Puppet MastersS


Newspaper

McCain's death draws few tears in Moscow

Elliott Gabriel
Mint Press News
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 18:20 UTC
McCain grew obsessive in his resentful attitude toward Moscow, and his hawkishness only grew as Putin followed through on his pledge to not behave as a U.S. vassal.
McCain
U.S. Senator John McCain speaks at a press conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, June 20, 2015. The delegation traveled to Ukraine to meet with government troops and volunteers engaged in fighting against Russian-backed separatists in the east. McCain has been a lively supporter of legislation passed in the U.S. Senate this week that includes provisions to supply Ukraine with hundreds of millions of dollars in defence military equipment.
MOSCOW - It is utterly predictable that while U.S. news media has been flooded by heartfelt eulogies from politicians over the death of Senator John McCain, the reaction in Russia has largely been been the polar opposite.

It would hardly be an exaggeration to note that Russian state and media figures have, in a figurative sense, danced on the grave of a U.S. lawmaker whose latter years in politics were marked by an abiding hatred of all things associated with the Kremlin, and a deep commitment to expanding NATO across the post-Soviet space.

"The main Russophobe of America" was one appellation given to the right-wing Arizona lawmaker in an obituary carried by state-run news agency RIA NOVOSTI, which noted:
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Gold Seal

SOTT Focus: Unipolarism Versus Multipolarism: The Real Russian Interference in US Politics

Diana Johnstone
The Unz Review
Sat, 25 Aug 2018 14:06 UTC
putin munich conference 2007 meme
The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was ostensibly a conflict between two ideologies, two socio-economic systems.

All that seems to be over. The day of a new socialism may dawn unexpectedly, but today capitalism rules the world. Now the United States and Russia are engaged in a no-holds-barred fight between capitalists. At first glance, it may seem to be a classic clash between rival capitalists. And yet, once again an ideological conflict is emerging, one which divides capitalists themselves, even in Russia and in the United States itself. It is the conflict between globalists and sovereignists, between a unipolar and a multipolar world. The conflict will not be confined to the two main nuclear powers.

The defeat of communism was brutally announced in a certain "capitalist manifesto" dating from the early 1990s that proclaimed:
"Our guiding light is Profit, acquired in a strictly legal way. Our Lord is His Majesty, Money, for it is only He who can lead us to wealth as the norm in life."
The authors of this bold tract were Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who went on to become the richest man in Russia, before spending ten years in a Russian jail, and his business partner at the time, Leonid Nevzlin, who has since retired comfortably to Israel.
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Attention

Looking in the wrong place: The real Russian meddling in US politics

Diana Johnstone
Consortium News
Mon, 27 Aug 2018 15:44 UTC
Mikhail Khodorkovsky
© Vasily Prokopenko / SputnikMikhail Khodorkovsky
If Russia were trying to interfere in U.S. domestic politics, it wouldn't be attempting to change the U.S. system but to prevent it from trying to change Russia's, argues Diana Johnstone.

The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was ostensibly a conflict between two ideologies and two socio-economic systems.

All that seems to be over. The day of a new socialism may dawn unexpectedly, but today capitalism rules the world. At first glance, it may seem to be a classic clash between rival capitalists. And yet, once again an ideological conflict is emerging, one which divides capitalists themselves, even in Russia and in the United States itself. It is the conflict between American unipolar dominance and a multipolar world.

The defeat of communism was brutally announced in a certain "capitalist manifesto" dating from the early 1990s that actually proclaimed: "Our guiding light is Profit, acquired in a strictly legal way. Our Lord is His Majesty, Money, for it is only He who can lead us to wealth as the norm in life." The authors of this bold tract were Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who went on to become the richest man in Russia (before spending ten years in a Russian jail) and his business partner at the time, Leonid Nevzlin, who has since retired comfortably to Israel.

Comment: Khdorkovsky has so far successfully used his pro-Western stance to garner protection for himself and his dirty dealings. How long will that last?

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Bad Guys

Macron gladly takes mantle of destabilizing 'pro-migration' leader


RT
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 16:04 UTC
Macron Orban
© Francois Lenoir / ReutersFrench President Emmanuel Macron talks to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
French President Emmanuel Macron said leaders of Hungary and Italy were right to see him as their main opponent, upping the ante in the bitter European debate over immigration policies.

Macron accepted the challenge a day after Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized him during a joint press conference in Milan. The two officials are among the most vocal critics of the way EU heavyweights, like France and Germany, as well as pan-European authorities in Brussels have been handling the inflow of migrants across the Mediterranean.

Orban, who was once an oddity among EU leaders due to his anti-immigration policies and public statements, has been finding an increasing number of like-minded officials over the past years. Salvini is among the latest additions to the camp, having taken his current position last month after the March general election in Italy brought euroskeptic and anti-immigrant forces to the forefront of political landscape.

Comment: Macron clearly couldn't resist the opportunity to distort Orban's and Salvini's position as 'nationalist hate speech' and virtue signal as if he is some kind of moral authority. The EU does have a responsibility to do something about the refugee crisis since it has played a direct role in bringing it about. That said, the solution to destabilize their own countries through open borders clearly isn't working.

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Pistol

Opening a door for tyranny? South African court rules 300,000 gun owners with expired licenses must turn in their firearms

José Niño
Gunpowder Magazine
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:51 UTC
south africa surrender firearms
There are between 420,000 and 470,000 people in South Africa with expired gun licenses. These individuals, who are now in possession of unlawful firearms, are required to surrender their guns to the South African Police Service.
South Africa is opening the door for tyranny.

The Constitutional Court of South Africa recently ruled that 300,000 gun owners must turn in their firearms.

This judgement came in response to the North Gauteng High Court's ruling in 2017 which said Section 24 and Section 28 of the Firearm's Control Act were unconstitutional.

A report from The Citizen explains what Section 24 and Section 28 entail:
"Section 24 of the Act requires that any person who seeks to renew a licence must do so 90 days before its expiry date Section 28 stipulates that if a firearm licence has been cancelled' the firearm must be disposed of or forfeited to the state. A 60-day time frame was placed on its disposal, which was to be done through a dealer."
Now that the High Court's initial ruling has been overturned, gun owners who failed to renew their firearms licenses must hand in their firearms to the nearest police station, where authorities will then proceed to destroy them.

Many naïve political observers will paint this event as a casual gun control scheme, but any astute student of politics will recognize that the floodgates are now open for further encroachments - not only on the gun rights of South Africans, but also on others facets of theirs lives.
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Footprints

Instagram cracks down on 'bad actors' with new verification form


RT
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:50 UTC
instagram
© Dado Ruvic / Reuters
People impersonating famous names through anonymously run Instagram accounts and other "bad actors" are being targeted by the Facebook-owned firm, which has launched an update to reveal more details about profile ownership.

The update, which involves the rollout of an 'About This Account' tab and a new blue tick verification form, is aimed at ridding the online photo sharing network of duplicate accounts and profiles sharing harmful information or copyright infringing content.

Mike Krieger, Instagram's chief technology officer, said the latest update will help make the photo sharing app "safe."
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Briefcase

You're fired! Don McGahn to step down as Trump adviser after being questioned by Mueller in failing 'Russiagate' investigation


RT
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:42 UTC
Donald McGahn
© Brendan McDermid / ReutersDonald McGahn, lawyer and Trump advisor
White House Counsel Don McGahn is to step down this fall, President Trump has announced. News of McGahn's departure comes after it was revealed he was questioned by Robert Mueller's 'Russiagate' investigation.

"White House Counsel Don McGahn will be leaving his position in the fall, shortly after the confirmation (hopefully) of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court," Trump tweeted on Wednesday. "I have worked with Don for a long time and truly appreciate his service!"


McGahn has served as White House Counsel and assistant to Trump since January 2017, and worked on the President's campaign one year beforehand. McGahn made the news earlier this month when it was revealed that he had been cooperating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing and still fruitless 'Russiagate' probe.
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Eye 2

After imposing sanctions, US has nerve to file WTO lawsuit against Russia over import taxes on American goods


RT
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:33 UTC
sheet steel rolls
© Vladimir Pesnya / Sputnik
Washington has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against tariffs imposed by Moscow on some US imports, the trade body confirmed on Wednesday.

According to Russia's economy ministry, Washington has misinterpreted the measures taken by Moscow, explaining that Russia complies with the WTO regulations.

"The United States misinterprets the nature of the measures taken by the Russian side. We are acting within the framework of the WTO Agreement on Safeguards, which allows compensating for damage from special protective measures taken by another country," the ministry said.

Comment: Russia and the rest of the world are becoming fed up with US bullying, whether military or economic.

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MIB

Watch Theresa May squirm as she avoids 'Nelson Mandela terrorist' question


RT
Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:31 UTC
Nelson Mandela Communist Party South Africa
© Greg Marinovich / Global Look Press1990 - Soweto, South Africa - Nelson Mandela at the Communist Party's first public meeting in South Africa after ban lifted.
Theresa May repeatedly refused to deny that she believed the Nobel Peace Prize-winning former South African leader Nelson Mandela was "a terrorist" during a tense televised interview.

Speaking to Channel Four's Michael Crick during her visit to South Africa, May was asked repeatedly to outline her historical position on African National Congress (ANC) leader Mandela, refusing each time to do so.

Crick asked: "Mrs May, you're about to visit Robben Island - you were active in politics in the 70s and 80s: what did you do to help release Nelson Mandela?"


May responded by broadening the question, "Well I think what is important is what the United Kingdom did."
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Heart - Black

Child exploitation: Alleged Twitter account of Syrian girl drawing attention ahead of Idlib offensive


Sputnik
Tue, 28 Aug 2018 00:00 UTC
Hala twitter, syrian children exploitation propaganda
While the Syrian Army had secured the entirety of the Damascus governorate and much of southern Syria earlier this year, government forces are gathering in northwestern Syria as they prepare for an offensive against hardline Islamist militants in Idlib.

A new Twitter account, apparently run by a six-year-old girl in Idlib, has been likened by Twitter users to Bana Alabed's, which was heavily active during the Syrian Army's liberation of Aleppo, urging the West to militarily intervene.

The latest account is ostensibly used by a girl named Hala, and although she currently has just 322 followers in comparison to Bana's 343,000, social media users have suggested that the profile is aiming to draw in a foreign military intervention to aid militants by sharing news of false-flag chemical attacks in Idlib and smearing government forces in other ways.

Comment: Vanessa Beeley: Now that focus is on Idlib, Syrian children are being robbed of their innocence to act as mouthpieces for US coalition proxies
Whoever is harnessing these children into the humanitarian war complex is cynically relying upon their appeal to promote causes that serve the US-led coalition agenda in Syria and the region. Children should not be exposed to war but even more importantly they should not be exposed to a sinister behavioural change apparatus that will rob them of their innocence and their childhood while converting them into mouthpieces for the military industrial complex and cover for Western governments' crimes under international law. These children are unwitting pawns in a game being played by global powers where their parents have chosen the side of the mercenaries and extremists and have sacrificed their children to a lost cause. The children are not to blame but one wonders what they will become.


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