Puppet MastersS


Chess

Turkey on notice: US debut of forces in the Syrian War 'altering conflict dynamics'

Joe Macaron
Al Jazeera
Sun, 12 Mar 2017 12:33 UTC
Manbij US army tanks soldiers Syria
© AP
Interventionism is addictive, it starts with a simple task and one thing can lead to another.

Photos of US Humvees and Stryker combat vehicles patrolling the streets of Manbij are surreal, a reminder that we no longer are under Barack Obama's restrained doctrine. US generals are now in full control of US policy in Syria.

President Donald Trump is making good on his campaign promise not to tell the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) about his plans to defeat them, yet both allies and foes are puzzled by that new approach.
Read More...
Quenelle - Golden

LPR arrests Ukrainian terrorists involved in Anashchenko & Givi murders

J. Arnoldski
Fort Russ
Sun, 12 Mar 2017 12:33 UTC
lugansk donbass ukraine
Today, March 10th, two significant announcement have come out of Lugansk pertaining to Ukrainian terrorist operations in general and the assassinations of commanders Anashchenko and Givi in particular.

Igor Kornet, the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Lugansk People's Republic, officially stated that the persons (no number is given) involved in the assassination of People's Militia commander Oleg Anashchenko on February 4th have been arrested on the territory of the LPR. Kornet also confirmed that the suspects were servicemen of the Ukrainian army.

"All of them are servicemen of the special forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who were deployed to Lugansk as part of saboteur-terrorist groups to commit terrorist acts on the orders of the Security Service of Ukraine. They are now being interrogated," Kornet announced.

Comment: Fort Russ reports that one of the suspects has spilled the beans:
Ivan Deev, one of those arrested, confessed in a video clip presented to RIA Novosti by the LPR's security ministry: "I can also confirm that when I was in Khmelnitsky in the 8th regiment of Ukraine's special forces, I heard Major Balov, the chief of intelligence, boast that Motorola's murder was his handiwork."

According to Deev, Balov once said that he had previously undergone special training for rigging elevator explosives, i.e., the method by which Motorola was assassinated in October 2016.


Read More...
Quenelle - Golden

Chinese Ambassador slams "hypocritical" Western approach to Syrian conflict

Huan Xiang
Global Research
Sun, 12 Mar 2017 12:33 UTC
Ambassador Liu Jieyi of China UN
© UN Photo/Eskinder DebebeAmbassador Liu Jieyi of China.
As Russia and China vetoed it, the UN Security Council failed to adopt a draft resolution on Syria sanctions on 28th February. But what impressed is the seven-minute-long explanation given by a Chinese diplomat on the reasons behind the decision, in which he unmasked the "extremely hypocritical" faces of some powers.

The defeated resolution, drafted by Britain, France and the US, aimed to impose sanctions over alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. If adopted, the draft resolution would have imposed asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and entities associated with the Syrian government.

The British, US and Japanese representatives pointed blame at China and Russia after their veto against the draft. UK's permanent representative to the UN Matthew Rycroft told the council that he was astonished by Russia's abuse of veto power, and was "surprised and disappointed" that China had also cast a veto.
Read More...
Bad Guys

Iraqi militias find mass grave of hundreds executed by ISIS, near Mosul


RT
Sun, 12 Mar 2017 09:00 UTC
A masked fighter of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitaries
© AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFPA masked fighter of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitaries
A mass grave containing the remains of hundreds of people was found at Badush prison near Mosul after it was retaken from Islamic State, Iraqi paramilitary forces said.

The discovery was made by the Hashed al-Shaabi pro-government group, which was among the units to retake control of the prison from Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) on Wednesday.

"A large mass grave containing the remains of around 500 civilian prisoners in [Badush] prison who were executed by [IS] gangs after they controlled the prison during their occupation of Mosul" was found by Hashed forces, the military said, as cited by AFP.

The numbers provided by the militia couldn't be independently verified, but they coincide with earlier reports of atrocities committed by the jihadists at Badush.

According to Human Rights Watch, IS executed 600 inmates not far from the prison on June 10, 2014. The victims were forced to kneel in front of a ravine and shot in the backs with machineguns.

Comment: See also:

Read More...
Document

US forensic experts to refrain from publishing conclusions on Russian diplomat's death


TASS
Fri, 10 Mar 2017 23:11 UTC
Churkin
© EPA/SERGEI CHIRIKOV / POOL
New York City's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will refrain from publishing information on the causes of death of the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, as the case falls under the regulations for diplomatic immunity, Dan Linden, the ABC global head of social media twittered on Friday.

Comment:

Read More...
Laptop

Flashback CIA admits it broke into Senate computers: Senators call for spy chief's ouster

Jonathan S. Landay and Ali Watkins
McClatchy Washington Bureau
Thu, 31 Jul 2014 22:31 UTC
John Brennan
© Pete Marovich/MCT
An internal CIA investigation confirmed allegations that agency personnel improperly intruded into a protected database used by Senate Intelligence Committee staff to compile a scathing report on the agency's detention and interrogation program, prompting bipartisan outrage and at least two calls for spy chief John Brennan to resign.

"This is very, very serious, and I will tell you, as a member of the committee, someone who has great respect for the CIA, I am extremely disappointed in the actions of the agents of the CIA who carried out this breach of the committee's computers," said Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., the committee's vice chairman.

The rare display of bipartisan fury followed a three-hour private briefing by Inspector General David Buckley. His investigation revealed that five CIA employees, two lawyers and three information technology specialists improperly accessed or "caused access" to a database that only committee staff were permitted to use.
Read More...
Better Earth

Russia: Moderate Islam's strong ally against a faltering and malevolent West

Shihan Sazid
The Duran
Fri, 10 Mar 2017 00:00 UTC
Syria and Russia
Russia has a new role both as the ally of moderate Islam against Western aggression, and as a factor for reconciliation between Islam and the West

How will a future historian will define this present era of human civilization?

Even though it is unusual to begin an article with a question, the present state of international affairs obliges it.

The occupation of Palestine and Kashmir, the endless war in the Middle East, the refugee crisis, the crisis of the fraudulent world monetary system, the unequal distribution of wealth, widespread poverty and malnutrition, the monster carbon footprint of the world's developed economies, right wing extremism and the extremism of the far left, and last but not the least terrorism - will these be the topics that give titles to the chapters of the history of our present era ?


Comment: Yes to all but the carbon footprint.


Comment: The US Deep State (even with Trump in office and working to subdue it) is so entrenched, and so malevolent in its intent - that saving its "political soul that reflects humanity" - may be close to impossible at this point. But seeing this dynamic in just such a framework may go a long way towards helping individuals of the US and elsewhere to help strengthen their own humanity, and their own souls; our own souls.

Read More...
Radar

Another one bites the dust: Yemeni forces destroy 13th Saudi warship


FARS News Agency
Sat, 11 Mar 2017 22:16 UTC
Saudi warship blown up
A warship of the Saudi-led forces was destroyed after hitting a sea mine laid by the Yemeni army and popular forces in the coastal waters of Ta'iz province.

"The Saudi-led warship was destroyed in the city of al-Mukha in Ta'iz province in Southwestern Yemen," a Yemeni military source said.

The source noted that all crew members of the warship were killed in the explosion.

This is the 13th time that a Saudi warship is sent deep into the waters of Bab al-Mandab Strait by the Yemeni forces.
Read More...
Snakes in Suits

John McCain curiously pleased by arrest of Ukraine's tax chief


Sputnik
Sat, 11 Mar 2017 22:05 UTC
John McCain
© AP Photo/ Evan Vucci
Influential US Senator John McCain, known as one of the main anti-Russia hawks in Washington, has reacted approvingly to the arrest of State Fiscal Service of Ukraine chief Roman Nasirov.

Nasirov, a high-flying politician who owes his political allegiance to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, was relieved of his duties last week, pending an investigation into embezzlement charges equivalent to a cool $75 million US. Nasirov was reported to have suffered a heart attack after being served his indictment. If the charges against him stick, the politician could face up to six years in prison.

On Friday, Arizona Senator John McCain, who has long been one of the main proponents of increased US assistance to Ukraine against Russia, released a glowing statement about Nasirov's arrest.

"The arrest of Roman Nasirov, Ukraine's top tax official and director of the State Fiscal Service, pending embezzlement charges is a positive step forward for the Government of Ukraine in its fight against the corruption," the statement reads.
Read More...
X

Trump demands attorney resign, Bharara declines, Trump fires him

Brooke Seipel
The Hill
Sat, 11 Mar 2017 12:03 UTC
Preet Bharara
© Getty ImagesRefusing to leave.
Preet Bharara, a U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, is refusing the Trump administration's demand to resign, according to multiple reports Saturday. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Friday asked 46 attorneys appointed by former President Obama to submit their resignations, including Bharara.

"HOLDOVER: Bharara is not submitting his resignation, according to several ppl briefed - WH not responding to what they'll do next," the New York Times' Maggie Haberman tweeted Saturday. CNN's Jake Tapper also reported that Bharara was refusing to resign. Brian Kolb, the New York State Assembly's Republican leader, tweeted his support of Bharara in the wake of the reports.

The Justice Department (DOJ) announced Friday that Sessions called for the former attorneys to resign. Of the 93 U.S. attorneys, 46 remain from the past administration, according to the DOJ. The call for resignations applies to all Senate-confirmed U.S. Attorneys, including Bharara.

It came as a surprise, as Bharara reportedly met with Trump after the election and agreed to remain in his position during the Trump administration. Sessions also asked him to stay, the prosecutor told The New York Times. According to an exclusive report by The Daily Beast late Friday, Bharara told his section chiefs that he'd yet to submit the requested letter and may instead challenge Sessions to fire him.

Bharara's office is working through an investigation of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and about to start the trials of two close allies to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Bharara built a reputation in New York by going after big banks and Wall Street. He's prosecuted nearly 100 Wall Street executives and brought legal challenge to the four largest banks in the U.S. He also closed a multi-billion dollar hedge fund as part of an insider trading settlement.

Comment: Given the caliber of his work-load, his successes and the importance of current investigations, is Trump trying to influence outcomes by his removal and protect Wall Street and big banks, or is Bharara just another victim in the anti-Obama sweep?

Update:



Read More...