Puppet MastersS


Attention

New sanctions on Russia: Gas profits and the ghost of Hjalamar Shacht

Caleb Maupin
New Eastern Outlook
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 15:28 UTC
Donald Trump and JFK
It may sound almost routine for the US congress to pass sanctions against Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and for the President to sign them into law. However, a great deal of fanfare surrounded the lead up to August 2nd, 2017.

Support for the bill seemed almost unanimous within the political establishment. Within Congress, the loudest objection to the bill came from Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Even Sanders did not dare condemn economic warfare against Russia. The objections from Sanders only involved stated fears about putting the future of the Iran nuclear deal, heralded as a crowning achievement of the Obama administration, into jeopardy.

On the international arena, objections to the bill were widespread. Iran, North Korea, Russia, and their allies were not alone. Within the NATO camp, a number of voices spoke up against the bill, the loudest of them coming from Germany. The bill specifically penalized and threatened companies that cooperated with Russia's key natural gas pipelines.

"We must continue to focus on how we can get our gas to allies in Europe," said Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio on the floor of Congress. The fact that the USA is attempting to push Russia off the international natural gas and oil market, and claim a bigger share for US energy corporations, was no secret at all.
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Star of David

Best of the Web: Google goes full-on 'Ministry of Truth': Brings ADL on board as YouTube content flagger

Whitney Webb
Mint Press News
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 15:32 UTC
YouTube logo
© Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg
With the war between mainstream and independent media heating up, YouTube has weaponized a new content censorship program, calling it an effort to "fight terror content online." With standards set by groups like the Anti-Defamation League, political agendas are sure to intrude.

Ever since "fake news" found its place among the various explanations used by the Clinton campaign and supporters to account for their candidate's loss, there has been a quiet but concerted effort on the part of establishment media, technology, and telecommunications companies to thwart the surging popularity of independent media.

The rise of the independent media has been hugely detrimental to the once privileged position of the mainstream media, who have now lost the trust of the vast majority of Americans and - along with that trust - their ability to control political and social narratives.

Chief among the groups seeking to clamp down on independent media has been Google, the massive technology company with deep connections to the U.S. intelligence community, as well as to U.S. government and business elites.
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Info

David versus Goliaths: Qatar successfully outplays its opponents so far


Sputnik
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 15:14 UTC
Souq Waqif market in Doha, Qatar
© REUTERS/ Naseem Zeitoon
Facing apparently impossible odds, Qatar manages to go toe-to-toe with the coalition of Arab States led by Saudi Arabia that imposed a blockade against Doha, using clever strategy to outplay its rivals.

In June, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE broke off diplomatic relations and communication with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and meddling in their internal affairs. The Arab states presented Doha with a list of 13 demands, which Qatar has refused to comply with.

Despite being outnumbered and facing a de facto economic blockade imposed by its neighbors, Qatar has found a strategy that could end the blockade.

"Qatar has recently filed a complaint with WTO, accusing UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia of imposing a trade and economic blockade. Also, an extraordinary session of the International Civil Aviation Organization was held after Qatar filed a complaint," Ali al-Heil, a professor of political science at Qatar University, told Sputnik.
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Info

Sanctions workaround: Indonesia barters coffee, tea and palm oil in exchange for Russian fighter jets


RT
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 15:00 UTC
Sukhoi Su-35 multipurpose fighter jets
© Iliya Pitalev / Sputnik
Indonesia says it will barter coffee, palm oil and other commodities for Russian fighter jets, calling US and European sanctions against Russia an opportunity to boost trade.

"This barter under the supervision of both governments hopefully will soon be realized through the exchange of 11 Sukhoi Su-35s and a number of Indonesian exports, starting from coffee and tea to palm oil and strategic defense products," Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said on Monday, as quoted by Reuters.

Russian state-run corporation Rostec signed a memorandum of understanding for the deal with Indonesian state trading company PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia. Rostec says it is committed to implement the terms of a counter trade program.
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Briefcase

'Categorically false': Mike Pence slams NYT report on alleged 2020 presidential ambitions


RT
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 14:48 UTC
Trump and Pence
© Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
US Vice President Mike Pence slammed a New York Times report that claimed he might be preparing to replace Trump in the 2020 presidential race. Pence called the article "categorically false," promising not to let "fake news" divide the White House.

On Friday, the New York Times published a report claiming some fellow Republicans could be pondering 2020 presidential bids if the incumbent, President Donald Trump, decides not to run. The report listed several "shadow candidates," including the vice president, who allegedly indicated his ambitions by creating the 'Great America Committee' to raise funds, while "multiple advisers" reportedly "intimated to party donors that he would plan to run if Mr. Trump did not."

The article also listed a number of other Republicans who could be positioning themselves to run in 2020.

Comment: See also:

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Snakes in Suits

'Bashar has to go': Saudis deny reports of opting out from overthrowing the Syrian President

Al Mayadeen - translated by Samer Hussein
Fort Russ News
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 14:47 UTC
Adel Al Jubeir
Saudi Arabia has denied reports, made by the Riyadh-backed branch of the so-called "Syrian Opposition" on alleged Saudi withdrawal from attempting to overthrow the Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry has already denied reports which were claiming that the Saudi foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir said Bashar Al Assad's fate is entirely in the hands of the Syrians, with no concern to the Saudis.

"There is no place for Assad in Syria's future," the Saudi Foreign Ministry's statement read on Sunday.

"The position of the kingdom on the Syrian crisis is firm, and it is based on the Geneva 1 communique and on U.N. Security Council resolution 2254 that stipulated the formation of a transitional body that will run the country," the statement further added.

Comment: Seems to be some confusion in Riyadh on foreign policy. Could be due to the recent shakeup in the Royal family.

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No Entry

Former senior diplomat: EU leaders dismayed at Tory infighting over Brexit negotiations


RT
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 14:31 UTC
Britain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis (L) and Michel Barnier
© Global Look PressBritain's Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis (L) and Michel Barnier, European Union Chief Negotiator in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain.
Divisions in the cabinet and a lack of coherent strategy have not gone down well during Brexit negotiations in Brussels, a former head of the diplomatic services has said.

Speaking to the BBC's Westminster Hour, Sir Simon Fraser said the government had shown a lack of clarity.

"We haven't put forward a lot because, as we know, there are differences within the cabinet about the sort of Brexit that we are heading for and until those differences are further resolved I think it's very difficult for us to have a clear position," he said.

"I think so far we haven't put much on the table apart from something on the status of nationals, so we are a bit absent from the formal negotiation."
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Propaganda

Reports of Hungary's slide into 'dictatorship' have been greatly exaggerated

Danielle Ryan
RT
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 14:09 UTC
Viktor Orban
© Lazslo Balogh / Reuters
Is Hungary sliding into tyranny and dictatorship? According to headlines which have painted a rather grim picture of Hungary's present and future under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the answer is a resounding yes.

Hungary is "held hostage" by "tyrant" Orban who is returning the country to "totalitarianism," claims The New Statesman. The International Business Times worries about Hungary's "dark path toward dictatorship".

The EU struggles to contain "dictator" Orban, says the Sydney Morning Herald. Orban is Europe's "enemy within," warns the Financial Times. He is "Europe's New Dictator," says Politico.

These attention-grabbing headlines and dramatic portrayals exaggerate the political situation in Hungary. Of course, there are plenty of legitimate complaints to be made about Orban (though, naturally, the specifics of the complaint will vary based on who is speaking). The problem is that the media has taken those complaints, exaggerated and embellished them, and used them to predict this country's slide into absolute tyranny irresponsibly. This distorts reality and lessens the readers' ability to understand what is going on in Hungary.
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Info

Kelly loses control as 'vacationing' Trump unleashes angriest Tweetstorm yet

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Mon, 07 Aug 2017 13:47 UTC
Donald Trump and John Kelly
© Getty
Just days after the Wall Street Journal and others reported that Trump's new Chief of Staff, General John Kelly, had taken steps to "control" the flow of information on the President's twitter feed, America will wake up this morning to one of his longest tweet storms yet. Not surprisingly, this latest rant started off by ripping into the "Failing NYTimes" and other "24/7 Fake News" outlets...
The failing @nytimes, which has made every wrong prediction about me including my big election win (apologized), is totally inept!

The Trump base is far bigger & stronger than ever before (despite some phony Fake News polling). Look at rallies in Penn, Iowa, Ohio and West Virginia. The fact is the Fake News Russian collusion story, record Stock Market, border security, military strength, jobs, Supreme Court pick, economic enthusiasm, deregulation & so much more have driven the Trump base even closer together. Will never change!

Hard to believe that with 24/7 #Fake News on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, NYTIMES & WAPO, the Trump base is getting stronger!
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Briefcase

Kenya deports one American and one Canadian for election meddling

Ricky Twisdale
The Duran
Sun, 06 Aug 2017 13:28 UTC
Kenya police
The African country has arrested and deported two western advisors to the opposition presidential candidate ahead of Tuesday's vote.

Kenya has decided it doesn't need western assistance to ensure it has "free and fair" elections.

The African country is holding a national vote for president, deputy president, and parliament on 8 August.

But the election will have to go forward without the help of two foreign advisors.

John Phillips, a US citizen and chief executive of political consultancy Aristotle, and Canadian citizen Andreas Katsouris, a senior executive at the same firm, were arrested on Friday and deported from Kenya on Saturday, according to Reuters.

The two men were providing political consulting services to opposition presidential candidate Raila Odinga and his National Super Alliance party. Polls show Odinga and incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta neck-in-neck in the race for the Kenya State House.
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