Puppet MastersS


Bad Guys

NATO Secretary General lays out plans to revamp command structure to increase aggression against Russia


RFE/RL
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 20:41 UTC
Stoltenberg
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO headquarters in Brussels on November 7.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on November 7 that the alliance is set to create two new command centers, as it revamps its structures to better counter the threat posed by Russia.

Stoltenberg said that he expects the 29 NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels on November 8-9 to agree on an "outline" for a revision of the alliance's command structure.

This will include a new command to "help protect sea lines of communication" across the Atlantic between North America and Europe, and another command to "improve the movement of troops and equipment within Europe," he said.

NATO had more than 20,000 personnel in 32 commands at the end of the Cold War, but cuts and restructuring have left the alliance with 7,000 personnel in seven structures.
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Bad Guys

Best of the Web: Radical Islam is an invention of European intelligence agencies

Tony Cartalucci
New Eastern Outlook
Sat, 04 Nov 2017 15:37 UTC
radical islamists terrorists
There are approximately 1.8 billion Muslims on Earth. That is approximately 24% of the world population. They live in regions spanning North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and reaching as far as Southeast Asia. There are Muslim communities in virtually every nation - and in many - they have played a pivotal, constructive, and welcomed role in national development.

If even 1% of the world's Muslims were violent terrorists bent on conquering the world, that would constitute an army 18 million strong - or in other words - larger than the next 20 largest armies on Earth combined. Most critics of Islam infer that the number is actually much higher than 1% - many suggesting that the majority of Muslims either are engaged in or support terrorism. It is logical to conclude that if even 1% were dedicated to terrorism and the "conquest of infidels," the war would have ended in their favor long ago.

It is clear that there is not even 1% across Islam engaged in or supporting terrorism. Across the Arab World, the vast majority of Muslims, Christians, other sects, and the secular, stand united against terrorism. It is clear that a mountain of lies stands between many and the truth - a mountain built so tall that it leaves entire segments of targeted populations in the perpetual darkness of ignorance.
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Arrow Up

Iranian defense minister blames US, Israeli policies for rise in extremism in ME


Sputnik
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 19:49 UTC
Hatami
© The Iran ProjectGeneral Hatami
The statement came in the wake of mutual accusations of supporting terrorism in the region.

Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Amir Hatami has accused US and Israel of being largely responsible for the rise of extremism in the Middle East.

"Extremism [in the region] is the result of the US policies and war on terrorism is just a pretext by the White House statesmen to gain control over the Islamic territories and their resources," Hatami said, as quoted by the FARS news agency.

According to the defense minister, the United States and Israel are allegedly biggest and the most dangerous supporters of terrorism in the region.

US is Tehran's 'Number One' Enemy - Iran's Supreme Leader

Iran currently has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel or the United States. Most recently, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Washington Iran's "main enemy" in response to harsh criticism by US President Donald Trump, who had called Iran "a terrorist nation like few others."
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Magnify

Ex-CIA officer: Mueller should investigate US intel's attempts to damage Trump as well

Bryan Dean Wright
Fox News
Thu, 02 Nov 2017 00:00 UTC
ComeyMueller
© RickWells.USFormer FBI Dir. James Comey • Special Counsel Robert Mueller
With special counsel Bob Mueller filing charges against Trump associates Paul Manafort and Rick Gates this week, a divided country is quickly moving on from last week's controversy of the "Steele Dossier."

The scandalous series of memos - which contained allegations of treason and impropriety by then-candidate Trump and his campaign - took on renewed life after it was confirmed that the document was little more than a political hit job paid for by both Democratic and Republican operatives.

But while the headlines may shift, Mueller's attention to a dossier-related scandal must not. Indeed, the dossier is almost certainly connected to the most audacious crime of the 2016 campaign.

America's senior law enforcement and intelligence officials were directly involved in the targeting of a democratically elected president for political assassination.

Here's how.

Comment: When the swamp investigates the swamp...

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Binoculars

MI5, MI6, GCHQ in court for mass surveillance practices


RT
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 16:13 UTC
Surveillance
© THEFREETHOUGHTPROJECT.com
The legality of British intelligence services' mass surveillance programs will be assessed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Tuesday. The agencies are accused of breaching the European Convention's fundamental right to privacy.

The intelligence services face three different cases at the ECHR brought by Big Brother Watch, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) and their reporter Alice Ross, and other NGOs.

The court will evaluate the lawfulness of government spy agencies snooping on citizens and sharing personal information with the United States and other foreign governments, something that first came to light thanks to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The UK's mass surveillance program had in the past been ruled unlawful by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) in London as it breached the fundamental right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

GCHQ was also found guilty of spying both on Amnesty International and on South African non-profit Legal Resources, retaining and scrutinizing their data.
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Dollar

Trump requests another $4B to 'detect, defeat, defend against N. Korea


RT
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 05:03 UTC
DTrump
© Glaad
President Donald Trump wants lawmakers to give the Pentagon an additional $4 billion for "urgent" missile defense improvements against North Korea and nearly $2 billion more to increase troop levels in Afghanistan by 3,500 and repair damaged naval ships.

In a letter sent to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) on Monday, Trump asked Congress to consider budget amendments to give the Department of Defense an extra $4 billion for "defense enhancements to counter the threat from North Korea."

"This request supports additional efforts to detect, defeat, and defend against any North Korean use of ballistic missiles against the United States, its deployed forces, allies, or partners," Trump wrote in a letter to Congress.

Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, sent a letter to Trump on Friday, making a detailed request, which he said would be used to increase "critical capability and capacity" for the missile defense program.

The majority of the funds would be used to construct an additional ground-based interceptor (GBI) at Missile Field 4 in Fort Greely, Alaska and fund the initial procurement for the "eventual purchase" of 20 new GBIs.

Comment: With the military budget going through the roof, how much does peace cost?

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Attention

John Kerry: Trump over-stepped the line, gave N. Korea justification for nuclear deterrent


RT
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 04:52 UTC
Kerry Kim
© Truth Revolt
Donald Trump's belligerent rhetoric towards Pyongyang has given North Korean leader Kim Jong-un every reason and justification to arm his country with nuclear weapons, citing the need to protect itself from the US, former Secretary of State John Kerry has warned.

Amid the rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, President Donald Trump arrived in Seoul on Tuesday. Ahead of his visit to South Korea, Trump branded North Korea a "menace" and "a threat to the civilized world and international peace and stability." "The era of strategic patience is over. Some people say my rhetoric is very strong, but look what has happened with very weak rhetoric in the last 25 years," Trump said Monday after holding talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.


Comment: John Kerry had his chance to make strides with North Korea and failed, deliberately of course, because US politicians do not know how to deal with other nations other than dictating terms and, if the nation refuses, using subterfuge and covert attacks.

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Rocket

Houthis vow to torpedo Saudi warships with 'underwater missiles'


RT
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 10:18 UTC
missiles
© almasdarnews.com
Houthi forces showcased what they claimed were their newest anti-ship missiles, threatening to target Saudi warships "very soon." The warning comes days after a missile fired from Yemen was reportedly shot down near the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Houthi forces recently unveiled what they said was their newest "torpedo missile," allegedly capable of hitting enemy targets at sea. A video uploaded by the Al-Masdar news agency shows what appears to be a number of rockets on static display. Each projectile featured a warhead, several stabilizers and a tail.

Shiite rebels, backed by Iran, claimed the new weapon, dubbed 'Al-Manbab,' could be deployed "very soon" against Saudi warships blockading Yemeni ports. However, it is yet to be confirmed whether the video is authentic and the torpedoes are operational.

The lingering war in Yemen is steadily taking on a new dimension as the rebels deploy more modern weapons in their fight against Saudi-led coalition forces. On Saturday, Saudi Arabia's Air Force reportedly shot down a ballistic missile heading towards King Khalid International Airport near Riyadh, the kingdom's capital.

Comment: See also:

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Attention

Russian lawyer Veselnitskaya makes new Trump Tower meeting claims

Chuck Ross
The Daily Caller
Mon, 06 Nov 2017 11:10 UTC
Veselnitskaya
© unknownA sudden change of tune?
The Russian lawyer who met with Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower in June 2016 is making new claims about the controversial conclave.

Natalia Veselnitskaya tells Bloomberg News that Trump Jr. told her that if his father won the election, his administration would revisit the Magnitsky Act, a law that blacklists Russian human rights abusers and is vehemently opposed by the Kremlin.

"Looking ahead, if we come to power, we can return to this issue and think what to do about it," Veselnitskaya recalls Trump Jr. saying. "I understand our side may have messed up, but it'll take a long time to get to the bottom of it."

This is the first time that Veselnitskaya has claimed that Trump Jr. offered her help during their June 9, 2016 meeting, which was also attended by Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

The New York Times broke news of the meeting in July. Veselnitskaya, who is based in Moscow, has given numerous media interviews since then.

Comment: Fusion GPS working with Veselnitskaya is an interesting connection, given its involvement in the fake Trump Dossier to smear the president, courtesy the Clinton campaign.

See also: Interview: Russian lawyer Veselnitskaya says Magnitsky Act lobbyist Browder behind Trump Jr. scandal

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Biohazard

Syria: Verified by OPCW, 25 of 27 chemical weapons facilities have been destroyed


Sputnik
Tue, 07 Nov 2017 01:09 UTC
Syria flag chem
© Global Research
The Director-General of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ahmet Uzumcu said in a note in his forty-ninth monthly progress report on Monday that OPCW had verified the elimination of 25 out of 27 chemical weapons production facilities in Syria.

The report sums up the progress achieved in the elimination of the Syrian chemical weapons for the period from 23 September 2017 to 22 October 2017.

"The Secretariat has verified the destruction of 25 of the 27 chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) declared by the Syrian Arab Republic. From 23 September to 6 October 2017, the Secretariat carried out annual inspections of five underground structures already verified as destroyed," the note said.

The note also said that during the period under review, OPCW proceeded with preparations to carry out an initial inspection of the last two stationary above-ground facilities to confirm their current condition.

The Syrian government, he added, has previously requested assistance in the destruction of the facilities located in these two remaining sites.

On October 26, the OPCW Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM) issued a report that said the Syrian government was responsible for the April 4 sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun. The Syrian government rejected the report and said the UN experts had not done any investigations directly at the scene of the incident.

Comment: Even with completed inspections, there is no guarantee the blame game will subside. It has been strategically effective to falsely accuse Damascus in order to undercut the Assad regime, sway opinion and refuel resolve for the war.

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