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SOTT Focus: Behind the Headlines: Russiagate Unravels, Syria Stabilizes, Spain Almost Splits


Sott.net
Sun, 22 Oct 2017 16:00 UTC
Catalonia pro-independece protest
© Gonzalo Fuentes / ReutersBiểu tình ủng hộ độc lập tại Barcelona
Several major world events developed this week. While Putin and Xi both gave speeches outlining their takes on the present - and visions for a better future - fracture points in the rest of the world creaked and groaned. Protests continue in Spain as the government made moves to dissolve the Catalan parliament and hold its separatist leaders accountable. Kurdistan's own failed independence referendum was similarly squashed - the Iraqis took back Kirkuk almost without a shot fired, apparently with help from Iran. The Americans claim victory over ISIS in Raqqa while the Russians and Syria continue to clear the Deir Ezzor region of its jihadist occupiers. Israel continues to support Al-Qaeda in Syria - as if anyone could expect anything different from the world's worst terrorist regime.

Meanwhile the Russiagate non-scandal continues to unravel in the States, with increasingly hysterical stories quickly debunked, and no evidence presented for any of the major claims. Except when it comes to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The Hill exposed the Democrats' own Russiagate this week. Already, more evidence of their "collusion with Russia" has been presented than for the entire last year's worth of anti-Trump innuendo. This comes on the heels of major Democrat fundraiser and Hollywood bigwig Harvey Weinstein being exposed as a serial sex abuser, the fallout of which has seen dozens of celebrities come forward with their own accounts of abuse in the industry.

Join us live from 6-8pm CET (4-6pm UTC / 12-2pm EST) on the SOTT Radio Network for a SOTT news round-up you won't hear anywhere else.

Running Time: 01:56:04

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MIB

CIA director rebuked by Dems for statements on Kremlin's election meddling

MIchael Crowley
Politico
Thu, 19 Oct 2017 14:48 UTC
CIA Pompeo
© Carolyn Kaster/AP PhotoMike Pompeo
Democratic critics accuse Mike Pompeo of echoing Trump that the interference didn't affect the outcome.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo drew sharp criticism Thursday after wrongly stating that the U.S. intelligence community had found that Russian meddling did not tilt the 2016 presidential election.

Pompeo made the inaccurate claim at an event hosted by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a conservative think tank close to the Trump administration. His comments come amid growing evidence of Russian interference in last year's campaign, the scale of which remains unclear.


Comment: Facebook ads and Twitter posts total spend came to a measly $300k. What a bargain! The Dems should hire Russian PR next time.


"The intelligence community's assessment is that the Russian meddling that took place did not affect the outcome of the election," Pompeo said.
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Info

Catalonia independence fight: Puigdemont 'will not accept' Rajoy plan


BBC
Sun, 22 Oct 2017 15:37 UTC
Catalonia protesters
The Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, says the region will not accept Madrid's plan for direct rule.

He described it as the worst attack on Catalonia's institutions since General Franco's 1939-1975 dictatorship, under which regional autonomy was dissolved.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's plans include the removal of Catalonia's leaders and curbs on its parliament.

An independence referendum went ahead on 1 October, despite being banned by Spain's Constitutional Court.

Mr. Puigdemont said the Spanish government was acting against the democratic will of Catalans after refusing all offers of dialogue.
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Jet5

Air Force may recall up to 1,000 retired pilots after Trump executive order


FOX News
Sat, 21 Oct 2017 15:31 UTC
US Air Force
© REUTERS/Jonathan Drake
The Air Force could recall up to 1,000 retired pilots after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at addressing what the Pentagon has described as an "acute shortage of pilots."

The order, which Trump signed Friday, amends an emergency declaration signed by George W. Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.

Under current law, the Air Force is limited to recalling just 25 pilots. The order signed by Trump temporarily removes that cap for all branches of the military.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Cmdr. Gary Ross, said in a statement that the Air Force is currently "short approximately 1,500 pilots of its requirements."

"We anticipate that the Secretary of Defense will delegate the authority to the Secretary of the Air Force to recall up to 1,000 retired pilots for up to 3 years," Ross said. "The pilot supply shortage is a national level challenge that could have adverse effects on all aspects of both the government and commercial aviation sectors for years to come."
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Jet3

Trump says 'end of ISIS caliphate in sight' after 'carpet bombing' campaign leveled Raqqa


RT
Sun, 22 Oct 2017 15:19 UTC
Syrian Democratic Forces
© Erik De Castro / ReutersFighters of Syrian Democratic Forces walk past the ruins of destroyed buildings near the National Hospital after Raqqa was liberated from the Islamic State militants, in Raqqa, Syria October 17, 2017.
US President Donald Trump announced the full liberation of the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State on Saturday, following a campaign that saw the city leveled and almost depopulated.

"I am pleased to announce that the Syrian Democratic Forces, our partners in the fight against ISIS [Islamic State] in Syria, have successfully recaptured [Raqqa] - the terrorist group's self-proclaimed capital city," Trump said in a statement.

"Together, our forces have liberated the entire city from ISIS control," the statement read.

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, comprised of Kurds and other opposition groups, already announced the complete liberation of Raqqa on Tuesday, but until now the US assessment was that "more than 90 percent" had been freed from the terrorists.

Comment: Also read:

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Attention

Iranian commander Soleimani issued stark warning to Iraqi Kurds over Kirkuk


Middle East Monitor
Sat, 21 Oct 2017 15:01 UTC
Qassem Soleimani
Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani attends Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's meeting with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in Tehran, Iran on September 18, 2016.
A senior Iranian military commander repeatedly warned Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq to withdraw from the oil city of Kirkuk or face an onslaught by Iraqi forces and allied Iranian-backed fighters, Kurdish officials briefed on the meetings said.

Major-General Qassem Soleimani, commander of foreign operations for Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, traveled to Iraq's Kurdistan region to meet Kurdish leaders at least three times this month before the Baghdad government's lightning campaign to recapture territory across the north.

The presence of Soleimani on the frontlines highlights Tehran's heavy sway over policy in Iraq, and comes as Shia Iran seeks to win a proxy war in the Middle East with its regional rival and US ally, Sunni Saudi Arabia.
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Snakes in Suits

Double standards: EU hypocrisy spins out of control over Catalonia

Finian Cunningham
Strategic Culture Foundation
Sat, 21 Oct 2017 14:22 UTC
Catalonia independence protesters
Russian President Vladimir Putin called it a "poignant case of double standards" when he noted how the European Union is turning a blind eye to Catalonia's independence bid - in stark contrast to the bloc's interventionist policy elsewhere.

Most notably, Putin contrasted the case of Kosovo which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Then, the EU fervently backed Kosovo's breakaway declaration from the Serbian republic out of deference to Washington's policy of dismembering the former Yugoslavia.

So, evidently, the case of Kosovo is an acceptable secession according to the EU, but not it seems in the case of Catalonia.

We could also cite Crimea, although the political circumstances are very different.
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Map

America's callous scramble for Africa

Finian Cunningham
Sputnik
Thu, 19 Oct 2017 13:03 UTC
US flag graphic
© CC0 / Pixabay
The ugly row over whether President Trump disrespected the young widow of a fallen American soldier has overshadowed a bigger issue. That is, the increasing number of US military operations across the African continent.

Two weeks ago, Sgt La David Johnson (25) was killed along with three other US special forces troops when Islamist militants ambushed their patrol in the West African country of Niger. Trump got into hot water this week about reported offhand comments he made to the widow of Green Beret Johnson. The president denies he said anything disrespectful. Although the dead soldier's family says otherwise.

In all the media controversy over what Trump said or didn't say, questions about what US troops are doing in Niger are unfortunately overlooked. Not just Niger, but in dozens of other African nations.
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Stormtrooper

Russian MoD says US 'leveled Raqqa like Dresden': Ruin, death and discord after US-led coalition 'liberates' city


RT
Sun, 22 Oct 2017 12:34 UTC
A fighter of Syrian Democratic Forces stands amidst the ruins
© Erik De Castro / ReutersA fighter of Syrian Democratic Forces stands amidst the ruins of buildings near the Clock Square in Raqqa, Syria October 18, 2017. Picture taken October 18, 2017.
The capture of Syria's Raqqa by US-backed militias from jihadists came at the high cost of the virtual annihilation of the city itself. This victory, reminiscent of the one in Mosul, northern Iraq, could now pit the militias against the Syrian army.

Raqqa, the Syrian stronghold of the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) has now been declared "liberated" by both the predominantly-Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and their backers, the US. Last weekend several hundred IS fighters struck a deal with the SDF to take their family members and leave to IS-controlled parts of Deir ez-Zor governorate. Some foreign fighters reportedly stayed behind, refusing to surrender.

Emboldened by the strategic victory, the SDF took a chance to needle their enemy Turkey, when they paraded a unit of female Kurdish fighters in Raqqa's al-Naim square against the background of a large banner of Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan. Considered a terrorist by Ankara, he is serving a life sentence in Turkey for his role in fueling Kurdish insurgency in the country.

Comment: One Russian senator has an interesting theory as to why aid funds are suddenly being made available by Western capitals: they want to rebuild Raqqa in their image:

Russian senator: US-led coalition wants to rebuild Raqqa as 'anti-Assad center' - Saudi Minister visits Raqqa, rescues 30 ISIS members

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Heart - Black

Russia compares US bombing of Raqqa to WWII destruction of Dresden

Samuel Osborne
UK Independent
Sun, 22 Oct 2017 12:26 UTC
The remains of Raqqa
The remains of Raqqa, thanks to US 'liberation', just like they 'liberated' the people of Iraq and Libya.
Russia has accused the US-led coalition in Syria of wiping the city of Raqqa "off the face of the earth" with carpet bombing in the same way the United States and Britain bombed Germany's Dresden during WWII.
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