Puppet MastersS


Megaphone

China slams US: 'the self-proclaimed human-rights defender has exposed its human rights 'myth' with its own deeds'


teleSUR
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 12:00 UTC
flag usa china
© ReutersBeijing officials have often criticized Washington for scrutinizing China's human-rights record.
"We urge the United States to impartially and objectively look upon China's human-rights development and to stop acting as a so-called human-rights judge," said China's Foreign Ministry.

Chinese officials have slammed the U.S. Treasury Department for sanctioning public security official Gao Yan, insisting that the United States has no right to act as a "human-rights judge."

In March 2014, Yan was head of the Chaoyan Detention Center, in Beijing, where rights activist Cao Shunli was detained and interrogated, according to Reuters, before dying in hospital while in police custody.
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Star of David

Israel formally quits UNESCO over 'attacks' months after US withdrawal


RT
Sat, 23 Dec 2017 16:34 UTC
Jerusalem
© Ronen Zvulun / Reuters
Following in the footsteps of the US, Israel announced its exit from UNESCO, citing "attacks" by the organization. The move comes after 128 UN members voted to reject the US' recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

The decision was based on the UN-run agency's "attempts to disconnect Jewish history from the land of Israel," Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said. He added that the official letter of withdrawal will be submitted by the end of the year and that Israel will effectively leave the organization by the end of 2018.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed Israel's envoy to UNESCO, Carmel Shama-Hacohen, to officially announce the withdrawal, Haaretz reports.

Comment: For more on the US and Israel decision to withdraw from UNESCO: Why did Trump quit Unesco, really? For preserving Palestinian culture

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Attention

If you travel to Russia, US Congress might think you are a Kremlin agent


Paul Craig Roberts
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 13:13 UTC
Jill Stein Putin
Green Party presidential Candidate Jill Stein is being investigated by the Senate Intelligence (sic) Committee for "Russian connections."

What has brought Russiagate to Jill Stein? The answer is that she attended the 10th Anniversary RT dinner in Moscow as did the notorious "Russian collaborator" US General Michael Flynn. RT is a news organization, a far better one than exists in the West, but if you were one of the many accomplished people who attended the anniversary dinner, you are regarded by Republican Senator Richard Burr from North Carolina as a possible Kremlin agent. http://russia-insider.com/en/anti-russian-witch-hunt-comes-jill-stein-because-she-once-sat-next-putin-and-flynn/ri21998

What is going on here? Stein sums it up: "we must guard against the potential for these investigations to be used to intimidate and silence principled opposition to the political establishment."

Here I sit considering two interesting invitations. One is to speak at the main Plenary Session of the Moscow Economic Forum in April. The other is to speak at the Summit for Global Challenges in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan in May. The very minute I accept, the NSA will notify its mouthpieces, the New York Times, PropOrNot's promoter the Washington Post, Senator Burr, and Special Russiagate Prosecutor Robert Mueller. Would I be renditioned to Israel or Egypt or Saudi Arabia and tortured until I confessed that I was a member of the Trump-Flynn-Jill Stein Kremlin spy network?


Comment: You might be giving yourself a little too much credit there. Why would they go through all that trouble when they can just censure you? Simply being critical of the mainstream narrative is enough to get one labelled a Russian troll and by extension, a Kremlin agent.

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Rocket

Russia sends more S-400 SAMs to Far East amid North Korea tensions


RT
Sat, 23 Dec 2017 16:22 UTC
Russia's S-400 missile system
© Ruptly
An air defense regiment in Vladivostok in Russia's Far East has upgraded its arsenal with advanced S-400 system batteries. This comes amid the ongoing crisis involving North Korea, which borders Russia and is 130km from the city.

The 1533th Regiment was previously armed with three older S-300SP systems, but received the modern S-400 Triumf batteries this year. The S-400 has a range of 600km, compared to the 400km range of the older surface-to-air missile, and has better target tracking and simultaneous engagement capabilities. The service members trained to use them earlier in 2017 and confirmed their expertise at the Kapustin Yar range in central Russia, the regiment commander, Col. Aleksey Morokov, told journalists after a deployment ceremony.

Comment: These S-400 systems are popping up in many places:

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Attention

Mattis to US troops: 'Storm clouds gathering' over Korean Peninsula, 'you gotta be ready'


RT
Sat, 23 Dec 2017 15:58 UTC
James N. Mattis
© Reuters
The authority of US foreign policy should be supported by the army's readiness for war, now that "storm clouds" are gathering over the Koreas, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said on a two-day visit to the peninsula.

As the families of the nearly 28,000 troops stationed in South Korea were preparing for the holidays, with growing concerns over possible evacuations from the peninsula, Mattis arrived with ominous words.

"My fine young soldiers, the only way our diplomats can speak with authority and be believed is if you're ready to go," Mattis told the troops.

The defense secretary pointed out that there are important lessons to be gained from history. "Knowing what went wrong the last time around is as important as knowing your own testing, so that you're forewarned - you know what I'm driving at here. So you gotta be ready." Mattis, however, hasn't given up hope on a peaceful solution yet.


Comment: Is Mattis referring to this history? How history's deadliest bombing campaign created today's crisis in Korea


Comment: Is Mattis really prepared? Washington's flag-waving myths about attacking North Korea need a serious dose of reality

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Russian Flag

Putin's reasonable stance: Moscow not seeking confrontation but won't cede own interests


RT
Sat, 23 Dec 2017 16:16 UTC
Moscow scene
© Mladen Antonov/Agence France-PresseYoung people take pictures from the Patriarshy Bridge in front of the Kremlin in Moscow on September 4, 2017
Russia does not seek confrontation with anyone, keeping the door open for dialogue with both East and West, but will never sacrifice its vital interests and security of its people, President Vladimir Putin said.

"Our strength is aimed at protecting against outside threats [and] terrorism," President Putin told members of the United Russia party on Saturday. "We are not seeking and will not be seeking confrontation with anyone, and will continue [pursuing] a transparent and honest foreign policy."

Moscow is open to fair dialogue "with all the countries, be it in the West or East," Putin said. "But we will never sacrifice the security of our citizens and national interests of our people."
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V

Billionaire meddles in the wrong country - Irish revolt at George Soros' interference in election

Luis Miguel
BizPacReview
Thu, 21 Dec 2017 15:23 UTC
G Soros
© Life InstituteSoros
You don't mess with the Irish.

Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros encountered opposition from the Irish government after funding efforts to repeal a pro-life Amendment from the country's constitution.

Soros' Open Society Foundations (OSF) gave human rights organization Amnesty International $162,000 for its My Body My Rights campaign in Ireland, The Journal reports.

The campaign promoted a repeal of the Irish Constitution's Eighth Amendment, which protects "the right to life of the unborn."

Ireland's Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) ordered Amnesty International to return the donation, claiming it violated the 1997 Electoral Act, which prohibits foreign entities from giving more than $100 for "political purposes."

Amnesty refused to return the money and criticized the law. Colm O'Gorman, chief executive of Amnesty International Ireland, pledged to challenge the decision. He also said he wanted the Electoral Act changed.

Comment: Ireland is in good company in trying to rid itself of Soros' pernicious meddling,

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Cupcake Choco

Nikki Haley throwing a party for countries that snubbed the US after Jerusalem vote

Katie Pavlich
Townhall
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 12:00 UTC
nikki haley
© Lucas Jackson / Reuters
Earlier this week UN Ambassador Nikki Haley warned members of the international body that the United States of America does not pay to be disrespected and would be taking down the names of countries who condemned America's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"At the UN we're always asked to do more & give more. So, when we make a decision, at the will of the American ppl, abt where to locate OUR embassy, we don't expect those we've helped to target us. On Thurs there'll be a vote criticizing our choice. The US will be taking names," she tweeted.

On Thursday, 128 countries voted against the U.S. with 45 either abstaining or standing in direct defense of America. More than a dozen didn't show up for the vote.

Comment: Also from Breitbart:
"They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars then vote against us, well we're watching those votes," he said. "Let them vote against us; we'll save a lot. We don't care."

The reception will likely be seen as symbolic of the Trump administration's intent to keep note of who is and who is not supporting the U.S. agenda at the U.N.

The aggressive stance over the resolution by the U.S., particularly the funding threat, sparked anger from some diplomats.

"We were all asked to vote "no" or face the consequences. Some were even threatened with [a] development aid cut. Such an attitude is unacceptable," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said during the debate on Thursday. "This is bullying and this chamber will not vote to do that."
They take the money because you're giving it to them... unless, there's strings attached? But then isn't that essentially bribery? Or blackmail? Maybe it's a bit of both! Well they'll find out soon enough who their 'friends' are. Hopefully no one shows up and we can see Haley throw another hissy fit. See also:

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Rocket

More S-400 air defense systems to be deployed in Crimea in coming days


RT
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
S-400 in Crimea
© Vitaly Ankov / Sputnik
Two battalions supported by S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems will begin combat duty in Russia's Crimea at the start of 2018, the defense ministry has announced.

The battalions have already been deployed to the peninsula and have taken their assigned positions, lieutenant general Viktor Sevostyanov told the media Friday. The crews are now in training mode, the official added, saying permanent combat duty will start "in the first days of the new year."

Air defense in the region "has been developing quite successfully," Sevostyanov said. The current S-400 deployment is not the first in Crimea, he said, as one of the regiments had the advanced surface-to-air missile system previously installed.

Comment: See also:

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Quenelle

Mahmud Abbas says Palestinians will not accept any U.S. peace plan


RFE/RE
Fri, 22 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
Mahmud Abbas
© Farancois Mori/AFPPalestinian President Mahmud Abbas speaks during a press conference in Paris on December 22.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas says that the Palestinians "will no longer accept" any Middle East peace plan proposed by the United States.

Abbas spoke in Paris on December 22, a day after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

"The United States has proven to be a dishonest mediator in the peace process and we will no longer accept any plan from the United States," Abbas said after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
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