Puppet MastersS


Bad Guys

What anglophone world empire? US and Australia to 'expand Pacific military base' to 'protect freedom of the seas' (contain China)


RT
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 21:45 UTC
US Navy
© Reuters / US NavyMass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jason Abrams
The US has said it will join Australia in the development of a naval base on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island to "protect the freedom of the seas," in a move apparently aimed at curbing China's presence in the Pacific.

Australia, a staunch US ally in the Pacific, had already set its sights on Papua New Guinea's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island earlier in November, seeking to build a deep-water facility for its Navy. Now, Washington apparently has also decided to join the effort, in a move clearly aimed at sending a signal to Beijing, which is already locked in a trade war with Washington and in disputes over the South China Sea.

"We will work with these nations to protect the sovereignty and maritime rights of Pacific islands as well," the US Vice President said on Saturday, referring to Australia and Papua New Guinea, as he spoke about the US plans on the Lombrum base.

Comment: For more on the US' plans in the area, check our John Pilger's documentary: The Coming War on China

See also: And check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: 'Containing' Russia-China and Global Economic Collapse

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Arrow Down

Afghan President Ghani reveals number of Afghan troops killed since 2015


RFE/RL
Sat, 17 Nov 2018 17:36 UTC
Ashraf Ghani
© Rahmat Gul / AFP
The death toll among Afghanistan's security forces since 2015 is close to 29,000, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has revealed, providing a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged by the government.

Ghani disclosed the figure during a video appearance this week before the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, a school where he once taught as a professor of anthropology.

Ghani said that since the start of 2015, when Afghan police and army units took over primary responsibility for Afghanistan's security after a partial withdrawal of NATO troops, "28,529 of our security forces have lost their lives and become martyrs for our freedom."

In the same time frame, 58 Americans were killed, he said.

"I would like to salute the patriotism of the Afghan security forces, every single one of whom is a volunteer," Ghani said.

"We have no conscription, nobody is forced, and if there was not a patriotic impulse, I don't think that people would sacrifice their lives for a pay of $200."

Comment: 29,000 more reasons to end the war in Afghanistan. See: US envoy predicts peace in Afghanistan by April after talks with ex-Guantanamo Taliban negotiators

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Better Earth

US envoy predicts peace in Afghanistan by April after talks with ex-Guantanamo Taliban negotiators


RT
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 17:18 UTC
afghanistan troops
© Reuters / Omar Sobhani
The long-awaited peace deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban may be reached by April next year, a US special envoy for Afghanistan said following a meeting with insurgent group's emissaries in Qatar.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, said on Sunday that he hopes "a peace deal is reached before April 20 next year," according to Reuters. The war-torn country will hold a presidential election on that day.

"Peace and a successful Afghanistan, one that doesn't pose any threats to itself and to the international community" would be among final outcomes of the ongoing peace talks.

The promising remarks came on the back of his meeting with two Taliban envoys in Qatar, where the insurgent movement has its liaison office. What was on the agenda for the talks remains unclear, but the Taliban had previously announced that it will push for US military withdrawal from Afghanistan and seek recognition as a political force.

Comment: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. General Joseph Dunford echoed the new U.S. commander in Afghanistan by acknowledging that the Taliban "are not losing", and that there isn't a military solution to Afghanistan:
"They are not losing right now, I think that is fair to say," Dunford said of the Taliban during a discussion at a security forum in Halifax, Canada on November 17.

Dunford, the top U.S. military officer, said the United States and its NATO allies were working to leverage military, political, and economic pressure to convince the Taliban to negotiate an end to the war.

"We do believe the Taliban know that at some point they do have to reconcile," he said. "The key to success is to combine all that pressure to incentivize the Taliban" to negotiate.
See also:

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Bad Guys

Potential Speaker candidate Marcia Fudge: Pelosi seen as 'elitist,' 'very wealthy person', doesn't support black candidates for leadership positions

Matthew Boyle
Breitbart News
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 15:57 UTC
Fudge Pelosi
© Associated Press/GettyRep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
Potential Democrat speakership candidate Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH) says that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the former Speaker who is angling to retake the gavel early next year, is an "elitist" and "very wealthy person" who surrounds herself with other "very wealthy people."

In an interview with the Huffington Post's Matt Fuller, Fudge-the former chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus who is toying with a run for the Speaker position against Pelosi-says that people do not like Pelosi because "they see her as an elitist."
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Wine

In praise of Melania Trump: Queen of the USA?

Phil Butler
New Eastern Outlook
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 16:55 UTC
melania trump
President Donald Trump has one ace up his sleeve if worse comes to worst. Many people in America would gladly support First Lady Melania Trump for the new position as Queen of the United States. The same lady we saw ushering the new president on inauguration day has now commanded Deputy National Security Adviser Mira Ricardel into the Washington streets. Donald Trump may not possess an ounce of class, but he does apparently know how to select the right woman.

When the American president selected the grouchy curmudgeon and warmonger John Bolton as his national security advisor, most people fighting against the endless proxy wars the U.S. is involved in breathed out in a collective groan of dismay. Bolton, who's a continuous war hawk committed to military action and regime change in Syria, Libya, and Iran, is also one of the rudest, crudest, and most socially unacceptable people to ever enter the doors of the White House. Now, according to most of the reports from Washington, one of his deputies forgot her raising and pushed First Lady Melania into a very unusual situation. After some weeks of feuding with Melania Trump's staff, the Wall Street Journal reported Bolton aide Ricardel was escorted off White House grounds. The First Lady's office issued a statement saying:
"It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that (Ricardel) no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House."
It's been no secret that Bolton has been trying to push people around in the administration since his appointment, but this Ricardel seems to take the cake where forgetting what Mama should have taught her is concerned. People familiar with the situation say Ricardel most recently feuding with members of the first lady's staff over her trip to Africa. In particular, the Bolton deputy reportedly "quarreled with the first lady's staff over seating on the plane and use of National Security Council resources."
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Megaphone

Angela Merkel faces mass protests as she defends her immigration policies during a visit to Chemnitz


RT
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 16:47 UTC
Merkel protestors
© AFP / Robert MichaelFar-right protesters in Chemnitz greet German Chancellor
German Chancellor Angela Merkel finally visited the eastern German city of Chemnitz, more than two months after massive right-wing protests there. However, twenty times as many people came to protest against her than to see her.

In late August, the city of Chemnitz witnessed a surge of anti-immigrant sentiment after the fatal stabbing of a German man, allegedly by a group of migrants. The incident provoked a wave of right-wing rallies and far-right marches, as well as counter-protests, some of which escalated into skirmishes between riot police and protesters, resulting in multiple arrests and injuries.

Now, more than two months after the scandal, Merkel finally turned her attention to the beleaguered city in what even the local mayor, Barbara Ludwig, called a belated gesture. The chancellor met with a youth basketball team, talked to Ludwig and the head of the region of Saxony, where Chemnitz is located. In an apparent attempt to heal the rift between the government and the people, she also engaged in what she called a "civil dialogue" with some 120 readers of a local newspaper.

The chancellor's visit predictably brought no surprises as she kept defending her immigration policies, admitting, however, that they provoked some "dissatisfaction" among Germans. She described the Chemnitz murder as a "horrifying crime" but said that no crimes justify other crimes, referring to the far-right violence and xenophobic attacks.

Comment: See also:

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Russian Flag

The latest instrument of Russian meddling, according to the times: Masha and the Bear


RT
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 14:59 UTC
masha and the bear
© Sputnik / Vladimir Fedorenko
A bizarre, year-old report that described cartoon 'Masha and the Bear' as Kremlin propaganda for kids has been revived in The Times, prompting commenters to wonder if the publication had run out of ideas for its usual Russophobia.

The adventures of pesky little Masha, who befriends a bear and other animals in the style of Tiny Toon's Elmyra, has been enjoyed by children and parents worldwide. The Russian-made cartoon then came to Netflix, whose Russian- and English-language services jointly reach over 21 million subscribers. What could possibly be sinister?

"Children's show is propaganda for Putin, say critics" - reads the headline on a weekend edition of The Times.

UK journalists have dug up a report from Finland's Helsingin Sanomat paper, which was based on an interview with an Estonian professor who claimed that 'Masha and the Bear' was intended to create a positive image of Russia in children's minds and was a danger to Estonian national security.


Comment: That's called scraping the bottom of the barrel. But then again, the Baltics are a bit touched in the head when it comes to Russia. We should all have compassion for the mentally ill, after all.


Comment: Behold the Kremlin propaganda in all its glory:



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Better Earth

China's 'One Belt, One Road' linking Asia, Europe, Africa and, eventually, South America


RT
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 06:39 UTC
camel caravan
© Global Look Press / Zhang Xiaoliang
This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Belt and Road initiative, proposed by Chinese authorities in the autumn of 2013. The ambitious project is aimed at creating infrastructure networks linking Europe, Asia and Africa.

So far, the challenging project has attracted around 100 countries across three continents. The new infrastructure project links Asia, Europe, and Africa through a network of railroads and shipping lanes, and is set to reach South America.

The ambitious economic cooperation campaign, also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt, was initially represented by two major segments. The first, the Silk Road Economic Belt, refers to a half-dozen land corridors linking China with Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, the Middle East and then with Europe. The second, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, is a sea route linking Asia, Africa and Europe.

Comment: Where China invests in mutually beneficial economic development, the West invests in obliterating nations: Also check out SOTT radio's:

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Bomb

May defends Brexit plan despite MP rebellion and cabinet resignations


RT
Sun, 18 Nov 2018 09:20 UTC
Theresa May Brexit
© Getty
Amid a string of resignations and huge backlash from rebel MPs, Prime Minister Theresa May still believes her draft Brexit deal with the EU will help secure British jobs, protect borders, and smooth the UK's exit from the bloc.

In a combative piece for the Sun on Sunday, May insisted that the preliminary agreement she recently negotiated with Brussels will be "a deal that works." Reiterating the main points of the draft Brexit accord, she maintained that "the course I have set is the right one for our country."

Lamenting some "difficult decisions" that she had to make, as well as the recent string of cabinet resignations, May argued that the deal will first of all end the free movement of immigrants into the country. "For the first time in a generation or more we will decide who comes to this country and, just as importantly, who does not," the defiant prime minister said.

Comment: 'Letting it drag on forever' is actually the plan: Also check out SOTT radio's:

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Bizarro Earth

Libya's peace process dies in Palermo

Richard Galustian
Ron Paul Institute
Fri, 16 Nov 2018 15:57 UTC
international conference on Libya in Palermo, Italy, Nov. 13, 2018
© ReutersU.N. Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame, center, attends the second day of the international conference on Libya in Palermo, Italy, Nov. 13, 2018.
"Resounding flop" was the verdict of Italy's former prime minister Matteo Renzi on this week's Libya peace conference held in Palermo. He's not wrong. The conference hosted by Italy's new government achieved the remarkable feat of making Libya's tensions worse, not better. Acrimony broke out between the parties, and Turkey's delegation walked out, its vice president Fuat Oktay accusing unnamed States of trying to "hijack the process."

Some sources in Palermo suggested, yet to be verified, that the US thought the Conference was not too bad: a joke if true.

Moreover the mystery we might ask is what "process" is there to hijack? Because the truth is, the peace plan the conference was supporting is already dead.

Comment: More on the Palermo peace process: Italy hosts Macron-snubbing Libya peace conference as energy vultures circle petroleum assets

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