Puppet MastersS


Bad Guys

Founder of firm behind infamous 'Trump dossier' refuses to testify, will plead the fifth

Carlos Garcia
The Blaze
Sat, 22 Jul 2017 13:08 UTC
Fusion GPS Glenn Simpson Trump dossier
© JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images
The co-founder of the firm that paid for the creation of the infamous 'Trump dossier' said Friday that he would not be fulfilling a request to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee and would be asserting his fifth amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.

Glenn Simpson's lawyer released a statement Friday saying that the co-founder of Fusion GPS is on vacation and won't be able to attend the hearing being held next week.

Simpson also protested that "partisan agendas" had resulted in the expansion of the investigation, saying through his lawyer that they were "profoundly disturbed."
Read More...
Snakes in Suits

What is Robert Mueller investigating?

J. Marsolo
The American Thinker
Sat, 22 Jul 2017 13:08 UTC
†rumpmueller
© media.salon.comDonald Trump and Robert Mueller
The purpose of a special counsel is to investigate if a federal crime was committed. There has been no charge or allegation that Trump or his campaign workers violated any federal law. The authorization by Assistant Attorney General Rosenstein to Mueller read:
(a) Robert S. Mueller III is appointed to serve as Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice.

(b) The Special Counsel is authorized to conduct the investigation confirmed by then-FBI Director James B. Comey in testimony before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on March 20, 2017, including: (i) any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump; and (ii) any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation; and (iii) any other matters within the scope of 28 C.F.R. § 600.4(a).

(c) If the Special Counsel believes it is necessary and appropriate, the Special Counsel is authorized to prosecute federal crimes arising from the investigation of these matters.
Read More...
Bad Guys

US threatens to 'reconsider support' for peace deal in South Sudan

Samer Hussein (translator)
Fort Russ
Sat, 22 Jul 2017 13:08 UTC
civil war ISIS terrorists revolution


Originally at Breakingnews.sy

The United States has threatened to reconsider its support for a peace deal in South Sudan, should the South Sudan leaders not participate in negotiations, aimed at reaching a political solution to end the 4 years-long civil war.

During a UN Security Council session, the Deputy US Ambassador to the United Nations Michele Sison, said Washington would have to reconsider its support for the peace agreement, should the conflicting sides show no interest in reaching a solution.

"The United States expects that it will lead to a realistic and meaningful outcome. If South Sudan's leaders do not participate in this high-level forum in good faith and stick to its deadlines, the United States will need to review our position and priorities on support for the peace agreement and its implementing bodies", Sison was heard saying, adding that the US wants the regional mediation to succeed, with South Sudan leaders showing their long-term interest and commitment to it.

Comment: Further reading:

Read More...
Info

Lessons from Latin America: Why efforts to reform police departments often fail

Yanilda González
Mint Press News
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 00:00 UTC
Buenos Aires police
© AP/Natacha PisarenkoPolice who were stained with yellow paint thrown by protesters on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 13, 2017.
Understanding the politics of police reform in Latin America may be informative for those who hope for changes in policing in the U.S.

President Donald Trump's appointment of Attorney General Jeff Sessions has led people to speculate about the fate of recent police reform efforts.

Early into his tenure, Sessions said he intended to "pull back on" the Justice Department's investigations of police department abuses, saying they diminish effectiveness.

Americans have mobilized extensively in the past three years against police brutality, militarization and corruption through the Black Lives Matter and related movements. Government officials at the federal level have responded to these demands by creating specialized task forces to recommend best practices, and investigating troubled police departments and enforcing reforms. Courts have also worked to roll back unconstitutional stop-and-frisk policies, while city governments have created independent oversight agencies and enacted robust community policing programs.

But will it stick?

My research on police reform in Latin America shows that such reforms are highly vulnerable to political reversals. These cases reveal how they can be quickly rolled back before they can take hold and demonstrate results.

Understanding the politics of police reform in Latin America may be informative for those who hope for changes in policing in the U.S.
Read More...
Stop

Dismantling McCain's disastrous legacy should be Trump's top priority

Tom Luongo
Russia Insider
Thu, 20 Jul 2017 20:56 UTC
John McCain
McCain's absence will create a unique opportunity for President Trump to alter the course of our foreign and domestic policy.

It is hard to estimate how much influence over U.S. domestic and foreign policy John McCain had. With his illness upgraded to a glioblastoma in his head, the likelihood of his return to a policy position is unlikely.

As I predicted earlier this week, the severity of McCain's health problems will inevitably usher in a major power shuffle in Washington.

The Arizona senator's absence creates a unique opportunity for President Trump to alter the course of our foreign and domestic policy. From Iraq to Libya, Syria to Afghanistan and right up to Russia's borders in Ukraine, McCain's bloody paw prints are all over more than a decade of American foreign policy blunders.
Read More...
Blackbox

Steve Bannon's disappearing act a self-preservation maneuver?

Eliana Johnson and Annie Karni
Politico
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:18 UTC
bannon
© Brendan Smialowski/Agence France-PressSteve Bannon was absent from President Donald Trump's recent trips to Europe for the G-20 summit and from his visit with French president Emmanuel Macron.
Once dubbed 'The Great Manipulator,' Trump's senior adviser steps back in bid to save his job.

Steve Bannon has largely disappeared from the White House's most sensitive policy debates - a dramatic about-face for an operative once characterized as the most powerful man in Washington.

Bannon, chastened by internal rivalries and by President Donald Trump's growing suspicion that he is looking out for his own interests, is in a self-imposed exile, having chosen to step back from Trump's inner circle for the sake of self-preservation, according to several White House advisers who spoke to POLITICO on the condition of anonymity to avoid angering a colleague.

He was absent from Trump's recent trips to Europe for the G-20 summit and from his visit with French President Emmanuel Macron. Bannon's non-attendance is all the more noteworthy given his interest in European history and politics, particularly his antipathy to the European Union.
Read More...
Better Earth

Iraqi VP: Russia's role in Syria ensured Iraq's survival

Adam Garrie
The Duran
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:39 UTC
Maliki
A day after Baghdad confirmed the purchase and delivery of multiple T-90 tanks from Russia, Iraq's Vice President Nouri al-Maliki has praised Russia for its vital role in the fight against terrorism.

Although Russian forces have fought terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS in Syria rather than Iraq, Iraq's Vice President understands the fight in Syria to be a mutual fight for the security of his own country.

The Iraqi Vice President stated,
"I have said this before and I will repeat it again - if it were not for the Russian stance, the region would be fully destroyed, its map would be new and unusual ... Without Russia's approach to the Syrian issue which differs from the one of the United States, the Syrian regime would have fallen, terrorists would have intensified their actions thanks to this, the regional map would change and in the end it would lead to the fall of Baghdad".
In spite of Iraq's deeply dependent, some would say neo-colonial military relationship with the United States, al-Maliki has affirmed that Iraq sees itself as an ally of the Syrian government which the United States continues to have no contact with. In this sense, Iraq's leaders have become overtly supportive of Russia's legal intervention in the Syrian conflict which has assured the survival of the Syrian government against a multi-front onslaught by a number of foreign funded and armed Salafist jihadist groups.


Comment: Maliki is essentially saying U.S. policy would have led to the destruction of Iraq, if not for the Russians. Heavy words coming from a U.S. "ally". Then again, the U.S. doesn't have "allies", only vassals, and there are plenty of crazies in the U.S. "foreign policy" community who would've been just tickled pink to see Iraq and Syria fall apart.


Comment: Maliki also had this to say:
We do not want a military bases in al-Waleed, the Iraqi society is against foreign bases on the country's territory ... I told the US side it was not in its interests to return to Iraq to establish military bases again...

I still do not have a clear picture regarding the strategy of the Trump administration in the Middle East ... They said it was not fully ready...

The Trump administration is more serious about pursuing terrorists and groups. In this aspect, the new administration differs from the previous one, it has a hardline attitude against terrorism.


Read More...
Attention

Neocon madness: We can't have peace in Syria, that would be giving in to Russia!

Neil Clark
RT
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:19 UTC
A woman walks with a child amid rubble at Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood in Aleppo
© Omar Sanadiki / ReutersA woman walks with a child amid rubble at Bustan al-Qasr neighbourhood in Aleppo, Syria July 16, 2017.
Upon hearing the news that President Donald Trump is expected to phase out the CIA's covert Syrian program, established by his predecessor Barack Obama, to arm and train anti-government 'rebels' in Syria, how did you respond?

Did you:

a.) Welcome the news because it's a positive step on the road to peace and reconciliation in Syria and a promising sign the US has finally given up on (or at least put on the back burner), plans for an illegal 'regime change,' or

b.) go into a hissy fit, kick the cat, swear loudly at the TV and accuse the POTUS on Twitter of handing Russia 'a victory'.
Read More...
Map

Chinese envoy says Beijing may deploy troops to East Africa hot spot


RT
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:09 UTC
Djiboutian soldier
© Omar Hassan / ReutersA Djiboutian soldier stands in an undisclosed location along the border with Eritrea.
China would consider sending troops into the disputed border region between Djibouti and Eritrea, the Chinese envoy to the African Union said, as tension between the two East African countries mounts.

Beijing would consider intervening if border tensions between the two countries exploded, Kuang Weilin told the Associated Press on Friday, adding that he hoped the dispute would be "solved amicably."

China is already one of the biggest contributors to UN peacekeeping forces around the world, with over 2,500 troops deployed in global missions. There is no UN presence in either Djibouti or Eritrea, but earlier in July China deployed an unspecified number of troops to Djibouti to man its first overseas military base. The US also maintains a base in the country at Camp Lemonnier, its only one on the African continent.

Kuang told AP that the new Chinese base "will only have logistical purposes, not defense capabilities," and will focus on anti-piracy, peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts throughout Africa and western Asia.
Read More...
Jet3

Winning hearts and minds: US confirms air strike killed Afghan forces in friendly fire incident


RT
Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:04 UTC
Afghan soldiers, Helmand province
© Noor Mohammad / AFP
A number of Afghan security forces servicemen have been killed in a US airstrike in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued by the US military.

The friendly-fire incident occurred in Afghanistan's Helmand Province late on Friday afternoon, the US military said in a statement.

"During a US supported ANDSF [Afghan National Defense and Security Forces] operation, aerial fires resulted in the deaths of the friendly Afghan forces who were gathered in a compound," the statement reads.

The US military has notified the Afghan authorities and launched an investigation to "determine the specific circumstances that led to this incident."

No information on the specific number of casualties resulting from the airstrike was immediately released.
Read More...