bouaou/The Epoch TimesFBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok testifies at the Committee on the Judiciary and Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Joint Hearing on, “Oversight of FBI and DOJ Actions Surrounding the 2016 Election" in Washington on July 12, 2018.
A top FBI counterintelligence official expressed concern that there was "no big there there" in the Trump collusion investigation just days after the bureau formally opened an investigation into whether President Trump was acting as a foreign agent of Russia.

"You and I both know the odds are nothing. If I thought it was likely I'd be there no question. I hesitate in part because of my gut sense and concern there's no big there there," Peter Strzok, who then served as deputy chief of FBI counterintelligence, wrote to FBI lawyer Lisa Page on May 18, 2017.

The text message took on new significance Friday after The New York Times reported that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation against Trump after the May 9, 2017 firing of James Comey as FBI director.

It was already known that the FBI had opened an obstruction of justice investigation into Trump over Comey's ouster, but the counterintelligence investigation had not been reported. Both components of the investigations were referred to Robert Mueller when he was appointed special counsel on May 17, 2017. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who issued a letter recommending Comey's firing, likely approved the investigative angle. He has overseen the Mueller probe since its inception.

Comment: See also:

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Attention

What is the US embassy in Helsinki up to? A guarded warehouse near Malmi airport and mysterious shipments from Baghdad


Helsinki Times
Sat, 29 Dec 2018 15:44 UTC
US Embassy warehouse near Malmi Airport
© Helsinki Times/Google MapsUS Embassy warehouse near Malmi Airport
Why does the US Embassy in Helsinki need a big warehouse near Malmi Airport and what are the contents of thousands of kilograms of cargo sent to Helsinki from Baghdad?

A dilapidated warehouse in Malmi is being used by the US Embassy for unknown operations after a Wikileaks release revealed its location. The anonymous looking building on Takoraudantie is notable only for the new 427 meter perimeter fence that according to the Wikileaks' database was ordered by the US Embassy in April 2018.

Situated across the street from the main entrance of Malmi Airport, the warehouse with its 3 meter high security fence appears an unlikely location for official embassy business. Neighbouring companies include a car yard and a tyre warehouse.

Comment: Others have been following up on the Helsinki-Baghdad connection.

How America's global Deep State maintains its secret logistics

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Arrow Down

Poland continues to prove itself as a US vassal


Global Times
Sun, 13 Jan 2019 20:33 UTC
Joachim Brudzinski Poland Minister of Internal Affairs
Joachim Brudzinski, Minister of Internal Affairs
After an employee of Huawei was arrested on alleged spying charges, Joachim Brudzinski, Poland's internal affairs minister, called for the European Union and NATO to work on a joint position over whether to exclude Huawei from their markets. When a spokesman for Poland's secret services chief tweeted the arrest on Friday, he used @ to attract the attention of the US Department of State, FBI, CIA and NATO.

Warsaw's moves confirm the suspicion that the high-profile arrest has the political purpose of catering to the US actions against Huawei.

Very few public espionage disputes have occurred between China and East Europe. Warsaw claims that the allegation was directed at personal behavior instead of the company, but how it handled the issue has already damaged Huawei's reputation. Although clearly aware of the affair's special resonance, Warsaw is wooing Washington while playing tricks on Beijing.

Poland fears China's retaliation, so it is calling for a joint position with the EU and NATO so as to share the pressure. Meanwhile such a call helps the US expand suppression of Huawei into the EU and NATO.

Huawei's equipment is widely applied in Europe's 4G networks and no evidence proves that Huawei's equipment has damaged European network security. Europe's 4G network is independent and free, but will the continent obey Washington's command in the communication industry starting from 5G? Warsaw is guiding Europe in the wrong direction.

Comment:

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Briefcase

China saw record-high foreign trade volume in 2018, with US trade surplus at highest level since 2006


Global Times
Mon, 14 Jan 2019 13:20 UTC
China US trade surplus 2018
Despite a volatile year in 2018, China has witnessed a record-high foreign trade volume of $4.62 trillion last year and a reduction in trade surplus to the lowest level since 2013, which shows its economy's vitality and resilience despite the lingering trade frictions with the US.

Although last year's overall trade surplus shrank, China's trade surplus with the US still grew 17 percent year-on-year to $323.32 billion in 2018, the highest on record since 2006 - a situation that goes against US President Donald Trump's vows to launch a trade war against China to reduce US trade deficit.

Specifically, China's exports to the US grew 11.3 percent year-on-year in 2018 to $478.4 billion in dollar-denominated terms, while imports from the US to China only rose 0.7 percent to $155 billion, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.


Comment: Wow, those sanctions and tariffs were utterly useless then.


For the whole year, China's foreign trade volume hit $4.62 trillion in dollar-denominated terms, up 12.6 percent year-on-year, with exports and imports up 9.9 percent and 15.8 percent compared with 2017, respectively, customs data showed. The export growth was the highest since 2011.

Comment: RT adds that the simmering trade war is also negatively impacting Chinese investment in the US with levels falling to the lowest in seven years:
Chinese investments in North America and Europe fell by 73 percent last year as a result of tightened US scrutiny of foreign takeover deals and Beijing's restrictions on outbound investments.

Data from law firm Baker & McKenzie showed that Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) flows into the United States have also turned negative, falling to the lowest in seven years. Chinese investments in the US fell by 83 percent, while growing by 80 percent in Canada.

Last year, Chinese companies completed just $4.8 billion in new business acquisitions and investments in the US, down 84 percent from $29 billion in 2017 and 90 percent from $46 billion in 2016.

With the $13 billion in US asset sales by Chinese companies, net Chinese investment in the United States dropped by $8 billion in 2018.
So China can withdraw three quarters of its investment in the West and still keep winning.

The dragon has awoken, but it hasn't even fully stretched out its limbs yet.

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Beer

Trump savages 'Elizabeth Warren beer catastrophe,' as shutdown debate drags on


RT
Mon, 14 Jan 2019 15:04 UTC
trump white MAGA hat
© Reuters / Carlos Barria
Against the backdrop of a government shutdown and withdrawal from Syria, President Trump still found time to engage in his favorite, least presidential hobby: insulting political rival and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Responding to an Instagram Live video posted by Warren two weeks ago, Trump suggested that the video would have been a "smash" if Warren "did this commercial from Bighorn or Wounded Knee instead of her kitchen, with her husband dressed in full Indian garb."
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