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Daniel Ellsberg hopes Trump and Putin can avoid doomsday scenario

David Talbot
The San Francisco Chronicle
Sat, 07 Jan 2017 15:36 UTC
Daniel Ellsberg
© Lance Iversen, The ChronicleDaniel Ellsberg: “I’m against conflict with Russia, so on this one issue, I’m on Trump’s side.”
The freak show that is American politics got even freakier last week. Mercury was definitely in retrograde, as Sean Hannity got up close and personal with Julian Assange, Sarah Palin hailed him as a national hero (and urged people to see Oliver Stone's "Snowden") and Donald Trump, who once called for the "death penalty or something" for Assange, suddenly embraced the WikiLeaks founder as a trusted source.

On Friday, Trump had a sit-down with top intelligence chiefs at Trump Tower, which he proclaimed as "constructive" — the same way a president describes a meeting with an enemy power. But he made it clear he still wasn't buying the spooks' story about foreign interference in an election that he won fair and square, not counting those 3 million or so votes.

The source of all this madness, of course, was the alleged Russian hacking of the U.S. presidential election. On Thursday, James Clapper, the director of national "intelligence" — as President-"elect" Trump air-quotes it — appeared before a Senate committee to confirm his belief in Moscow's nefarious interference. Yes, this is the same Clapper who once lied bald-faced to Congress about NSA surveillance of the public. But the Senate, in rare bipartisan frenzy, declared the intelligence chief totally credible this time.
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Snakes in Suits

France courts US for top NATO job after UK isolated by Brexit


RT
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 15:26 UTC
French soldier with flag
© Massoud Hossaini / AFP
France has been trying to muscle its way into a senior NATO position traditionally held by the UK since Britain voted to leave the European Union last year.

In the most recent chapter in a centuries old history of feuds between the two rival states, France is seeking to prevent a British general from becoming deputy supreme allied commander, a role that has been held by Britain almost continually since World War II.

The move comes as Britain seeks to boost its influence in NATO in a bid to reassure the world that it is still a global player despite voting to leave the European Union.

Comment: France seems to be equating NATO and EU as one in the same.

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Info

Britain admits selling 500 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia in 1989, some used in Yemen


RT
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 15:04 UTC
Cluster bomb
© Reuters
Britain exported 500 cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia in the 1980s which may have been used in the current war against Houthi rebels in Yemen, an official report shows. The munitions are now banned under international law.

It is the first time the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed how many of the British-made devices have been exported to Saudi Arabia.

In a letter to the Conservative MP Philip Hollobone, seen by the Press Association, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "The UK delivered 500 BL755 cluster munitions under a government-to-government agreement signed in 1986. The final delivery was made in 1989."

Fallon said the UK had not been able to carry out any surveillance of the weapons until 2008.

Comment: The release of this information isn't damaging to the UK since the reported sale of the cluster bombs occurred well before the Oslo Treaty.

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Eiffel Tower

France's Marine Le Pen wants repatriation of car plants a-la Trump


RT
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 14:55 UTC
Marine Le Pen
© Jean-Paul Pelissier / ReutersFrench National Front (FN) political party leader Marine Le Pen.
Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has been inspired by US President-elect Donald Trump's initiative to repatriate car production. She wants to see manufacturing back in France.

Speaking about Trump's policy on France 2 television, Le Pen said it was "economic patriotism, (and) intelligent protectionism."

"I don't mind explaining to French companies that they can not escape tax that they should be paying in France, that they cannot go offshore without suffering the consequences... A choice has to be made, a choice of patriotism," she said, as quoted by Reuters.

French car makers Renault and Peugeot have big plants in Spain, Russia and Eastern Europe.

Trump has pledged to dramatically hike tariffs on US cars made abroad, as moving production out of the country costs American jobs. The president-elect also praised Ford for scrapping a plan to build a plant in Mexico and Fiat-Chrysler's announcement to create 2,000 jobs in the US.

Socialist Arnaud Montebourg and left-wing independent Jean-Luc Melenchon also praised Trump's policy.
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Wall Street

Bank of America warns US-China tension could become major threat to global economy


RT
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 14:33 UTC
China US flags
© Shannon Stapleton / Reuters
An escalation of trade tension between the world's two biggest economies - the US and China - could become one of the major threats to the global economy this year, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BofAML).

In a report, the bank said the relationship is crucial for the world economy as the two countries have the most power to move global markets. This relationship could be tested in the coming months, depending on US President-elect Donald Trump's agenda, BofAML added.

"It remains to be seen whether the incoming US administration will name China a currency manipulator," analysts at BofAML said.

Trump has repeatedly argued many Chinese policies are unfair, pointing to Beijing's currency manipulation, theft of trade secrets, hacking, lax labor and environmental regulations. He accused China of taking American jobs and depressing wages.

During his election campaign, Trump accused China of manipulating its currency to give its exports an advantage over US-made goods. He threatened to slap a tariff of up to 45 percent on Chinese imports.

In December, President-elect Trump established the White House National Trade Council, to be led by Peter Navarro, who's a hard-line critic of China.

Comment: Open sesame? Trump met with Alibaba CEO Jack Ma to discuss creating 1mn US jobs

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USA

Glenn Greenwald rejects the idea that questioning intelligence community makes you unpatriotic, better to use conventional wisdom

Lindsey Ellefson
Mediaite
Sun, 08 Jan 2017 02:34 UTC
Greenwald
During an appearance on CNN's Reliable Sources today, Glenn Greenwald told Brian Stelter that he believes it's "certainly plausible" that Russia may have intervened in the election as a recent intelligence report indicates, "we absolutely have not seen" enough proof that it happened.

He went on to say that the idea that pushing back on the intelligence community's report isn't "unpatriotic." He said that it was once seen as a pretty normal thing to do.

Comment: See also: Glenn Greenwald: Washington Post & CNN are producing Fake News on Russia and Putin

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Fire

Over 20 killed and dozens injured in twin explosions in Afghan capital


Sputnik
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 14:19 UTC
Afghan policemen Kabul
© REUTERS/ OMar SobhaniAfghan policemen keep watch at the site of a suicide bomb attack in Kabul, Afghanistan January 10, 2017.
Twin explosions have rocked Afghan capital of Kabul leaving 27 killed and at least 70 injured, local Tolo News reported citing officials.

The Afghan Health Ministry said earlier that at least 40 were injured in the blasts near the Afghan parliament offices.

According to AFP, most of the victims of the explosions are civilians, including the parliament's staff.
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Heart - Black

Russian embassy has confirmed death of consul in Athens


Sputnik
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 14:12 UTC
Greek flag
© Flickr/ Klearchos Kapoutsis
The Russian embassy in Greece confirmed the death of the Russian consul in Athens.

Earlier in the day, Greek media reported that the 55-year-old Russian consul, Andrei Malanin, died.

According to Protothema portal, the Russian diplomat was found dead in his apartment in the center Athens. He did not come to work in the morning and did not answer to phone calls. Colleagues who came to his house jointly with police opened the door of his apartment, which was locked by a key from the inside.

An investigation on the death's reason is underway.

A Greek police source told journalists later that the consul died from natural causes.
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Snakes in Suits

Lame Duck Obama introduces more 'laughably weak' sanctions against Russia

Dean Parker
Russia Insider
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 13:44 UTC
barack obama
© REUTERS/ Joshua Roberts
The outgoing US president just introduced a yet another round of Russia sanctions. Sounds like a really big deal right? It sounds like Obama really is pulling no punches in trying to set the tone for US-Russia relations after he leaves.

Except the sanctions consist of blacklisting five Russian officials said to be close to Putin.

As many times before Obama lacks the resolve to really follow through even on things he believes in (and he clearly believes US should maintain poor relations with Putin). Also he does not have many good moves left to play as power is slipping away from his grasp with every tick of the clock.

Comment: Further reading: Exit Obama in a Cloud of Disillusion, Delusion and Deceit
Obama has been a severe disappointment to all progressive thinkers in virtually every possible way. He now goes out of power with absolutely no grace and in a storm of delusion and deceit. His purpose is apparently to weaken Trump politically, but to achieve that at the expense of heightening tensions with Russia to Cold War levels, is shameful. The very pettiness of Obama's tongue out to Putin - minor sanctions and expelling some diplomatic families - itself shows that Obama is lying about the pretext.


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Jet5

US B-52 bombed Idlib, Syria on January 3: 20 civilians killed


RT
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 10:30 UTC
B-52
© Ints Kalnins / Reuters U.S. B-52 bomber.
More than 20 civilians were killed in a B-52 strike carried out by the US on the Idlib province in Syria on January 3, according to Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. "As we remember, in September last year, the US aviation carried out an attack in the Deir-ez-Zor targeting government forces. After this attack, Islamic State started its advance," Gerasimov said during a Defense Ministry meeting, as cited by RIA Novosti news agency.

"The latest example of this is the January 3 airstrike, when a B-52 bomber - without warning the Russian side - hit a target in the town of Sarmada, Idlib Province, which is covered by the cessation of hostilities agreement. Over 20 civilians died as a result of the airstrike." The September airstrikes by the US-led coalition killed 62 and injured 100 Syrian soldiers near the Deir ez-Zor airport, a vital supply conduit for the enclave besieged by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) forces.

Comment: Lavrov expressed hope that "common sense prevails" in the end: in determining the future course of US-Russia relations "the ball is on the side of Donald Trump," who assumes office on January 20.
See also:

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