Puppet MastersS


Star of David

'Hillbilly Haley' panders to the Israeli lobby: Unless UN rights council reforms, US is out

Ron Kampeas
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Sat, 04 Nov 2017 17:09 UTC
nikki haley UN
© Stephanie Keith/Getty ImagesNikki Haley speaking at a U.N. meeting in New York City, Sept. 4, 2017.
The United States is ready to pull out of the U.N. Human Rights Council unless it institutes reforms, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told an Israeli-American audience.

"The Human Rights Council will either adopt these reforms or the United States will leave," Haley said Saturday to applause at the annual Washington conference of the Israeli American Council.

Haley said U.S. proposed reforms include removing "Item 7," which requires a report on Israeli actions in the West Bank each time the panel convenes. She said the United States also wanted structural changes that would keep major human rights abusers from joining the council; she noted the Democratic Republic of Congo's recent ascension to the panel.


Comment: But head-chopping Saudis heading up the Council are ok. Got it.

Comment:

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Windsock

Out-of-office syndrome: John Kerry blasts Israel, praises "extraordinary" restraint of Palestinians


RT
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 17:10 UTC
John Kerry
Former US Secretary of State John Kerry has launched an unprecedented attack on the Israeli government, blaming them for the stalemate in securing a peace deal between Israel and Palestine while praising the latter's commitment to non-violence.

"Kerry's comments came to light after recordings, reportedly made at a recent conference in Dubai, were obtained by Israel's Channel 10 and broadcast on Tuesday.

The former presidential hopeful said that: "The Palestinians have done an extraordinary job of remaining committed to non-violence. And in fact when the intifada (in 2015) took place they delivered non-violence - in the West Bank."

However, Kerry said this was "overlooked by the general population because it's not a topic of discussion. Why? Because the majority of the cabinet, in the current Israeli government, has publicly declared they are not ever for a Palestinian state."

He then went on to describe a number of steps taken to safeguard Israel's security, including having Israeli troops stationed at an airport in neighboring Jordan. "King Abdullah of Jordan accepted the idea of having Israeli troops at an airport in Jordan," he said.

Comment: Kerry may have been fairly ineffectual as Secretary of State, but he was known for telling the truth at least once in a while. Glad to see he continues to do so. Maybe next he can describe how his Syrian ceasefire deal was treacherously derailed by his own intelligence community...

See also: US war hawks on the move: Leaked Kerry recordings expose fear of Russian victory

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Mr. Potato

Virginia governor McAuliffe on Donna Brazile's DNC revelation: "Nobody cares"

Jeff Poor
Breitbart
Mon, 06 Nov 2017 16:54 UTC
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)
© Mike Theiler/Reuters
Monday on MSNBC, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) dismissed the allegations laid out by former Democratic National Committee chairwoman Donna Brazile in her forthcoming book, "Hacks."

In her book, Brazile said the 2016 process for choosing the eventual Democratic presidential nominee, which was Hillary Clinton, was rigged.

McAuliffe's reaction was "nobody cares," and he attempted to steer the conversation to tomorrow's gubernatorial election in Virginia.


Comment: There must be an awful lot of nobodies, Mr. McAuliffe.
nobody odysseus


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Light Saber

Iraq forces break through border to join Syrian forces in fight against final ISIS stronghold

Joaquin Flores
Fort Russ
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:48 UTC
Iraq Syria border ISIS stronghold
Iraqi forces have just now entered Syria for a joint offensive on ISIS held Al Bukamal, sister city to Al-Qaim which is just a few kilometres away in Iraq.

Iraqi forces will not be involved in operations outside of Albu Kamal, their objective is to stop the ISIS threat directly on the Syrian-Iraqi border with a 10km engagement envelope agreed upon between Baghdad and Damascus.

Al Bukamal is just on the other side of the border in Syria. It's the last major ISIS stronghold in Syria.
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Chart Pie

Best formula for growing economy: A simpler tax simplification

John Stossel
Reason.com
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:31 UTC
Trump Tax plan 2017
As you read this, President Trump's tax plan is being debated. Congress will change it. Where this ends, no one knows.

I want two things:

1. Simplification.
2. More money in private hands.

Trump offers some of both.

His cuts would leave more money in private hands, where it will be used more efficiently. Politicians' spending decisions already put us $20 trillion in debt; they shouldn't be trusted with more money.

Cutting the corporate tax rate isn't popular (rich people!), but a cut is needed. Economic growth is really important. It's stifled when America's taxes are higher than other nations'.

Trump also offers some simplification. Good. The more complex the rules, the more time we waste hiring accountants and the more time lawyers spend fighting over who qualifies for what. Trump would double the personal exemption (fewer people will itemize) and kill the "death tax," deductions for local taxes and the alternative minimum tax.

It's a start. But that's not nearly good enough. Heck, the "simplification" bill itself is 400 pages long.

Comment: The problem isn't capitalism per se, it's government and the culture of corporate welfare. A simplified tax system and reduced spending are essential, but good luck getting them. People like Howard still have to much influence for that to happen.

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Red Pill

Best of the Web: NSA whistleblower William Binney told CIA head DNC leak was inside job


RT
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:42 UTC
Mike Pompeo
© Yuri Gripas / ReutersCIA Director Mike Pompeo smiles at the FDD National Security Summit in Washington
CIA Director Mike Pompeo reportedly met with NSA whistleblower William Binney for an hour at CIA headquarters on October 24 at the request of US President Donald Trump. Binney disputes US intelligence claims over Russian hacking of DNC emails in 2016.


Binney is of the belief that someone "with physical access" inside the Democratic National Committee (DNC) leaked sensitive information during the 2016 presidential campaign, as opposed to a sophisticated hack perpetrated by Russian Intelligence.

Trump allegedly told Pompeo that if he "want[ed] to know the facts, he should talk to me," Binney said, as cited by The Intercept. The Intercept interviewed Binney and at least two additional intelligence sources close to the matter for its report.

"I was willing to meet Pompeo simply because it was clear to me the intelligence community wasn't being honest here," Binney said. "I am quite willing to help people who need the truth to find the truth and not simply have deceptive statements from the intelligence community."
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Network

Kremlin announces 'strong possibility' of Putin-Trump meeting at APEC summit in Vietnam


RT
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:38 UTC
trump putin
© Saul Loeb / AFPUS President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin hold a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany
There is a strong possibility that Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin will meet on the sidelines of the upcoming international summit in Vietnam, the Kremlin said.

The two presidents will be joining other world leaders taking part in the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit to be held on November 10-11. The Russian and US leaders' respective offices are engaged in organizing bilateral talks during the two-day event, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

"Both Putin and Trump have extensive plans for bilateral meetings, which have been agreed upon long beforehand. There is also the APEC summit program, so the relevant offices are trying to choose an appropriate timing and format," he said, adding that the likeliness of a Trump-Putin meeting was high.
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Heart

Russia agrees to restructure Venezuela's $2.8billion debt to make repayments more manageable


RT
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 16:26 UTC
caracas
© Jorge Silva / ReutersDowntown Caracas is seen from the top of Avila
Russia's Finance Ministry said on Wednesday that Venezuela's $2.8 billion debt to Moscow will be restructured to meet a previously agreed extension of payment terms.

"We have an agreement on (debt) restructuring with Venezuela," Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told reporters, adding the process is nearing its final phase. Earlier he said the sides were discussing acceptable solutions with a possible two-stage postponement.

"The first part includes pretty favorable terms with a small sum due for repayment so that it's manageable for our Venezuelan colleagues," Siluanov said.

Russia is one of the critical lenders to the South American country, the total foreign debt of which exceeds $100 billion. According to Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, almost three-quarters of the country's bondholders are from the US and Canada.

Comment: While the West bleeds countries who are dependent on them dry and removes all the country's natural resources, Russia is acting humanely by actually trying to help a struggling country.

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Snakes in Suits

Congressmen dodge questions about authorization of U.S. support for Saudi war on Yemen

Lee Fang
The Intercept
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:18 UTC
yemen kids building
Children sit amid the rubble of a house hit by Saudi-led coalition airstrikes two days earlier on the outskirts of the Yemeni capital Sana’a on Nov. 14, 2016.
THE BRUTAL WAR in Yemen has intensified in recent days, with the Saudi-led coalition backed by the United States increasing its bombing campaign and blockade of ports. Meanwhile, the architect of the war, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has launched a widespread purge of the government, while using a missile launched from Yemen as a pretext to threaten war with Iran.

Yet American lawmakers are still avoiding a vote on authorizing U.S. involvement in the conflict.

Saudi Arabia relies heavily on the U.S. military for intelligence sharing, refueling flights for coalition warplanes, and the transfer of American-made cluster bombs, rockets, and other munitions used against targets in Yemen.

Congress, however, has never authorized U.S. support for the war, which has caused 10,000 civilian deaths and has spiraled in recent months into one of the worst humanitarian crises of the century. For two years, Saudi Arabia and its allies have imposed a sea and air blockade around Yemen. Now, more than 7 million Yemenis face starvation and thousands, mostly children, are dying from cholera. Coalition warplanes have repeatedly struck crowded markets, hospitals, power plants, and other civilian targets.

Comment: If Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman wishes to get - and keep - the popular support he needs to sustain after his purge of rivals, he cannot continue to bleed money and personnel in the war on Yemen. It was a bad idea from the very beginning, and it will not get better.

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Bad Guys

NATO wants Europe's civilian infrastructure ready for war


RT
Wed, 08 Nov 2017 05:12 UTC
NATO wants Europe’s civilian infrastructure ready for war tank poland saber strike
© Ints Kalnins / ReutersFILE PHOTO: Poland's army tanks attend the final day of NATO Saber Strike exercises in Orzysz, Poland
NATO needs civilian infrastructure in Europe to meet its growing military requirements, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting in Brussels. This will mean coordination with national governments and the private sector, he added.

Defense ministers from the 29 NATO states arrived in Brussels to begin discussions on a "revision" of the NATO Command Structure. What is envisioned is a new command to protect sea lines between North America and Europe, and another to "improve the movement of troops and equipment within Europe."

Stoltenberg believes that a revision of NATO's structure is necessary to tackle the alleged threat from Russia. Thus, for the purpose of "deterrence and collective defense," the alliance wants European roads to be ready to handle the rapid mobilization of tanks, artillery and the like.

Comment: Not everyone is falling for NATO's manipulations: 'We don't want war with Russia': NATO exit is gaining force among citizens of Slovakia

Also see: Leaked German military doc 'predicts' EU collapse & rise of pro-Russian 'Eastern bloc' by 2040

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