Puppet MastersS


Chess

Preemptive moves? Sanctions-wary Moscow takes steps to conceal government contracts from prying eyes


Meduza
Fri, 08 Dec 2017 00:00 UTC
Russian Duma
© Maksim Blinov / Sputnik
The Russian government has reportedly drafted a list of 126 companies (primarily enterprises owned or operated by the state) that will be permitted to reach state procurement deals in secret. Beginning on December 15, these companies' contracts with the government will move to Russia's platform for defense orders, where they won't need to disclose their clients.

According to Kommersant, the measure is most likely designed to counter future U.S. sanctions against persons and businesses with ties to the Russian government.

Comment: Dozens of Russian defense companies on list of potential new US sanction targets
The list includes over thirty Russian defense sector entities, starting with the state-owned Russian Technologies State Corporation, Rostec. The titan of Russia's civil and military production, Rostec incorporates roughly 700 entities which form 14 holding companies which manufacture anything from AvtoVAZ cars to Kamaz trucks.

Rostec also controls Rosoboronexport, the sole Russian state intermediary agency responsible for the import and export of defense arms which is also on the list. Some of the other companies working with Rostec, such as the world-famous AK-47 producer Kalashnikov Concern JSC, is a potential target as well.

One of the oldest and largest shipyards in Russia, Admiralty Shipyard, is also a possible target. The company, located in St. Petersburg, primarily deals with submarines design, development, and construction. Dolgoprudny Research Production JSC which manufactures products such as anti-aircraft missiles, launchers and rockets has also been added to the list.

Mytishchinski Mashinostroitelny Zavod which handles naval, aircraft, anti aircraft, tank, coast and field artillery products also shared the same fate. Russian aviation industry leaders Sukhoi Aviation, Tupolev JSC and United Aircraft Corporation were also singled out by the State Department.


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Bullseye

Zakharova smacks French FM after he claims Russia 'stole' glory for defeat of ISIS in Syria


TASS
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 15:06 UTC
Maria Zakharova
© Valery Sharifulin/TASS
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Sunday jogged the memory of the Western partner about their "successes" in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan in comment to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian's statement that Russia has "arrogated" the defeat of Islamic State (a terrorist organization outlawed in Russia) in Syria.

"The Western partners have been saying in the recent days that it was not Russia but them, the coalition to defeat Islamic State in Syria. The last to say this was French Foreign Minister Mr. Le Drian," she wrote on her Facebook account. "Dear Sirs, stop it! Your successes are Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. Come on, be proud of them."

Comment:
arrogateˈarəɡeɪt/ verb past tense: arrogated; past participle: arrogated - take or claim (something) without justification.
No surprise this comes from an arrog-ant Frenchman.

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Dollar

Cryptocurrency explained: Everything you wanted to know about BitCoin but were afraid to ask

James Corbett
Steemit
Sat, 30 Sep 2017 17:44 UTC
Bitcoin Psy-op
© Corbett Report
Yes, the blockchain is truly revolutionary.Yes, bitcoin is Tulipmania 2.0.

Yes, cryptocurrency is a nail in the coffin of the bankster parasites.

Yes, digital currency is a tool of the totalitarian tyrants.

No, these statements are not contradictory. But don't worry if you think they are. You're just a victim of the bitcoin psyop.

What's the bitcoin psyop? Well, look at a headline like this:

"Former Chairman of Federal Reserve to Speak at Blockchain Conference"

If you immediately think "Aha! I knew it! The Fed is behind this bitcoin nonsense, after all!" then you might want to stop and contemplate this headline from two years ago:

"Ben Bernanke: Bitcoin Has 'Serious Problems'"

Do you think there's some kind of contradiction here? Or do you think that Bernanke has "flip-flopped" on the issue? Or do you suspect that Bernanke was always secretly behind bitcoin but couldn't admit it until now?

If so, then you have fallen for an embarrassingly simple trick. That trick is to use the words "bitcoin" and "blockchain" and "cryptocurrency" and "digital currency" interchangeably, as if they are all the same thing. They are not.

Confused? Well, fear not! Our good friends at the Bank for International Settlements have written a handy-dandy article that explains everything to you in simple, everyday language. They've even illustrated that article with easy-to-understand infographics!
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Gift

Powerful Iraqi militant tours Lebanon-Israel border with Hezbollah


Fox News
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 13:46 UTC
Israel Lebanon
© Yaron Kaminsky The Israel-Lebanon border, July 5, 2012.
A powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militant commander has visited the Lebanon-Israel border expressing support for the Lebanese and Palestinians against the Jewish state.

Qais al-Khazali of the Iranian-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq, or League of the Righteous, a group that staged spectacular attacks against U.S. troops before their withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 appeared in military uniform in a video while touring the border with Israel along with members of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group.

The visit was blasted by Prime Minister Saad Hariri who said in a statement that it is a violation of Lebanese, law adding that it happened six days ago. Hariri ordered that al-Khazaali be banned from entering Lebanon again.

The video was aired by Asaib Ahl al-Haq al-Ahd TV station Thursday night.

Comment: Trump's Jerusalem decision 'will be the spark to remove Israel from Islamic nation and reason to attack US troops' says Iraq paramilitary commander

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Green Light

Lavrov: Moscow regrets West does nothing 'to explain dos and don'ts' to Kiev


TASS
Fri, 08 Dec 2017 13:33 UTC
Lavrov
© REUTERS/ Hoang Dinh NamSergey Lavrov


The United States is the main sponsor of the Ukrainian authorities, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

Vienna.- Moscow regrets the West, in the particular, the United States, does nothing "to explain dos and don'ts" to Kiev and urges the US to get aware of its responsibility, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference in Vienna following a meeting of the OSCE foreign ministers.

Lavrov recalled that Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov had made public calls for dropping the Minsk Accords and inventing something else. Also, he claimed that the Ukrainian army and security forces would soon build up enough muscle to address the problem without Minsk-2.

Comment: It's not that the US cannot explain dos and don'ts to Kiev - it's just that they don't want to:

Delusional: Tillerson accuses Russia of "hybrid warfare" to undermine the West, wants Crimea returned to Ukraine

More on the Ukraine's non-compliance of the Minsk agreements:

Ukraine: Russia's representative to OSCE says Kiev sabotages Minsk agreements

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Briefcase

Is David Brock illegally funding an effort to impeach Trump?

Robert Donachie
The Daily Caller
Fri, 08 Dec 2017 10:43 UTC
David Brock
© Grae Stafford/The Daily CallerDavid Brock
David Brock's Media Matters for America appears to be granting hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable funds to political groups that are trying to impeach the president and unseat Republicans across the nation.

Brock's Media Matters for America is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has tax-exempt status. That tax-exempt status comes with an important caveat: the non-profit is barred from participating in political activity - funding or otherwise - that is in support or opposition to a candidate for office.

Media Matters for America granted $200,000 in 2016 to a Brock organization, though it is unclear if it was American Bridge 21st Century Foundation or a super PAC sharing its name, American Bridge 21st Century PAC, according to the non-profit's 2016 financial statements and filings with the IRS obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation.

Comment: See also:

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Whistle

Intel officer Shaffer vs Obama: Former president may be hit with felony indictment due to wiretapping

Andrés Perezalonso
Sott.net
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 11:53 UTC
Obama Tony Shaffer
In an interview with Trending Today USA held in March, former intelligence officer Lt. Col Tony Shaffer said that Obama's wiretapping of Trump during the election could result in felony charges:
Lt. Col Tony Shaffer called 'Obamagate' an "order of magnitude" even bigger than the Watergate scandal because the incident included "using nation-state resources for purposes of political gain."

When asked if Obama could be arrested for violating the law, he said that it would be the "first time a former president could be indicted for a felony."

"...I think it is very possible that he acted outside of the scope of his duties, responsibilities and authorities to turn the resources of a nation-state on a candidate. This is, as I've said before, soviet-dictator level wrongdoing," he added.

Shaffer said that Obama using government resources to spy on Trump was for the sole purpose of getting Hillary into office, as Obama hoped the wiretapping would produce enough "dirt" on Trump to sabotage his presidential run.
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War Whore

Trump continues Obama's wars

Eric Zuesse
Strategic Culture Foundation
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 12:12 UTC
Trump
US President Trump's bold support for the apartheid dictatorship of Israel against that theocratic-racist nation's non-Jews, fits into a larger picture of the supremacist nation that America itself has increasingly become. His immediate predecessor, Barack Obama, had repeatedly referred to the United States as being the only indispensable nation - that all others are "dispensable" - such as when President Obama addressed America's future military leaders, at West Point, on 28 May 2014, by telling them:
The United States is and remains the one indispensable nation. That has been true for the century passed and it will be true for the century to come. ... Russia's aggression toward former Soviet states unnerves capitals in Europe, while China's economic rise and military reach worries its neighbors. From Brazil to India, rising middle classes compete with us, and governments seek a greater say in global forums. ... It will be your generation's task to respond to this new world.

Comment:

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Question

Russia Defense Ministry bewildered at Le Drian's statement on Syria


TASS
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 11:55 UTC
Russia's Defense Ministry is bewildered at the statement made by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that Russia has misappropriated the victory over IS

Russian Defense Ministry
© adim Grishankin/Russian Defense Ministry's press service/TASS
Russia's Defense Ministry is bewildered at the statement made by France's Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian that Russia has misappropriated the victory over IS (Islamic State terrorist organization, outlawed in Russia), the ministry said on Sunday.

"The defeat of IS in Syria is first of all result of actions by the Syrian leadership and governmental forces," the ministry said. "With support of the Russian Aerospace Force, the Syrian armed forces liberated from IS terrorists hundreds of settlements and returned under control of the legitimate leadership practically the entire territory of the country."
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Cut

New York magazine fears Trump will shut down Mueller investigation

Jonathan Chait
New York Magazine
Sun, 10 Dec 2017 10:59 UTC
Robert Mueller
© Andrew Harnik/AP PhotoRobert Mueller
If there was any single event that would cause the Republican elite to openly revolt against the ongoing Trumpification of their party, it would be the nomination of Roy Moore for U.S. Senate in Alabama. Even prior to the allegations of child molestation, Moore had discovered innovative new realms of extremism that had never occurred to even his most ideologically fervent colleagues. He proposed banning Muslims from serving in elected office, called for the criminalization of homosexuality, and defied court rulings and declared his own biblical jurisprudence the sole valid legal authority.

And if that revolt was going to begin anywhere, it would likely be in Utah. The state's Mormon culture recoiled from Donald Trump's libidinous boasting, erratic behavior, and displays of extravagant consumption.

Between the 2012 and 2016 elections, Utah's Republican presidential margin underwent an astonishing 28 percent collapse.

Orrin Hatch, who has represented Utah in the Senate since 1977, greeted Moore's candidacy in this year's election with skepticism. ("I have trouble with" Moore's comments on gays and Muslims, he said in October.) Once evidence surfaced of Moore's alleged predation of teenage girls, Hatch pulled the rip cord. "If the deeply disturbing allegations in the Washington Post are true, Senator Hatch believes that Judge Moore should step aside immediately," his spokesman declared.

Comment: Trump doesn't need to shut down the Mueller investigation. The FBI is doing a great job of killing it on their own (not that it was ever alive, really). See:

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