Puppet MastersS


Light Sabers

Allies of Tulsi Gabbard pushing back after she is unfairly attacked by Establishment for speaking the truth on Syria

Mike Lillis
The Hill
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 17:18 UTC
tulsi gabbard
© Getty
Allies of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard are pushing back hard against sharp attacks accusing the Hawaii Democrat of legitimizing a tyrant by meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Those who joined Gabbard on her swing through the Middle East this month — including former Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) — said the trip was simply a "fact-finding" mission designed to bring a peaceful end to the bloody civil war that's devastated Syria for more than five years.

Gabbard's judgment that current U.S. policy is only inflaming the conflict is correct, they say, hailing her as a courageous voice taking on the entrenched interventionist forces of Washington.

"She is absolutely, 100 percent spot-on," Kucinich said Friday by phone. "In Washington, truth is never decided by consensus; truth stands on its own. And she's telling the truth."

Comment: If there's one thing that every American and 'Westerner' needs to understand right now it is the content of this short interview with US Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard on CNN. Forget about Trump, forget about Obama, and everything else, THIS is what you need to know and only then can anything you think or say about America as a nation have any chance of being even remotely relevant:

See also:

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Question

Was Sally Yates sabotaging Trump's travel ban from the beginning?

Alexander Mercouris
The Duran
Tue, 31 Jan 2017 17:07 UTC
Sally Yates
Former DOJ Deputy AG Sally Yates
Acting Attorney General Sally Yates's breaches of her fundamental duty to carry out the orders of the President and as the US government's senior law officer to defend her client (the US government) in court, raises the ugly possibility that she may have been in part responsible for the terrible implementation of President Trump's 'travel ban' Executive Order.

Confirmation that US President Donald Trump has fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates after she publicly declared in an open letter that the Department of Justice would not defend President Trump's 'travel ban' Executive Order in the courts, comes as no surprise. On the contrary what would have been astonishing - and concerning - would have been if President Trump hadn't fired her.

It needs to be said clearly that regardless of one's views about the Executive Order Sally Yates's conduct was reprehensible. As a top government official her job was to carry out loyally the order of her superior - the President of the United States - who is the head of the executive branch. If she thought the President was acting wrongly and illegally, as the government's senior law officer her duty was to so advise him, and if he disregarded her advice, to resign.

Instead Sally Yates seems to have taken it on herself to sabotage the President's policy by publicly prohibiting the Department of Justice's lawyers from defending it in the courts.
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Star of David

Former ambassador: Netanyahu's tweet for Trump suggests leaders have cut a deal on Jerusalem or Iran

Philip Weiss
Mondoweiss
Mon, 30 Jan 2017 16:54 UTC
Two days ago Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted the following endorsement of Donald Trump's immigration policies, and the comments have since roiled the American Jewish world, turning leading Jews against Trump.
netanyahu tweet
© Benamin Netanyahu/Twitter
Former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro has posted a series of tweets seeking to explain Netanyahu's self-destructive intervention. Shapiro notions a possible deal between the two men: Trump squeezed Netanyahu for the tweet in exchange for concessions on settlements, the embassy, the Iran deal:
PM @netanyahu's top aide's told me a key goal in Trump's era was keeping bipartisan support for Israel. Now this?

Hard to explain this intervention on a hotly debated issue in domestic US politics. Unless....

his endorsement is Trump's demand of Netanyahu for something Netanyahu wants, the quid pro quo. But for what?

Canceling the Iran deal? Moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem? Supporting building in settlement blocs?

To me, it looks like Trump is already squeezing Netanyahu hard. "The Art of the Deal."
(Bear in mind, a former Netanyahu aide a year ago referred to Shapiro as "little Jewboy." Revenge is a dish best served cold.)

Comment: What is Trump up to here? The short-term damage to both leaders seems real. Time will tell if there is a larger strategy.

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Rocket

White House confirms Iran conducted ballistic missile test, in violation of UNSC resolution


RFE/RL
Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:03 UTC
ballistic missile
© An Iranian Zelzal-3 ballistic missile
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that Iran conducted a ballistic-missile test on January 29 in apparent violation of a UN Security Council resolution.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on January 30 that the administration was "aware" of the test and was "looking into the exact nature of it."

The U.S. television network Fox reported that the medium-range ballistic missile traveled some 950 kilometers before exploding. The test was conducted at a known test site near the town of Semnan, east of Tehran.

The UN Security Council resolution was adopted after the Iran nuclear deal was sealed and bars Iran from conducting ballistic-missile tests for eight years.

It is the first such missile test conducted by Iran since Trump took office.
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Light Sabers

Giuliani: Trump wanted 'Muslim ban', ordered commission to do it legally

Amy B Wang
Washington Post
Sat, 28 Jan 2017 16:55 UTC
trump giuliani
© Carolyn Kaster
Former New York mayor Rudy W. Giuliani said President Trump wanted a "Muslim ban" and requested he assemble a commission to show him "the right way to do it legally."

Giuliani, an early Trump supporter who once had been rumored for a Cabinet position in the new administration, appeared on Fox News late Saturday night to describe how Trump's executive order temporarily banning refugees came together.

Trump signed orders on Friday not only to suspend admission of all refugees into the United States for 120 days but also to implement "new vetting measures" to screen out "radical Islamic terrorists." Refugee entry from Syria, however, would be suspended indefinitely, and all travel from Syria and six other nations — Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen — is suspended for 90 days. Trump also said he would give priority to Christian refugees over those of other religions, according to the Christian Broadcasting Network.

Fox News host Jeanine Pirro asked Giuliani whether the ban had anything to do with religion.

"How did the president decide the seven countries?" she asked. "Okay, talk to me."

"I'll tell you the whole history of it," Giuliani responded eagerly. "So when [Trump] first announced it, he said, 'Muslim ban.' He called me up. He said, 'Put a commission together. Show me the right way to do it legally.' "

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Wall Street

Deutsche Bank in more hot water: Fined over 'mirror trading' scheme that moved billions from Russia


RT
Tue, 31 Jan 2017 16:52 UTC
logo of Deutsche Bank is reflected in the water
© Sergei Karpukhin / Reuters
Germany's biggest lender Deutsche Bank has agreed to a $630 million payment to settle US and UK investigations into a scheme that transferred $10 billion out of Russia between 2011 and 2015.

According to New York State's Department of Financial Services (DFS), the penalty is linked to claims the money was moved out of Russia using so-called mirror trades among the bank's Moscow, London, and New York offices.

DFS fined the bank $425 million, while Britain's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) penalized Deutsche £163 million (about $204 million).
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Sherlock

Investigative reports details FBI secret powers, from surveillance of journalists to treatment of immigrant informants


RT
Tue, 31 Jan 2017 16:48 UTC
doj emblem
© Jaap Arriens / www.globallookpress.com
A new report published by the Intercept reveals the FBI's wide-ranging powers from the surveillance of journalists to the treatment of informants after the investigative news site acquired a trove of confidential FBI documents.

The 11-part series led by Intercept reporter Cora Currier sheds light on the bureau's vast secret powers, following a months-long study of confidential documents.

The papers include the FBI's governing rulebook, known as the DIOG, and classified policy guides for counterterrorism cases and handling confidential informants.

The investigation exposes the FBI's spying on journalists, its deportation of immigrant informants when they are no longer of use, and other instances of invasive surveillance on targets without need to show suspicion of wrongdoing.
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Info

Syrian rebels claim Trump administration sending them armored vehicles


RT
Tue, 31 Jan 2017 16:29 UTC
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters
© Rodi Said / Reuters
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of Arab and Kurdish forces in northern Syria, says it has received armored vehicles from the US, indicating increased support from Washington under the administration of President Donald Trump.

A small number of vehicles arrived four or five days ago, SDF spokesman Talal Silo told Reuters.

"Previously we didn't get support in this form, we would get light weapons and ammunition," he added. "There are signs of full support from the new American leadership - more than before - for our forces."


Comment: This may have more to do with Obama's order rather than the Trump admin.: Obama grants waiver for military support of foreign fighters in Syria


The SDF, which includes the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia forces, is part of what the US wanted to forge into a united force opposing the terrorist group Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL). The administration of former President Barack Obama voiced plans to launch a siege of the IS stronghold in Syria, Raqqa, similar to the operation in Mosul in Iraq. The plans are yet to be implemented.
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Handcuffs

Militant cell that planned NY & Christmas attacks in Moscow detained


RT
Tue, 31 Jan 2017 16:43 UTC
detained member of a terrorist group russia
© Russian FSB / Sputnik A detained member of a terrorist group which was preparing a series of terrorist attacks in places of mass gatherings in Moscow.
Russian security services detained all members of a terrorist cell that had been plotting attacks during the holiday season in Moscow, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee says. The group reportedly received orders from a Syria-based top-tier commander.

The Syrian terrorist commander, identified as Abu-Zarra, ordered militants to move to Moscow in order to get weapons supplies or seize firearms from police officers, Andrey Przezdomsky, head of the National Anti-Terrorism Committee (NAC) press service, said on Tuesday.

"At this point, all members of the terrorist cells are in custody," he added.

According to the official, migrants from central Asia and the Caucasus form the nucleus of most terrorist sleeper cells active in Russia. "Migrants coming from [these regions] - who failed to integrate into society and are locked in mono-ethnic groups - are fertile soil for terrorist activities," Przezdomsky said.
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Stop

Poll: Majority of Americans favor temporary ban on refugees from 'terrorist havens'


Rasmussen Reports
Mon, 30 Jan 2017 00:00 UTC
immigration suspension countries
Most voters approve of President Trump's temporary halt to refugees and visitors from several Middle Eastern and African countries until the government can do a better job of keeping out individuals who are terrorist threats.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 57% of Likely U.S. Voters favor a temporary ban on refugees from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen until the federal government approves its ability to screen out potential terrorists from coming here. Thirty-three percent (33%) are opposed, while 10% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Similarly, 56% favor a temporary block on visas prohibiting residents of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the United States until the government approves its ability to screen for likely terrorists. Thirty-two percent (32%) oppose this temporary ban, and 11% are undecided.

This survey was taken late last week prior to the weekend protests against Trump's executive orders imposing a four-month ban on all refugees and a temporary visa ban on visitors from these seven countries.

These findings have changed little from August when 59% of voters agreed with Trump's call for a temporary ban on immigration into the United States from "the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism" until the federal government improves its ability to screen out potential terrorists.

Comment: Yet despite the majority consensus, Judge are defying Trumps executive order. For updates see: Judges limit, ignore Trump's immigration orders - UPDATES

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