Puppet MastersS


Dreamsicle

Peanuts: US counters China's multi-trillion-dollar Belt & Road initiative with multi-million-dollar investments in Asia

Lesley Wroughton & David Brunnstrom
Reuters
Mon, 30 Jul 2018 03:51 UTC
Pompeo
© Jonathan Ernst/ReutersSecretary of State Mike Pompeo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced $113 million (86.01 million pounds) in new technology, energy and infrastructure initiatives in emerging Asia on Monday, at a time when China is pouring billions of dollars in investments into the region.

In a policy speech delivered amid increased U.S. trade frictions with China and other Asian countries, Pompeo sought to define the economic aspect of President Donald Trump's "Indo-Pacific" strategy, which aims to cast the United States as a trustworthy partner in the region.

Pompeo said Washington wants a "free and open" Asia not dominated by any one country, an apparent reference to China's growing economic clout and heightened tensions in the disputed South China Sea.


Comment: Yeah, now that the US can no longer dominate the region, the US wants to kick the ladder out from under itself!

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Dollars

US suddenly importing record amounts of oil from Ecuador: Is Trump buying Assange's arrest?

Whitney Webb
MintPress News
Tue, 31 Jul 2018 16:43 UTC
Pres. Lenin Moreno
© Dolores Ochoa/APEcuador's President Lenin Moreno
Over the last two weeks, the U.S. has imported a record amount of Ecuadorian oil, leading to speculation that a deal or pay-off may have been made to ensure Moreno's cooperation with Washington's long-standing efforts to have Assange arrested and extradited.

Speaking in Madrid on Friday, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno told an audience that WikiLeaks founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange would need to leave Ecuador's London embassy "eventually." Moreno offered no time-table for Assange's possible exit, which several sources just last week asserted could take place within "weeks" or even "days." Assange has spent over six years in the embassy after being granted political asylum by Ecuador in 2012.

However, Moreno asserted that Assange's "departure [from the embassy] should come about through dialogue." He went on to state that "for a person to stay confined like that for so long is tantamount to a human rights violation" and affirmed his commitment to reach a resolution to Assange's situation that did not "pose a danger" to the journalist's life.

Comment: See also:

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Jet5

Lebanese Army Chief requests military to remain alert and defy the 'Israeli enemy'


Sputnik
Tue, 31 Jul 2018 17:03 UTC
lebanon army
© AFP 2018 / Stringer
Delivering a speech to commemorate the 73rd Army Day, Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun said that under the country's military doctrine, Israel is considered an "enemy state."

On the occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the Lebanese Army's establishment, the commander of the armed forces, General Joseph Aoun, stated that despite its success in defeating terrorists, including preemptive operations, the military should remain vigilant to defy "the Israeli enemy."

"The doctrine of the Lebanese Armed Forces is steadier than ever and its compass will remain stable and firmly aimed at defying the Israeli enemy and the threat of terrorism that only serves the Israeli interests and objectives," Aoun said.

Comment: See also:

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Blue Planet

Best of the Web: Pepe Escobar: A US attack on Iran would be an attack on BRICS and Global South

Pepe Escobar
Asia Times
Sat, 28 Jul 2018 01:10 UTC
Potin
© AFP/Gianluigi GuerciaPresident Xi Jinping, President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Vladimir Putin
Rhetorical war has far-reaching consequences, including a potential economic slump via the disruption of global oil supplies

The key takeaway from the BRICS summit in Johannesburg is that Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - important Global South players - strongly condemn unilateralism and protectionism.

The Johannesburg Declaration is unmistakable: "We recognize that the multilateral trading system is facing unprecedented challenges. We underscore the importance of an open world economy."

Closer examination of Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech unlocks some poignant details. Xi, crucially, emphasizes delving further into "our strategic partnership." That implies increased BRICS and Beyond BRICS multilateral trade, investment and economic and financial connectivity. And that also implies reaching to the next level:
"It is important that we continue to pursue innovation-driven development and build the BRICS Partnership on New Industrial Revolution (PartNIR) to strengthen coordination on macroeconomic policies, find more complementarities in our development strategies, and reinforce the competitiveness of the BRICS countries, emerging market economies and developing countries."
If PartNIR sounds like the basis for an overall Global South platform, that's because it is.

Comment: If there is a forthcoming new world design, it seems to be heading towards a consensus of common aims, vision, and economic platforms that share power and responsibility. Regarding the US and Iran: It's all speculation until it happens, whatever 'it' is going to be.

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Snakes in Suits

Trump dances left again: 'If Iran wants to meet, I'm ready anytime, with no preconditions'


RT
Mon, 30 Jul 2018 18:40 UTC
Trump Conti
© Brian Snyder/ReutersPresident Trump holds press conference with Italian PM Giuseppi Conti.
US President Donald Trump has said that he is willing to meet with his Iranian counterpart, Hassan Rouhani with no preconditions. "Anytime they want," he told reporters, "if they want to meet, I'll meet."

Trump made his comments while speaking to reporters after a White House meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conti on Monday. "I would certainly meet with Iran, if they were ready to meet," he said. A self-described negotiating genius, Trump added that he would "meet with anybody."

While Trump and his cabinet have taken a hardline approach to Iran, Trump has threatened foreign adversaries with war before, and then softened his tone and welcomed them to the negotiating table, as was the case with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un.

Trump pulled the United States out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran deal this year - which offered Iran sanctions relief in exchange for halting nuclear expansion - but hinted on Monday that he would be open to negotiating a new agreement with Tehran "If we could work something out that's meaningful, not the waste of paper like the other deal was."

Comment: This is beginning to look like a pattern. Trump sounded like he was literally about to launch nukes at North Korea last year, but this year he met Kim in a historic summit that almost certainly put paid to that scenario...

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USA

Paul Craig Roberts: The United States is the only remaining colonial power

Paul Craig Roberts
Institute for Political Economy
Mon, 30 Jul 2018 00:00 UTC
USA colonial power
© VOX
The United States government has never allowed independent governments in Latin America. Every time people elect a government that represents them instead of US economic interests, Washington overthrows the elected government. Marine General Smedley Butler told us this as have many others. There is no doubt about it.

Currently Washington is trying to overthrow the governments of Venezuela and Nicaragua and has bought off the Ecuadorian government with oil purchases and the usual personal bribes. Evo Morales government in Bolivia is also targeted by Washington. The Obama regime succeeded in removing the reform governments in Honduras, Argentina, and Brazil.

Reform governments in Latin America, except for Castro's Cuba, always leave themselves set-up to be overthrown. They foolishly or impotently permit Washington's agents, such as the National Endowment for Democracy, the US Agency for International Development, and various so-called NGOs, whose purpose is to maintain Washington's control and overthrow every government that escapes control, to organize and fund opposition groups and media that work hand-in-hand with Washington to reinstall a Washington-compliant government.
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Pirates

Syrian 'opposition' representatives head for Sochi to discuss Idlib situation and constitutional commission


Sputnik
Sun, 29 Jul 2018 22:39 UTC
Sochi, Russia
© Sputnik/Konstantin ChalabovSochi, Russia, site of discussions for the Syrian constitutional commission talks.
The delegation of the Syrian opposition wants to discuss the situation in Idlib province, the release of detainees as well as the constitutional commission at the Astana-format talks on Syria in the Russian resort city of Sochi on July 30-31, head of the delegation Ahmad Toma told Sputnik on Sunday.

"There will be three main topics: Idlib, release of detainees and constitutional commission," Toma said.

Toma added that the return of refugees was a new topic and would also be on the agenda. On detainees, Toma said he believed the creation of a mechanism that would help solve the issue of detainees was possible. The decision to set up the constitutional commission was made at the Syrian congress held in Sochi in late January.

Comment: More from Sputnik:
Cairo is working to set up conditions for the moderate Syrian opposition to ensure that it has successful talks with the Syrian government, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi said at a youth forum in the Egyptian capital.

"In Syria, we are trying, through helping the moderate opposition, to set up conditions for it to find some form of mutual understanding with the Syrian government. This is not simple, but it is an honorable and positive role," the president said Sunday in response to questions of the forum participants.

Sisi added that Cairo was opposed to the existence of armed groups as "it is one of the factors that destabilize states." "This concerns Syria, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, any state," Sisi added.

Sisi expressed hope that the elections would take place in Libya this year as previewed.

Previously, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that Cairo supports the Syrian crisis' settlement by peaceful means and supports the Geneva peace process as a viable solution, saying that bringing back stability to the region can only happen through dialogue, negotiations and political process.


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Green Light

Russia wins WTO dispute against Ukraine on railway equipment imports


RT
Mon, 30 Jul 2018 18:00 UTC
Russian train bridge
© Ilya Naymushin/Reuters
A World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute panel has ruled in favour of Russia over its alleged refusal to import Ukrainian railway equipment. Railway equipment is a major export for Kiev.

According to Kiev, Russia has purchased wagons, rolling stock, turnouts and other components from Ukraine since 2013. Before the relations between Moscow and Kiev deteriorated, railway equipment had been Ukraine's most valuable export to Russia. In 2011, it accounted for $3.2 billion out of a total of $19.8 billion of export sales to Russia. The value of such exports plummeted to $150 million in the past years.

The WTO has taken Russia's position which claimed it was highly unsafe to send inspectors to Eastern Ukraine, due to the conflict in the region, so that they could check the exports complied with Russian standards.
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Pirates

Syrian army fully liberates Daraa province of Daesh terrorists


Sputnik
Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:59 UTC
Daraa Syria
© AFP 2018 / Mohamad ABAZEEDSmoke rises above rebel held territory in Daraa airstrikes by Syrian regime forces.
The Syrian government forces have liberated the last villages in the north-west of Daraa province from militants of the Daesh terrorist organization , thereby completing the rout of terrorists from the entire province, a military source told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"The Syrian army has completely routed the terrorists from Daraa province after taking control of the Yarmouk Basin in the north-west of the province," the source said.

Earlier this month a few hundred militants and their family members were evacuated from the Syrian territory due to a government offensive operation in the southern regions of the country.

The military offensive in the regions, partially controlled by various militant groups, was launched by Damascus in June after its capital and several other cities had been shelled by local militants despite an ongoing ceasefire reached with the help of the Russian Reconciliation Center for Syria. The Syrian government aims to regain control of its border with Jordan and with the disputed territories of Golan Heights, occupied by Israel.
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Clipboard

Best of the Web: Endangered species: US journalist Seymour Hersh on 'novichok', Russian links to Donald Trump and 9/11

Youssef El-Gingihy
The Independent
Tue, 31 Jul 2018 18:42 UTC
Seymour Hersh
© MediumSeymour Hersh
In a rare interview, veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh talks about his illustrious career and how he believes the official versions of some the biggest news stories of our time just don't add up

I'm about to interview the 81-year-old doyen of investigative journalism Seymour Hersh. Sy Hersh - as he is affectionately known by those close to him - was once described by the Financial Times as "the last great American reporter". Hersh has brought out his memoir Reporter covering the span of his career as one of the iconoclastic journalists of the 20th century - the man who exposed the My Lai massacre in Vietnam and who later brought the abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in the Iraq War to the attention of the world.

Hersh has recently been in London for a talk at the Centre for Investigative Journalism at Goldsmiths. It makes for a raucously entertaining two hours in which he holds court on everything from Vietnam and the war on terror to the Skripal novichok poisoning, Trump and the alleged Russian hacking of the election. Octogenarian Hersh is already back in Washington by the time we speak on the phone.

Comment: In the US, Hersh is among the last of a dying breed: journalists who can think.

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