Puppet MastersS


Snakes in Suits

Barack Obama's shady Trump-Russia spinmeister

Julie Kelly
American Greatness
Tue, 31 Oct 2017 00:00 UTC
Josh Ernest
© Getty ImagesJosh Ernest
An explosive story by Sean Davis at The Federalist reveals that President Obama's PAC, Obama for America, paid nearly $1 million in 2016 to the law firm that retained Fusion GPS, the consulting group responsible for the infamous Trump "dossier." According to Davis, Federal Election Commission records show the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton's campaign, and Obama's PAC paid Perkins Coie more than $12 million last year alone.

The article also notes that Neil King, Jr. - the husband of Shailagh Murray, one of Obama's former senior advisors - went on to work for Fusion GPS shortly after the election. King was a longtime Wall Street Journal reporter who, while at the Journal, was also a colleague of Glenn Simpson, one of Fusion GPS's founders. These links were never divulged in any of King's election coverage for the Journal. These ties could explain the Obama White House's almost daily attention to the Trump-Russia collusion plotline, fueled largely by Josh Earnest, Obama's press secretary.

From the White House press podium, Earnest played a critical role in tossing Trump-Russia conspiracy chum to an eager White House press pool. He conferred White House credibility to a politically connected cybersecurity firm that claimed Russian hackers hit the DNC server; wove a tale of Trump campaign collusion after the election in a shameful attempt to discredit the president-elect; and, just days before Trump's inauguration, childishly compared Trump's obligation to defend himself against the dossier to Obama's need to defend against "birther" allegations.

Comment: And another piece of the Russiagate construct fits into place.

Read More...
Oil Well

Oil economist predicts 'US sanctions on Iran will not have any impact and will fail'


Sputnik
Wed, 25 Jul 2018 13:14 UTC
Oil Rig
© Unknown
Oil prices rebounded on Tuesday amid concerns about rising tensions between the United States and Iran and oversupply. Brent crude oil was up 6 cents and stood at just over 73 dollars a barrel by Tuesday morning. The oil market received a boost on Monday after US President Donald Trump warned of dire consequences if Tehran threatened the US again.

Sputnik talked about the oil market and Donald Trump's call for countries to stop buying Iranian oil by November with Dr. Mamdouh Salameh, an international oil economist and a visiting professor of energy economics at ESCP Europe business school, London.

Sputnik: In your view how justified are the concerns of oversupply and what effect will that have on the oil market in the near future?

Dr. Mamdouh Salameh: For the time being there is, what I call, a concerted effort by many parties around the world to keep oil prices repressed. However, there is one fact which I have been always saying, is that the global oil market has not rebalanced completely till now. There's a bit of oil glut, a small amount, which could take care of outages in Venezuela, in Norway, in Nigeria and in Libya, and that, to some extent, has been causing the prices to remain stagnant to some extent. The oil market will improve shortly and there is one important point - what Saudi Arabia is saying, that it has added around 400,000 barrels a day to the global oil market might not be true. You realize that in summer, particularly in July-August, Saudi domestic oil demand goes up very significantly and that explains, to a major extent, the announcement by Saudi Arabia that they're adding that amount to the global oil market.

Comment: See also:

Read More...
Gold Bar

Why is Russia growing gold reserves to record levels?


Sputnik
Wed, 25 Jul 2018 13:34 UTC
goldbars
© AP/Michael Probst
Fresh Russian Central Bank data shows that Moscow bought some 106 tons of gold since the start of 2018, with total reserves now approaching the 2,000 metric ton mark. News of the buy-up comes after a confirmation by the US Treasury Department that Russia dropped out of the top holders of US bonds. Sputnik explores the move and its possible reasons.

According to Russian Central Bank figures, Russia's total gold reserves amounted to 1,944 tons as of June 2018, with the regulator pointing to a steady rise in holdings of the precious metal over the last decade (total gold reserves amounted to less than 500 tons in 2008). In the same period, the share of gold in Russia's total reserves grew from just 2.5 percent to over 17 percent.

Last week, the US Treasury confirmed that Russia had undertaken a large-scale dumping of its T-bills, bonds and notes, with holdings falling from $92 billion in December 2017 to just $14.9 billion now, thereby pushing Russia out of the top 33 major holders of US securities.

Russia's total international reserves, including gold, now amount to $460 billion, with the Russian Central Bank aiming for $500 billion.

Comment: The less gold there is, given the mining prediction, the more valuable it will be perceived, thereby unfolding an interesting financial dynamic. Russia is positioning. Trapped in the dollar, what is the US doing?

Read More...
Snakes in Suits

'Let them come and get me': Macron protects bodyguard over violent May Day scandal


RT
Tue, 24 Jul 2018 21:33 UTC
Macron Benalla
© Charly Triballeau/AFPFrench President Emmanuel Macron and bodyguard Alexandre Benalla
French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to take the hit for the unfolding Alexandre Benalla affair, saying he's responsible for all the actions of his violent aide, who was filmed beating demonstrators during a May Day rally.
"If they are looking for the one responsible, the only one responsible is me and me alone," Macron told fellow parliamentary party lawmakers on Tuesday, as quoted by BFM TV. "If they want the one responsible, he's in front of you. Let them come and get me. I answer to the French people."
The full-blown scandal unfolded last week when it was revealed that Benalla, Macron's bodyguard and assistant chief of staff, "helped" the police to tackle seemingly peaceful protesters during the May 1st demonstrations in Paris. Benalla was filmed beating a male protester and dragging away a woman, while wearing a riot police-style helmet. The actual riot police did not intervene in Benalla's violent actions, according to the footage.

Macron on Tuesday called the scandalous May 1 events a "betrayal," adding that he had "trusted" Benalla. The French president at the same time stressed that he was also the one who authorized a "sanction" against the rogue aide, adding that none of his staff was above the law. The said sanction, however, had seemingly only taken effect when the affair went public, which forced the presidential administration to sack Benalla.

Comment: See also: Alexandre Benalla, the Rambo of Macron's 'Watergate'

Read More...
Mr. Potato

UK MP Corbyn under attack again, this time by remoaners for planning a 'beneficial Brexit'


RT
Wed, 25 Jul 2018 12:30 UTC
corbyn disarmament protest
Despite decades of campaigning against them, Jeremy Corbyn is facing accusations from Remainers of being in bed with the far-right. The claim was made against the Labour leader after he gave a speech on the "benefits of Brexit."

Setting out his vision for a post-Brexit Britain, Corbyn called for public contracts to be given to British companies while attacking the government for failing exporters following the referendum. The policies were criticized for being protectionist, even though similar policies exist in France and Germany.

A passage of the speech was picked up and paraphrased by the Leave.eu Twitter feed.

Leave.eu's extract of Corbyn's speech was accused of being misleading because it cut out sections where the Labour Leader attacks US President Donald Trump and Tory austerity.

Comment: This is yet another example of media spin and political hysteria. Corbyn would do well to plan for the gordian knot that is Brexit.

Let's see how UK PM Theresa May is getting on with things:

See also: Also check out SOTT radio's:

Read More...
Sherlock

'Curious and hostile': Reports Austria granting citizenship to people in south Tyrol alarms Italy


Sputnik
Wed, 25 Jul 2018 12:59 UTC
tyrol
© AFP 2018 / Christof STACHE
Although the Alpine province and former Austrian-Hungarian princely county has remained part of Italy for almost a century, many in the predominantly speaking German region still have strong ties to Austria. Now Vienna is taking a step towards Tyrolians of Austrian origin, evoking separatism fears in Italy.

'Inappropriate and Hostile Initiative'

Rome has expressed concern over Vienna's reported plans to give out Austrian passports to the German and Ladin-speaking residents of South Tyrol, who make up more than 65% of population in its former region, which now belongs to Italy.

The Austrian paper Tiroler Tageszeitung reported about the corresponding bill, allegedly being forged in Vienna, which is due to be finalized by September. After the news was made public, Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi pointed out that the purpose of the move is unclear as the people of both countries enjoy EU citizenship.

Comment: Austria and Italy have been rather outspoken about the failures of the EU project so one wonders what Austria really has in mind offering citizens the opportunity of dual nationality; which, as noted in the article, is not considered necessary with the current EU border agreements: Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Trump Ditches Europe, Europe Bluffs, Russia and China Carry on With Eurasian Integration

Read More...
Vader

Atlantic Alliance uber alles? EU agrees to extortionate gas imports from US, and to team up against China in trade war


RT
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 07:18 UTC
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump
© Joshua Roberts / ReutersEuropean Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and US President Donald Trump
European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker appears to have made several concessions to US President Donald Trump in an effort to avoid a trade war, including buying more US soybeans and LNG.

Juncker visited Washington on Wednesday to talk trade with Trump, who insisted on reciprocal trade relations with the EU.

"I came to make a deal, and we made a deal today," Juncker said on Wednesday at the White House.

He confirmed that the EU will build more terminals in order to import liquid natural gas (LNG) from the US. LNG has to be delivered by ship to specialized facilities, unlike the natural gas currently being delivered to Europe from Russia.

Comment: Trump's "art of the deal" appears to be working, but when there are clearly cheaper and more reliable gas deals to be had - as Germany is well aware with Nord Stream 2 - why is the EU selling out its citizens in order to appease the US? Is this likely to cause further splits within the Eurozone? Whilst the EU may have rolled over with relative ease, it's unlikely this will be the case with China and Russia: Also check out SOTT radio's:

Read More...
Dollar

Russia dumps massive amounts of US Treasuries, but who else holds America's debt?


RT
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 04:29 UTC
floating US dollar
© Getty Images
The persistently soaring US debt is now well over $21 trillion. While most media focus on foreign holders of US Treasuries, they make up less than 30 percent of the total. RT breaks down who holds the rest.

Russia recently dropped out of the top-10 holders of US Treasuries, with its holdings falling from $96.1 billion in March to just $14.9 billion in May. According to the latest statistics from the US Treasury, the country disappeared from the list of the 33 largest foreign holders of the US sovereign bonds.

The reduction was due to an assessment of financial, economic, and geopolitical risks, according to the chief of Russia's Central Bank Elvira Nabiullina. The official said gold purchases were helping Russia to diversify its wealth.

Comment: Further reading: Trump's "art of the deal" in play as he announces removal of ALL EU-US tariffs and end trade war

Read More...
Russian Flag

Defense Minister Shoigu: NATO losing their minds over Russia's increasing independence


RT
Thu, 26 Jul 2018 04:29 UTC
NATO Saber Strike
© Sergey Stepanov / SputnikA military officer during the international Saber Strike-2016 military exercise in Estonia at the central polygon of the Estonian Defense Forces in Tapa
The NATO bloc cannot stand Russia being an independent player in international politics and tries to prevent this by boosting its military presence in Eastern Europe, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has stated.

"NATO member countries make various attempts to prevent Russia from becoming their geopolitical competitor, even more so because we have allies. They use various organizations, including the international ones and many spheres of human activity like politics, economy and even culture and sports," Shoigu said at the Tuesday session of the Defense Ministry's collegium.

Comment: Here's a collection of articles detailing NATO's various (failed) attempts to subvert Russian independence: They're as persistent as they are sadistic.

Read More...
Chess

Debunking the US-manufactured Russian 'security crisis' and Putin panic: A two-part interview with Stephen F. Cohen

Aaron Mate
The Rea lNews Network
Thu, 19 Jul 2018 21:43 UTC
Helsinki Trump Putin
© Grigory Dukor / ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump meets with President of Russia, Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, February 2018
President Trump's warm words for Vladimir Putin and his failure to endorse U.S. intelligence community claims about alleged Russian meddling have been called "treasonous" and the cause of a "national security crisis." There is a crisis, says Prof. Stephen F. Cohen, but one of our own making

Read More...