Puppet MastersS


USA

Winning hearts and minds: US airstrikes in Raqqa take civilian toll again


FARS News Agency
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 09:07 UTC
US fighter jet
Several civilians were killed and wounded in the US-led coalition fighter jets' strikes on al-Omran region in Raqqa on Saturday.

Local sources in Raqqa province reported that the airstrikes have left 6 civilians, including two women and two children, dead and several others injured.

Also, the US-led coalition fighter jets pounded a school in al-Mansoureh city West of Raqqa city that hosts 50 displaced families on Wednesday.

SANA news agency quoted the local sources as saying that the US airplanes attacked al-Badiyeh al-Dakheliyeh school, 30km away from Raqqa city, which hosts 50 displaced families from Aleppo, Raqqa and Tadmur.

The airstrikes destroyed the school completely but the number of casualties has not been announced yet.
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Info

'Optimism far from reality': Moscow dismisses West's 'rosy forecasts' on Raqqa offensive


RT
Sun, 26 Mar 2017 08:46 UTC
Syrian soldiers
© Rodi Said / Reuters
Moscow has questioned the Western coalition's optimism about soon recapturing Raqqa from Islamic State, saying only international cooperation can help liberate the city. However, it is exactly coordinated partnership on various fronts that is lacking.

The "very hard but essential" battle for Raqqa is just days away, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian claimed on Friday.

"France has always said that [liberating] Raqqa is the main aim. Today, we can say that Raqqa is surrounded and the battle will begin in the coming days," he told France's CNEWS television.
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Info

Increasing the tensions: NATO troops head for Poland 'to deter Russian offensive actions'


RT
Sun, 26 Mar 2017 08:24 UTC
NATO troops
© Ruptly
At least 1,350 American, British and Romanian soldiers have been sent to Poland from a base in Germany. US commanders said that the troops were ready "to deter Russian aggressive actions."

The US, British and Romanian soldiers left the Rose Barracks military base in Vilseck, western Germany, for Poland where they are expected take part in NATO's mission. The troops are "fully prepared to deter Russian offensive actions," US Colonel Patrick Ellis said at the departure ceremony on Saturday.

"As a result of Russia's aggressive actions and in light of the changing and evolving security environment, at the Warsaw summit in July 2016 NATO members agreed to strengthen our deterrence and defensive posture," US Major General Timothy P. McGuire said.


Comment: He is just reading from a worn out script.

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Radar

Iranian forces in Strait of Hormuz man weapons as American warships pass, US Navy claims 'harassment'


RT
Fri, 24 Mar 2017 14:42 UTC
USS George H. W. Bush
© Juan David Guerra / ReutersThe aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77)
American warships were "harassed" by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz, according to US Navy commanders, who said the Iranians had their weapons uncovered, manned, and armed. It comes amid already tense relations between Tehran and Washington.

The incident occurred on Tuesday as a US-led, five-vessel flotilla, which included the aircraft carrier 'USS George H.W. Bush', passed through the waters on its way to the Arabian Gulf.

According to the commanders, the flotilla was approached by two sets of Iranian Navy fast-attack boats, some of which came as close as 870 meters (950 yards) from the aircraft carrier.

Comment: Update (Mar. 26): The Iranian military has brushed off accusations from the US Navy that its fast-attack boats came dangerously close to a US aircraft carrier in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, as it was on its way to the Arabian Gulf on an anti-terrorist mission.
Dismissing the allegations, Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri, deputy chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, stated that the reports of a faceoff were completely unfounded and stem from "false reports or ulterior motives," IRNA cited him as saying.

Jazayeri went on to stress that the US would be solely to blame for any potential skirmishes that may break out in the area, and called on the US military to review its operations.

"We emphasize that the Americans would be responsible for any unrest in the Persian Gulf, and again warn that the US military must change its behavior," he said.


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Attention

Report reveals police warned of Berlin attacker as 'terrorist threat' 9 months before assault


RT
Sun, 26 Mar 2017 07:56 UTC
Berlin truck attack
© Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP
German criminal police tipped off the interior ministry of a potential "terrorist threat in the form of a suicide-attack" by Anis Amri nine months before he ploughed a truck into a crowded Berlin Christmas market, Bild am Sonntag reports.

The State Criminal Police Office (LKA) in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) apparently shared intelligence (indicating that Amri was plotting a terrorist attack in Germany) with the local federal interior ministry office in Dusseldorf in March 2016 - over half a year before the December attack.

In a confidential letter, seen by Bild am Sonntag, police stated that "according to the data available so far, the forecast can be made that Amri poses a terrorist threat in the form of a (suicide) attack," citing as evidence some messages the future attacker sent in a chat on February 2, which was monitored by law enforcement.
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Rocket

We mean business: Syria will fire scud missiles at Israel in response to airstrikes


Sputnik
Sun, 26 Mar 2017 07:50 UTC
Scud missile
© Wikipedia
The Syrian government has announced that it will retaliate should Israel continue to conduct airstrikes on Syrian territory.

Any further airstrikes on Syrian territory will be met with deadly force and retaliation strikes deep within Israeli soil, they said.

According to the message, delivered via Russian mediators, attacks on Syrian military objects will be met with Scud missiles launched at Israeli military (IDF) bases. If Israel attacks civilian infrastructure, Syrian missiles will be fired at Israel's Haifa port and petrochemical plant. The missiles will be launched without any prior notice, the statement said.
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Vader

Iraqi security forces halt offensive to recapture western Mosul over concern for civilian casualties


RT
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 15:22 UTC
Mosul civilian deaths
© ABCFuneral in Mosul after coalition airstrikes
An Iraqi security forces spokesman said government forces halted the offensive to recapture western Mosul from ISIS due to the high number of civilian casualties. A later report from the Iraqi command claims, however, that the offensive continues.

"The recent high death toll among civilians inside the Old City forced us to halt operations to review our plans. It's a time for weighing new offensive plans and tactics. No combat operations are to go on," an Iraqi Federal Police spokesman said, as cited by Reuters.

"We need to make sure that taking out [Islamic State] from the Old City will not cost unwanted high casualties among civilians. We need surgical accurate operations to target terrorists without causing collateral damage among residents," the agency cites the police spokesman further.


Comment: Mosul's civilians have learned to fear coalition airstrikes as much as the attacks from ISIS. Spunik reports that almost 4,000 civilians have been killed in Western Mosul just in the past month. Since October when the operation to liberate Mosul began, field hospitals have received over 22,000 wounded residents. Those who have managed to flee the combat areas have reported high civilian casualties.

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Red Flag

Here we go again: Moscow bewildered as U.S. imposes new sanctions on Russian defense and aviation firms


RT
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 22:39 UTC
US sanctions Russia
© Evgeny Biyatov / SputnikCompanies such as Rosoboronexport and Aviaexport, as well as several aviation training centers and academies, have been included on the new US sanctions list.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has said it is "bewildered and disappointed" over new US sanctions targeting eight Russian companies, including defense firms and pilot training academies, which the State Department claims engage in "proliferation" activity with Iran, North Korea and Syria.

While the restrictions will cause "no serious problems" for Russia, they undermine the fight against global terrorism, which Washington has been claiming is its priority, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement posted on Facebook

"This step runs counter to the statements we hear from Washington that emphasize the fight against terrorism, in particular in Syria, where it has gained a foothold. On the contrary, it is completely at odds with such declarations and undermines the prospects of setting up comprehensive multilateral cooperation to destroy Islamic State [IS, formerly ISIS,ISIL] and other terrorist groups that pose a threat to all countries, including the US," Zakharova said.
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Magnify

Conspiracy - that Trump, Putin, et al, is in cahoots - is starting to fall apart


RT
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 16:13 UTC
Jim Jatras
© YouTubeJim Jatras, former US diplomat
Public opinion in the US is changing, as a lot of Americans, especially those who supported Trump, see what somebody has called "Trump derangement syndrome beginning to merge with Putin derangement syndrome," said former US diplomat Jim Jatras.

Earlier this week, the FBI confirmed it's investigating alleged collusion between Donald Trump's presidential campaign team and the Russian government to influence the outcome of the US presidential election.

Jim Jatras joined RT America's Simone Del Rosario to discuss what is known about the investigation so far and how to interpret Americans' changing attitudes towards Russia.

RT: Is it getting hotter for Russia or are things starting to cool off?

Jim Jatras: I think things are starting to cool off. Look, if you watch that House Intelligence Committee hearing, there were two completely different hearings going on. The Republicans wanted to know what was going on with the leaks - these are criminal activities and the FBI is supposed to investigate when they have evidence that a crime has been committed. And we know the crime was committed. The FBI refused to confirm they were investigating this. Meanwhile, they did confirm they are looking into collusion which, if it occurred, might be a crime, might not be a crime. They do not have evidence that a crime has taken place. So I think they are chasing something that very well may not be there. And I think people are starting to catch on to that.

Comment: Diversions, witch-hunts, false accusations, etc., are stock plays in political game plans. Keep them busy with proof and denial while 'other' is taking place. Is the frenzy and paranoia fading? Hard to tell. If so, it is anyone's guess as to what will remain. Facts and truth would be good for a change.

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Info

German businessmen and lawmakers arrive in Crimea


Sputnik
Sat, 25 Mar 2017 20:08 UTC
Crimea
© Sputnik/ Vasiliy Batanov
A delegation of German lawmakers and businessmen arrived in Crimea to form opinion on the situation in Crimea, the chairman of the Crimea's German National and Cultural Autonomy, Yury Gempel, said Saturday.

"The delegation consists of ten people. They are mostly businessmen who deal with real estate issues and regional-level politicians, [namely] Left Party's lawmakers. In the end of the visit our guests will be able to express their opinion on Crimea, on the situation here, after having received objective information," Gempel said.

The delegation is expected to visit the cities of Yalta and Sevastopol, as well as to meet with the speaker of Crimean parliament, Vladimir Konstantinov.

Comment: They may have a wonderful and prosperous visit, unlike if they visited Kiev. Home, sweet home! Crimeans feel happy about the 'future of their children'

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