Puppet MastersS


Bullseye

'Totally political': Trump defends Kavanaugh's character amid sexual assault allegations


RT
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 17:21 UTC
Brett Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump
© Jim Bourg / ReutersUS Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and President Donald Trump.
President Trump called allegations of sexual assault against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh "totally political," and defended the judge's character, as more conveniently-timed assault accusations continue to surface.

"Judge Kavanaugh is an outstanding person and I am with him all the way," Trump told reporters ahead of a meeting at the United Nations in New York on Monday. "I think it could be - chance that this could be one of the single most unfair, unjust things to happen to a candidate for anything."

Kavanaugh has been accused of forcing himself on Christine Blasey Ford, when the two were at a high school party in the early 1980s. Ford, now a college professor in California, does not remember when or where the incident took place, and her claim was only made public two weeks ago by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-California), a lawmaker opposed to Kavanaugh's confirmation from the beginning.

"For people to come out of the woodwork from 36 years ago and 30 years ago and never mention it - all of a sudden it happens. In my opinion, it's totally political," he said.
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Rocket

India successfully launches first anti-ballistic missile paving the way for its two-layer defense system


RT
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 16:04 UTC
India anti-ballistic missile test sept 2018
India’s BDM system puts it in an exclusive group with the US, Russia, France, Israel and China as the only countries with developed missile defence systems.
India has successfully launched its first anti-ballistic missile, a milestone in the development of a two-layer missile defense system, military sources said.

The successful test followed a failed attempt in February last year. It was carried out at Abdul Kalam Island on Sunday, officials from the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) said.

The exo-atmospheric Prithvi Defense Vehicle (PDV) missiles are intended to intercept any incoming projectile from outside the atmosphere. The targets can be intercepted at 50km above Earth's atmosphere.

"Both the PDV interceptor and the target missile were successfully engaged," DRDO sources said about the operation, which took place at India's Integrated Test Range (ITR) facility.

Comment: India continues to beef up its military arsenal:

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Propaganda

The Guardian: Purveyor of extraordinary and deliberate lies

Craig Murray
craigmurray.org.uk
Sun, 23 Sep 2018 16:31 UTC
Julian Assange
© Getty ImagesJulian Assange
I am just back from a family funeral - one of a succession - and a combination of circumstances had left me feeling pretty down lately, and not blogging much. But I have to drag myself to the keyboard to denounce a quite extraordinary set of deliberate lies published in the Guardian about a Russian plot to spring Julian Assange last December.

I was closely involved with Julian and with Fidel Narvaez of the Ecuadorean Embassy at the end of last year in discussing possible future destinations for Julian. It is not only the case that Russia did not figure in those plans, it is a fact that Julian directly ruled out the possibility of going to Russia as undesirable. Fidel Narvaez told the Guardian that there was no truth in their story, but the Guardian has instead chosen to run with "four anonymous sources" - about which sources it tells you no more than that.

Comment: Luke Harding and the Guardian appear willing to lend a hand to every psy-op and disinformation campaign going. A small sample:

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Info

New intelligence report reveals US will be 'defenseless' against new Russian nuclear sub equipped with hypersonic missiles

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 18:45 UTC
Members of Russian Navy
The Soviet-era arms race between the US and Russia is officially back on.

To wit, Moscow is reportedly building a fleet of nuclear submarines armed with hypersonic ICBMs capable of delivering a nuclear payload ten times larger than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, according to CNBC, which cited a US intelligence report on the new weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at six new super weapons during a speech back in March where he also revealed that Russia is working on a nuclear missile capable of evading NATO's ring of ABM defenses.

The new Borei II submarine, also known as the Borei-A, is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine that will reportedly join the Russian Navy's Northern and Pacific Fleets once it's completed in 2024, according to the report. Each sub can carry up to 20 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, which can deliver a nuclear payload of 100 to 150 kilotons. The sub will be the first new Russian sub developed in the post-Soviet era.

Comment: See also:

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Attention

Coalition compromise: Germany's troubled security chief gets newly established post in Interior Ministry


RT
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 05:28 UTC
Hans-Georg Maassene former presidentl BfV
© Bernd von Jutrczenka / Global Look PressHans-Georg Maassen, the former president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV)
The German domestic security chief, who got in hot water for expressing skepticism over media reports of violence against migrants, is to get a newly established post, a remedy for disagreements within the ruling coalition.

Hans-Georg Maassen, the former head of the German domestic security agency, the BfV, will be transferred to the position of special adviser to the interior minister, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced, following his meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel and the leader of the Social Democrats, Andrea Nahles. He will be responsible for "European and international affairs," according to the minister.

Maassen's tasks would reportedly include negotiation of repatriation agreements and agreements with the African states on refugee issues, as well as matters related to European security policy. Nahles, meanwhile, emphasized that his future responsibilities would have "nothing to do" with domestic security issues.

The move is the latest compromise on the troubled security chief's fate, which has recently become a source of controversy for the coalition. The decision would be implemented "swiftly and promptly," according to the government's spokesman, Steffen Seibert.

Comment: See also:

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Dollar

'We can't get paid': Volvo Trucks terminates partnership agreement with Iran due to US sanctions


RT
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 15:50 UTC
Volvo trucks Iran sanctions
© Ludovic Marin / AFPVolvo has joined a list of European companies such as Total, Adidas and Daimler, who have been forced to reconsider their investments in Iran. The firms said they will scale back or abandon all operations in Iran due to Washington’s sanctions.
Swedish truckmaker Volvo has stopped assembling trucks in Iran because of Washington's sanctions, spokesman for the company, Fredrik Ivarsson, told Reuters.

According to him, the group could no longer get paid for parts it shipped and had therefore decided not to operate in Iran.

"With all these sanctions and everything that the United States put (in place)... the bank system doesn't work in Iran. We can't get paid... So for now we don't have any business (in Iran)," Ivarsson said.

Volvo was working with Saipa Diesel (part of Iran's second-largest automaker Saipa) which was assembling the Swedish firm's heavy-duty trucks from kits shipped to Iran. The company had plans to become Iran's main export hub for the Gulf region and North Africa markets.

Comment:

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Caesar

Caring for his citizens: Duma committee backs Putin's amendments to pension reform bill


RT
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 15:42 UTC
Russian Duma
© Vladimir Fedorenko / SputnikRussian State Duma's plenary session
The Russian Lower House Committee for Labor and Social Policy has backed amendments from President Putin to offer additional protection for older citizens on the bill to increase the national retirement age.

The news was announced on Monday afternoon by the chairman of the committee, MP Oleg Nilov (Fair Russia). Nilov also told reporters that the State Duma can have the second reading into the bill on raising the retirement age already on Wednesday, September 26.

In mid-June the State Duma approved the controversial bill in the first reading. The original draft of the motion ordered a gradual increase in the retirement age from 60 to 65 years for men, and from 55 to 63 for women with planned completion of the transition set at 2028 for men, and 2034 for women.

Comment: Putin was open with the Russian people about the issues facing the pension system. Through patient dialogue, a bill that will address the problems while mitigating the negative impacts on ordinary people was worked out. Would the US would take a page from Putin's approach.

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Star of David

Israeli general's son: The Zionist state will crumble; we will soon see a free, democratic Palestine

Stuart Littlewood
American Herald Tribune
Fri, 21 Sep 2018 00:00 UTC
Miko peled
Miko Peled, an Israeli general's son and himself a former Israeli soldier, is nowadays a noted peace activist and a tireless worker for justice in the Holy Land. He is considered to be one of the clearest voices calling for support of BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) against the Zionist regime and for the creation of a single democracy with equal rights on all of historic Palestine.

He will be at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on 23-26 September. I was lucky enough to have the chance to interview him beforehand. In a week that marks the 70th anniversary of the assassination of Folke Bernadotte and the 36th anniversary of the genocidal massacre at Sabra and Shatila refugee camp, atrocities committed in pursuit of Zionist ambition, what Miko says may give those who take dictation from the Israel lobby cause to reflect.

Comment: Behind the Headlines: Israel massacres Palestinians (again) - Interview with Miko Peled

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Sheriff

The Saker: Russia will establish an unofficial no-fly zone over Syria

The Saker
thesaker.is
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 15:13 UTC
Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin and Sergei Shoigu
Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin and Sergei Shoigu
Today Defense Minster Shoigu announced measures which went far beyond what I had hoped for. Specifically, Shoigu has announced that Russia will
  1. Supply S-300 air defense systems (with a 250km range) to the Syrians in the next two weeks.
  2. Russia will deliver advanced automated air defense management systems which will *dramatically* increase the Syrian air defense capabilities and prevent future "friendly fire" incidents.
  3. Russia will use her electronic warfare capabilities to suppress satellite navigation, onboard radar systems and communications of warplanes attacking targets on Syrian territory in the regions over the waters of the Mediterranean Sea bordering with Syria.
This is a very flexible and elegant solution for the following reasons:
  1. It establishes a de facto air exclusion zone over Syria, but not a de jure one. Thus, the Russians will have the flexibility to decide on a nation by nation and aircraft by aircraft basis which aircraft should be suppressed/engaged and which ones to only track and monitor. This will give Russia a very powerful negotiating position with all the actors of this war.
  2. It goes without saying that while these new capabilities will be deployed in Syria in response to the Israeli actions, they will also dramatically boost the Syrian capabilities against any potential aggressors including the USA and US client states.
  3. While the Russians have not indicated which automated air defense management system they plan to deliver to Syria, it is likely that this is one which is typically used to control the engagement of S-300 and Buk air defense systems, the Poliana D-4. The delivery of this system will dramatically increase the air defense capabilities of the Russian task force in Syria making it much harder for Neocon à la Bolton to target Russian forces.

Comment: Don't miss:

NewsReal: Israeli-French Deception Downs Russian Spy Plane Off Syria, US Escalates 'Regime Change' Against Iran

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Arrow Up

'A lingering stench': US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein reportedly resigning


RT
Mon, 24 Sep 2018 14:54 UTC
Rod Rosenstein
© Leah Millis / ReutersRod Rosenstein
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who authorized the opening of Robert Mueller's 'Russiagate' investigation is resigning from his position, according to media reports.

Rosenstein verbally resigned to White House Chief of Staff John Kelly on Monday morning, Axios reported. Rosenstein's as-yet unconfirmed resignation came as he had been "expecting to be fired," claimed Axios' source.

The resignation also comes days after a New York Times report revealed that Rosenstein suggested secretly recording President Trump in the White House to build a case for invoking the 25th Amendment and removing Trump from office for being unfit. Rosenstein allegedly suggested the secret recording in April of last year, after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey for his handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

Comment: See also:

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