Puppet MastersS


Bad Guys

More destabilization: Pentagon requests $1.8bn to arm & train fighters in Iraq


RT
Fri, 02 Jun 2017 12:39 UTC
US ISIS Pentagon Islamic State terrorists jihadi
© Mohammed Salem / Reuters
The Pentagon foresees a role for itself in Iraq and possibly eastern Syria post-Islamic State, telling Congress that stability will require arming and training fighters to the tune of $1.8 billion over three years, at least.

Achieving President Donald Trump's goal of defeating Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) may include a catch, as the Pentagon's 2018 budget request warns Congress of "Iraqi instability, [exacerbating] sectarian divisions, [contributing] to extremism, and [allowing] outside actors to destabilize the country," if $1.3 billion is not allocated toward extending the Obama-era program to equip and train the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS), according to Defense News.

Another $500 million would go towards a similar arming and training program for Syrian fighters.
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Chess

Putin: American business can help restore dialogue between United States & Russia


RT
Fri, 02 Jun 2017 12:39 UTC
Putin SPIEF summit
© TASS Photo
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that the foundation of relations between Russia and the United States, which has been formed over decades, has been destroyed in recent years. He asked US businesses to help restore regular dialogue with Washington.

Economic cooperation between Russia and the US is generally good, added the Russian president.
"Our economic interaction with the US is balanced, diversified and technologically rich. It is generally in good shape,"
Putin said at the Russia-US Business Dialogue, which is taking place during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
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Cell Phone

Show us your tweets: US unveils visa questionnaire asking for social media handles going back 5 years


RT
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 12:52 UTC
US Customs
© John Moore / AFP
Some travelers seeking admission to the US are being handed a new form, requiring them to disclose biographical information going back 15 years and social media handles going back five. The temporary measure was fast-tracked by the Trump administration.

The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the new supplemental questionnaire on May 23, according to Reuters.

The form requests visa applicants to list information about their employment, place of residence, and foreign travel over the previous 15 years, as well as user names for any social media platforms "used to create or share content" for the previous five years.
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Question

American hypocrisy: If civilian deaths are "facts of life" for US, why aren't they for Russia and Syria?

Brandon Turbeville
Activist Post
Tue, 30 May 2017 12:43 UTC
Statue of Liberty
In an interview with CBS' Face The Nation, Secretary of Defense James Mattis was briefly asked about the view of the military when it comes to civilian casualties as it stands with America's alleged new strategy of "annihilation" of ISIS. Mattis briefly responded with feigned sorrow at the loss of innocent life that "Civilian casualties are a fact of life in this sort of situation. We do everything humanly possible consistent with military necessity, taking many chances to avoid civilian casualties at all costs. The American people and the American military will never get used to civilian casualties. And we will - we will fight against that every way we can possibly bring our intelligence and our tactics to bear."

As Americans, we have been hearing rhetoric like this for many years. In fact, our society has become so habituated to our own aggression and violence as well as being so culturally degraded that statements of "acceptable casualties" and "collateral damage" actually rings as something representative of a strong leader and a dominant military in the ears of many. Such is an unfortunate reality.

However, since both the Secretary of Defense and the American public have accepted the concept that civilians will be killed in military conflict and that the deaths of innocent people are "facts of life," then why, we must ask, is it a war crime if Syrian or Russian airstrikes accidentally kill civilians?
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Info

Musk quits Trump advisory role after Paris deal withdrawal


RT
Fri, 02 Jun 2017 12:10 UTC
Elon Musk
© Nicholas Kamm / AFP
Elon Musk has followed through on his threat to leave Donald Trump's White House advisory council after the president reneged on the Paris accord.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO fulfilled his promise Wednesday, saying he had done all he could to convince Trump of the threat posed by climate change.

Comment:

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Target

Five reasons ISIS targeted Duterte's Philippines

Adam Garrie
The Duran
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 22:56 UTC
Rodrigo Duterte
ISIS have just carried out their first attack on a non-Muslim area of Philippines. In many ways, such an atrocity was inevitable.

ISIS have carried out their first terrorist atrocity in Philippines outside of the southern island of Mindanao. ISIS has clearly set out not only to conquer Mindanao, but to destabilize and destroy all of Philippines.

It is no coincidence that they chose to attack a country led by a man like President Rodrigo Duterte.
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Dollars

Canada unveils $650 million lumber industry 'bailout' to 'stand up to US'

Tyler Durden
Zero Hedge
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 21:24 UTC
Trump and Troudeau
Canada's Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr just announced C$867 million (around $650 million) in financial supports for softwood lumber producers and the communities where they are based..."Canada is standing up to the U.S., Canada is standing up for Canadians."

On Wednesday, the Conference Board of Canada released a report saying Canadian softwood producers would pay $1.7 billion in duties a year and cut 2,200 jobs and $700 million in U.S. exports over the next two years before the dispute is settled.

And perhaps on the basis of that report, as Canadian Press reports, the package includes loans and loan guarantees to help cushion the blow for forestry companies and to help them exploring new markets and innovations.
Package includes up to C$605 million in loans and loan guarantees for companies, C$45 million to reach new markets, C$118 million in innovation funding for firms, C$9.5 million funding for those who lose jobs, C$80 million in training, C$10 million for indigenous resource development.

The help includes C$260 million to help diversify the market base for Canadian lumber products, improve the efficiency of indigenous forestry initiatives and extend work-sharing agreement limits to minimize layoffs.

The money also includes measures to support workers who want to upgrade their skills and transition to a different industry.

Cabinet discussed the options for a package last month, but the federal government wanted more input from the provinces via the special working group Carr established in February.
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Briefcase

Don't hold your breath: Former ICC official claims Israel will be convicted of war crimes


Middle East Monitor
Wed, 31 May 2017 16:14 UTC
Luis Moreno-Ocampo
© Ralph Alswang/FlickRLuis Moreno-Ocampo, former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court
The former prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo has said that the investigation being carried out by the ICC concerning the issue of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, will most likely result in condemnation of Israeli officials since the establishment of settlements is considered a continuing war crime.

He added that the settlements constitute a clear legal violation of the Rome Statute and the rules of international law, which prohibit an occupying power from transferring its civilian population to an occupied territory.

Comment: Israel has a huge network of international political bodies that are willing to say that the sky is green. Hence, and sadly, the likelihood of Israel being prosecuted and/or punished for its crimes seems terribly low. See:

International campaign, involving multiple governments, criminalizes criticism of Israel as 'antisemitism'

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Info

CIA asset turned American enemy: Manuel Noriega dead at 83

Whitney Webb
Mint Press News
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 20:51 UTC
Manuel Antonio Noriega
© AP/John Hopper
News reports on the recent death of dictator Manuel Noriega have largely ignored the U.S.' invasion of his country after he ceased to be "useful." The 1989 invasion resulted in countless civilian deaths and helped cement the U.S.' reputation as an oppressive force in Latin America.

Former dictator of Panama Manuel Noriega died on Monday, prompting media outlets throughout the Americas and elsewhere to reflect on his legacy - a legacy dominated by the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama that was intended to end his rule. Noriega, who was well-known for his ties to the CIA, was removed from power in what was then the largest American military action to take place since Vietnam due to his connections to drug trafficking and brutality.

While there is no denying that Noriega was a dictator, media reports on his death have largely failed to acknowledge the real motives behind the fall of grace of a man who was a long-time CIA asset, receiving $100,000 from the intelligence agency annually for his "help." Indeed, both of the crimes that allegedly led the U.S. to remove Noriega - drug-running, and brutality - were committed with the full knowledge - and likely the assistance - of the CIA.
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Info

Trump officially announces US withdrawal from Paris climate change deal, sparks backlash


RT
Thu, 01 Jun 2017 20:39 UTC
The Eiffel tower is illuminated in green with the words
© Jacky Naegelen / ReutersThe Eiffel tower is illuminated in green with the words "Paris Agreement is Done".
President Donald Trump is withdrawing the US from the Paris agreement on climate change, a UN treaty signed by almost 200 nations in 2016 and considered a major achievement by his predecessor, Barack Obama.

The decision was announced Thursday afternoon in the White House Rose Garden.

"In order to fulfill my solemn duty to protect America and its citizens, the US will withdraw from the Paris climate accord," Trump said.

His administration will begin negotiations to reenter either the Paris accord or another climate treaty, "on terms that are fair" to the US, Trump added.

"As of today, the US will cease all implementation" of the Paris accord and the "draconian" burdens it mandated, he said.
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