Puppet MastersS


Light Saber

Foreign minister say Austria doesn't fear reprisal for not expelling Russian diplomats - calls for dialogue


RT
Thu, 29 Mar 2018 15:22 UTC
Kneissl Austria foreign minister
© Heinz-Peter Bader / ReutersAustrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl attends a news conference in Vienna, March 8, 2018
Vienna refused to expel Russian diplomats not because it feared reprisal, but because it stands for open dialogue, Austria's foreign minister said, decrying the UK's attempts to lure the country into taking "certain measures."

Austria refrained from expelling Russian diplomats earlier this week, in contrast to its EU neighbors, who chose to rely on the UK's assertion that Russia was behind the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal in Salisbury. Karin Kneissl, Austria's top diplomat, said the surprise decision had nothing to do with a fear of countermeasures from Moscow.

"It never had any impact on considerations of the Foreign Ministry and communications with the chancellor," Kneissl said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kurier newspaper. Expelling foreign diplomats is not something Vienna stands for, she added. "You have to keep channels [of communication] open, especially when things get tough."
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War Whore

Russian media publishes 'silly presentation' UK used to prompt diplomat expulsions


RT
Thu, 29 Mar 2018 12:02 UTC
Sergei Skripal
© Henry Nicholls / ReutersPolice officers near a tent-covered spot close to where Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found poisoned in Salisbury, Britain
A document UK officials presented in a bid to persuade allies to expel Russian diplomats this week suggests London no longer questions whether Moscow poisoned Sergei Skripal, but offers no new specific evidence.

Titled 'Salisbury Incident,' the six slide PowerPoint document was sent out to 80 top level foreign embassy officials in Moscow, according to Kommersant business daily, the news agency to which the document was leaked. The diplomatic effort was a bid to sway opinion and prepare the ground for the expulsions of over 100 Russian diplomats by more than 20 countries, which have been announced over the past three days.

Previously, the UK publicly suggested that it was "highly likely" Moscow had a hand in the poisoning of double agent Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, on March 4 in Salisbury, however, the leaked document takes a harsher line.

Comment: A 6-slide PowerPoint? Well there you have it folks, 'undeniable proof'. For something so ridiculous we turn to Maria Zakharova for some common sense. Sputnik reports:
The presentation on the Skripal case given to foreign diplomats at a briefing in the UK Embassy in Moscow looks like a presentation made by primary school children, Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"Of course, it is shocking. It looks like pictures for children... This is the presentation, which resembles one made by primary school students, who have just learned how to use a computer. It retells not even the information reported by the media but rather the key points made by UK Prime Minister Theresa May during a hearing at the parliament. But again, it is chaotic, incoherent," Zakharova told Russia's Zvezda TV channel.

The spokeswoman pointed out that the presentation mentioned neither the formula of the substance used to poison Skripal, nor the number of people involved in the attack.


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Chess

US judge dismisses Saudi Arabia's motion to end 9/11 complicity lawsuits


RT
Thu, 29 Mar 2018 12:02 UTC
Trump Saudi Mohammed bin Salman
© Jonathan Ernst / ReutersU.S. President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington
US District Judge George B. Daniels in Manhattan has dismissed the motion filed by Saudi Arabia to end long-running litigation over what those affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks claim is Riyadh's complicity in the tragedy.

The allegations put forward by the victims' relatives and those who were injured in the attack "narrowly articulate a reasonable basis for this Court to assume jurisdiction under JASTA (The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act) over Plaintiffs' claims against Saudi Arabia," Daniels stated in the court opinion. Taking this into account, "this Court will exercise its discretion to allow Plaintiffs limited jurisdictional discovery," it added before announcing the Saudi Arabian motion dismissed.

JASTA, passed by Congress in 2016, overriding then-US President Barack Obama's veto, paved the way for legal proceedings against foreign states and their officials suspected of supporting terrorism to continue even if they were previously rejected in a court.

Comment: Further reading: Saudis complicit in 9/11 attacks (unless they kowtow to USA and get Russia)

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Black Magic

The "systemically murderous and evil' scheming of the empire: Is a new war against Russia in Ukraine unfolding before our eyes?

Prof. John McMurtry
Global Research
Wed, 28 Mar 2018 00:00 UTC
syria donbass war
We are now entering yet another US-UK led war build-up against the cornerstone of Western ideology, the designated Enemy Russia.

As usual there is amnesia of the ever-recurring big-lie pretext, the need for another crisis to keep the two-billion-dollar a day NATO war machine going, the baleful puppet moves of Canada in the process, the crisis of legitimacy of the lead attacker's government, and the silent diversion from the whole nightmare scenario unfolding by all NATO-member governments, mass media and even 'peace activist' organisations.

This time the big-lie pretext is about the alleged poisoning by the Kremlin/Putin of a double-agent, usually a stock move in espionage entertainments, but here with no evidence of the claimed origin of the lethal nerve-agent, but rather expert denial within British defence and weapons research itself, with devious political word games to get around the absence of evidence in familiar denunciations of Russia that are full of aggression and hate. Not even a death is recorded while US-led and UK-armed ally forces are still mass-murdering poor civilian Yeminis, drone-murdering endless targets and civilians abroad, continuing on unblamed for the ongoing NATO-executed eco-genocides of Iraq and Libya societies, and on the 19-years anniversary of the mass bombing of, once again a society, Yugoslavia, with the most evolved social infrastructures of health, education, housing and life security in the region.
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Snakes in Suits

DOJ Inspector General reviews alleged FISA abuses by DOJ, FBI

Brooke Singman
Fox News
Wed, 28 Mar 2018 18:35 UTC
Michael Horowitz DOJ
DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee
The investigation will determine if anyone in the ranks broke the rules when convincing federal judges to sign off on surveillance during the Russian collusion probe.

Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz announced Wednesday he will review potential Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) abuses by both the Justice Department and the FBI, following requests from Congress and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The Office of the Inspector General released a statement Wednesday outlining the start of the review.

"The OIG will initiate a review that will examine the Justice Department's and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's compliance with legal requirements, and with applicable DOJ and FBI policies and procedures, in applications filed with the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC) relating to a certain U.S. person," the statement obtained by Fox News read. "As part of this examination, the OIG also will review information that was known to the DOJ and the FBI at the time the applications were filed from or about an alleged FBI confidential source."

The OIG statement added that Horowitz also would "review the DOJ's and FBI's relationship and communications with the alleged source as they relate to the FISC applications."

The statement continued, "If circumstances warrant, the OIG will consider including other issues that may arise during the course of the review."
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MIB

UK, not Russia, meddled in US election: Julian Assange tweets links between British establishment and Steele dossier


Sott.net
Wed, 28 Mar 2018 21:42 UTC
MI6 london
After WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange last week let the cat out of the bag regarding a dirty Trump dossier secret, his internet has been cut off at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, his refuge from the Deep State for the last 6 years.

In winning the 2016 U.S. election, President Donald Trump defeated not only the corrupt Clinton machine, but also the republican party and foreign governments with strong vested interests in maintaining the US-led Western Empire.

It has long been assumed that Russia was the only foreign government involved in manufacturing manufacturing the dodgy 'Golden Shower' dossier that spawned a political witch-hunt against the president.

Last week, Assange reminded everyone that the British government - and specifically its security service, MI6 - was also intimately involved.

In a series of tweets on Thursday 22 March, Assange listed some of the dirty participants who played a role falsely accusing Trump of 'collusion' with Russia:

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Quenelle

Irish politicians slam government's decision to expel Russian diplomat


RT
Tue, 27 Mar 2018 20:46 UTC
Leo Varadkar
© Clodagh Kilcoyne / ReutersPrime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar
Ireland's government is facing pushback for its decision to follow the lead of the UK, the US and other European countries and expel a Russian diplomat from the country.

Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney released a statement on Tuesday, confirming that Dublin would stand in "unqualified solidarity" with the UK, which has accused the Russian government of being responsible for the chemical attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.

The decision has sparked controversy in Ireland, with a number of political and media figures making their disagreement with the government clear.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald spoke against the decision in the Irish Parliament after the announcement was made. "Essentially you're asking us to trust Boris Johnson and dare I say this is not the wisest course of action," McDonald said to Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

Comment: While Ireland's government went ahead with expelling a Russian diplomat based only on the worthless word of people like May and Johnson and without the support of their constituents, other EU nations have opted for a saner approach:
On Tuesday, Switzerland noted that it would wait for the results of the investigation before taking any action. Its Foreign Ministry said that the country "supports mechanisms and institutions that can independently clarify facts and security evidence."

Austria, an EU member, said it would not be taking any "national measures," while noting its desire to "keep the channels of communication to Russia open."

Cyprus also declined to expel any Russian diplomats without any further evidence. "Our country is not in a position to take measures against countries that are permanent members of the UN Security Council," government spokesman Prodromos Prodromou told Cyprus News Agency (CNA) on Monday, as quoted by the Independent Balkan News Agency (IBNA).

Slovakia was not eager to jump the gun either. "The development of the situation, as well as Russia's response to the calls addressed to it by the EU countries -- including Slovakia -- will influence the next steps that we are prepared to consider in this case," the Slovakian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. However, the country said it was summoning the Russian ambassador "without delay."

Last week, ahead of a meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May at a European Council summit dinner in Brussels, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras stressed the need for an investigation into the Skripal case before jumping to conclusions. "We have to express our solidarity to the UK, to the British people, but at the same time we need to investigate," he said.

Other EU nations, including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia, have also declined to join the expulsion frenzy.


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Bad Guys

Birds of a feather: US State Dept says only evidence it needs in Skripal case is UK's word


RT
Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:27 UTC
Heather Nauert
© US Department of StateUS acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Heather Nauert
Russia must confess to the Salisbury 'chemical attack' in order to mend relations with the US and NATO, said the US State Department, adding that the only evidence the US needs for Moscow's culpability was the word of its UK ally.

"If Russia wants to improve relations, it needs to first acknowledge its responsibility for this attack and cease its recklessly aggressive behavior," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters on Tuesday.

At one point, the newly promoted acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs channelled horror writer H.P. Lovecraft to describe Russia as a "beast from the deep sea."

"Russia has long arms, Russia has lots of tentacles," Nauert told reporters.
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Attention

Russia's UK embassy: 160 countries not in Western bloc want proof in Skripal case


RT
Wed, 28 Mar 2018 04:01 UTC
Targetrussia
© Unknown/KJN
Scores of non-Western countries refuse to take the UK's assertion that Russia was behind the incident in Salisbury at face value, demanding it present the evidence, Moscow's embassy in London said. Some 160 states share that view.

While many in the Western world, save several notable exceptions, united behind the UK as it accused Russia of poisoning the former spy with a military-grade toxic agent, many more countries have not been persuaded by the fiery rhetoric of British PM Theresa May, the spokesperson for Russia's British embassy told Sputnik.

"Even if Mrs. May said that she was absolutely sure that Russia was responsible for the incident in Salisbury, she would have to present all evidence to Russia, the international community and the British public. This is the opinion of almost 160 countries which are not members of the Western bloc," he said. "It is obvious that no one in the wider world would take British words for granted."

Comment: It is not a mystery as to UK's refusal to share the investigation if it has to back-engineer the circumstances and provide irrefutable evidence to frame Russia. Or, proving it was never the priority. Regardless of the incident in question, the West has achieved one of its goals: to suss out and unify its block of power, then shove it in Russia's face. And, it only took a relatively flimsy excuse (or a teensy false flag) to do it.

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Dominoes

Blundering Boris Johnson does a 180, now says England will not boycott World Cup


RT
Wed, 28 Mar 2018 20:14 UTC
boris johnson
© Hannah Mckay / Reuters
UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has announced England has "no plans" to boycott the Russia 2018 World Cup, despite earlier taking a hard line over participation at the tournament this summer.

During his Q&A session in Parliament on Tuesday, Johnson told the House of Commons that the UK has "no desire to punish England fans" by refusing to take part in the World Cup, held in Russia from June 14 to July 15.

Johnson said: "There are no plans to boycott the World Cup in Russia or try to get a boycott from the England team which is a matter for the Football Association not the Government.

"We have no desire to punish England fans. There will no attendance by ministers or the Royal family as the Prime Minister told the House on March 14.
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