Puppet MastersS


Eye 1

Britain's Trident nukes 'useless' against today's actual security problems


RT
Thu, 09 Feb 2017 15:00 UTC
trident nuke protest london britain uk
Britain's Trident nuclear missile system fails to address any of the real security issues faced by the country or the world and should be scrapped in favor of a more mature approach, according to a report by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

The document lists what the CND considers the real security threats facing the UK and argues that Trident cannot protect against any of them. These include terrorism, climate change, cyberattacks and global health crises.

The CND estimates that the overall cost of replacing Trident, which has already been approved in parliament, would up to £205 billion (US$257 billion), though official estimates are much lower at around £40 billion.

Comment: Britain may have the capability to overcome real security threats, but insecurity is what the elite thrive on.

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Blackbox

Judge orders NYPD release all files about undercover spying on Black Lives Matter protests


RT
Thu, 09 Feb 2017 13:26 UTC
Black Lives Matter protest
© Eduardo Munoz / ReutersPeople protest in New York, November 25, 2014
A New York Supreme Court judge has ruled that the New York Police Department must comply with an information request for files and recordings of undercover surveillance of a Black Lives Matter protest that didn't result in any arrests.

The NYPD had sought to withhold its records from activist James Logue, who had attended a Black Lives Matter protest at Grand Central Station in November 2014. Logue filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request for the files after noticing both uniformed and plainclothes officers "regularly and openly recording events as they were taking place," court documents said.

Comment: Further reading:

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Attention

WaPo reports US defense, intel warns against designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorist group


RT
Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:21 UTC
Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards
© Stringer Iran / Reuters Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards
Top military officials have cautioned the White House against designating Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group, arguing the move would endanger American troops in Iraq, where the Corps is also fighting Islamic State, US media revealed.

The concerns were raised recently by defense and intelligence officials at the highest levels, according to the Washington Post, citing unnamed sources in the administration.

The news comes amid emerging reports that the White House is preparing to list Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) - by far the most powerful national security and defense entity in Iran - as a terrorist organization. The proposal, possibly coming in the form of an executive order by the Trump administration, would prohibit any material support or other kinds of contact with the sanctioned entity.


Comment: Very, very bad idea: US may designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group after surge in diplomatic meetings


Comment: For more analysis: Iran war rhetoric and the 'Trump-ordered' dawn raid in Yemen: WWIII isn't 'coming' - It's happening NOW

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Jet2

US and Russia held video conference on deconfliction operations in Syria Wednesday


Sputnik
Thu, 09 Feb 2017 14:02 UTC
US fighter jets Syria
© Flickr/ U.S. Department of Defense
US and Russian military officials held a video conference on Wednesday on deconfliction in the Syrian airspace, Department of Defense spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis announced in a release.

"The Department of Defense today held a video conference co-chaired by Ken Handelman, performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and Rear Adm. Michael J. Dumont, Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, Joint Staff J5, with Russian Ministry of Defense counterparts," the release said on Wednesday.
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Post-It Note

What, no phone call? Trump sends cautious letter to Beijing in hopes of 'constructive relationship'


RT
Thu, 09 Feb 2017 13:21 UTC
Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump
© Reuters
In the first direct communication between the two leaders since his inauguration, US President Donald Trump has addressed China's Xi Jinping in a letter stating the intention to develop "a constructive relationship." There is still no sign of a phone call being set up, however.

The letter contained a thank-you for Xi's congratulatory note on Trump winning the presidency, and went on to suggest that the two countries find a way to smoothen out their relationship.

"President Trump stated that he looks forward to working with President Xi to develop a constructive relationship that benefits both the United States and China," said a statement from White House spokesman Sean Spicer.
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Bullseye

Flashback Stephen Cohen: If Trump tries to mend relations with Russia, the Establishment will oppose him fiercely


RT
Fri, 11 Nov 2016 23:07 UTC
stephen cohen sophieco
An outcome that no mainstream media outlet predicted, a victory that the elites decried - the people have voted to make Donald Trump the next US president. Millions of Americans are tired of being ignored and want radical change. But can Trump deliver on his promises? Regarded as an outsider in his own party - will he be able to implement his foreign policy approach? We ask professor emeritus at Princeton University, contributing editor at The Nation magazine, Stephen Cohen.

Sophie Shevardnadze: Dr. Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus at Princeton and New York University, contributing editor at "The Nation"magazine, welcome to the show, it's always great to have you back. Now, the media backed Clinton, Hollywood backed Clinton - but Trump had a stronger social media presence - his tweets to his 14 million followers made all the news - was that what made the difference in the end? Do Americans not believe in traditional media anymore, do they find social media more trustworthy?

Stephen Cohen: I have no idea - I am not a social media person. I think, the media here has covered this, that there was a profound disenchantment, I guess, anger, with many many people, with the political establishment, both Republican and Democratic, and Trump took on the establishment. I mean, plus, the very bad domestic situation for many people, plus, I think, because he did something no other candidate had done in many years: he ran as what we call "the candidate of detente", especially with Russia, and people are worried about all these wars, but primarily it was driven by domestic pain, social pain.

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Take 2

Best of the Web: 16 Fake News Stories Mainstream Media Has Run Since Trump's Election

Daniel Payne
The Federalist
Mon, 06 Feb 2017 22:52 UTC
trump
Since at least Donald Trump's election, our media have been in the grip of an astonishing, self-inflicted crisis. Despite Trump's constant railing against the American press, there is no greater enemy of the American media than the American media. They did this to themselves.

We are in the midst of an epidemic of fake news. There is no better word to describe it than "epidemic," insofar as it fits the epidemiological model from the Centers for Disease Control: this phenomenon occurs when "an agent and susceptible hosts are present in adequate numbers, and the agent can be effectively conveyed from a source to the susceptible hosts."

The "agent" in this case is hysteria over Trump's presidency, and the "susceptible hosts" are a slipshod, reckless, and breathtakingly gullible media class that spread the hysteria around like—well, like a virus.

It is difficult to adequately sum up the breadth of this epidemic, chiefly because it keeps growing: day after day, even hour after hour, the media continue to broadcast, spread, promulgate, publicize, and promote fake news on an industrial scale. It has become a regular part of our news cycle, not distinct from or extraneous to it but a part of it, embedded within the news apparatus as a spoke is embedded in a bicycle wheel.
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Attention

Very, very bad idea: US may designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group after surge in diplomatic meetings


Sputnik
Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:30 UTC
IRGC soldiers watch missile launch
© AP Photo/ Mostafa Qotbi/IRNA
As part of US President Donald Trump's pledge to end the threat of radical Islamic terrorists, the White House is reportedly in talks to designate Iran's highly-capable Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a bona fide terrorist organization.

Trump and his cabinet regard Iran as "the clearest danger to US interests," a senior aide told Reuters. "They've been looking for ways to turn up the heat," the official added.

The IRGC is labeled by the Times of Israel as Iran's most powerful military and political institution. The IRGC has jurisdiction over the IRGC Quds Force, which the Israeli media outlet claims is involved in propping up Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) noted in a report titled "Iran: Politics, Human Rights, and U.S. Policy," that Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security, the Basiji organization within the IRGC, as well as the Law Enforcement Forces, also factor into Iran's most "prominent" security organizations.

Comment: There's a flurry of Middle East meetings: Trump hails Erdogan as strategic partner and NATO ally
Equally, Turkey announced on Tuesday that the first session of the Turkish-Saudi Arabian bilateral coordination council in Ankara on Thursday would bring the Saudi Foreign Minister Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir to the Turkish capital. Al-Jubeir is expected to meet Erdogan. (By the way, Erdogan is also due to travel to Saudi Arabia in the weekend.) Now, consider the following:
  • Trump calls King Salman of Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince of UAE Sheikh Zayid on January 29;
  • NSA Michael Flynn comes out with his famous statement on Iran in February 1;
  • Trump meets King Abdullah of Jordan on February 2;
  • NSA Flynn makes a second threatening statement on Iran on February 3;
  • Trump calls Erdogan on Feb 7;
  • Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir visits Ankara on February 7-8;
  • CIA chief Mike Pompeo to meet Erdogan in Ankara on February 9;
  • Erdogan is due to travel to Saudi Arabia in the weekend.
It won't require much ingenuity to connect the dots and figure out what the surge of diplomatic activity relates to. It's Iran, stupid!


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Books

Rep. Thomas Massie introduces bill 'to abolish Dept of Education'


RT
Wed, 08 Feb 2017 17:26 UTC
Congressman Thomas Massie
© FacebookCongressman Thomas Massie
A Kentucky lawmaker has proposed a bill to completely abolish the federal Department of Education at the end of next year, calling instead for the department's responsibilities to be handled by states and local communities.

Rep. Thomas Massie introduced the bill the same day Betsy DeVos was narrowly elected to lead the department.

Massie wants to disband the federal agency, established in 1979 by then-Democratic President Jimmy Carter, because of what he sees as unnecessary federal interference in the school system.

The legislator said in a statement that "Neither Congress nor the President, through his appointees, has the constitutional authority to dictate how and what our children must learn."

Comment: Good idea! Give the power back to the state and communities to meet the needs of their students.

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Info

Trump hails Erdogan as strategic partner and NATO ally

M K Bhadrakumar
Indian Punchline
Wed, 08 Feb 2017 22:42 UTC
Erdogan and Trump on phone
The US President Donald Trump's phone call on Tuesday to Turkish President Recep Erdogan has triggered a flurry of diplomatic activity, some of which have disturbing implications for the Syrian conflict. The White House readout was rather taciturn and completely skirted the five-letter word 'Syria'. But how could there be, possibly, a conversation between Trump and Erdogan in the ebb and flow of life in the Middle East without mentioning Syria?

But then, nothing remains secret in Ankara for long, and from details trickling in, it was a substantive conversation that Trump and Erdogan held. A sure sign of it could be that the CIA boss Mike Pompeo is landing in Ankara for talks on Thursday, which will be, incidentally, the spy chief's first foreign destination on a business trip. Turkey seems to be regaining its frontline status in the US' covert operations in the Middle East. (Pompeo's regional itinerary will give some clue to the tip of the iceberg.) The presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin disclosed today in Ankara that Turkish military operations in al-Bab and Raqqa in northern Syria will be among Pompeo's talking points.
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