Puppet MastersS


Bad Guys

Leaked docs reveal EU could sue Britain if it discusses trade deals before Brexit

Adam Payne
Business Insider
Sun, 18 Sep 2016 15:59 UTC
theresa may
© Leon Neal / Getty
Britain could be sued for up to millions of pounds if Brexit negotiators begin discussing trade deals with other countries before the country formally leaves the European Union.

There is a "high risk" of the EU taking Theresa May's government to court if it begins negotiating trade deals with countries the 28-nation bloc is already negotiating with, according to documents leaked to the Times newspaper.

Liam Fox, the Tory minister who oversees the Secretary of State for International Trade, has been advised to delay negotiations with countries like the US as pressing ahead while Britain remains an EU member state risks a huge confrontation with Brussels, which could result in whopping multi-million-pound fines.

The documents reveal that Britain could face legal action for simply taking to other countries, even without striking trade deals. It is the latest, and perhaps most clear indication, of how confrontational Brexit talks could prove to be.
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Bomb

Game over: Syrian Army declares end of ceasefire


RT
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 17:51 UTC
Waer district
© Omar Sanadiki / ReutersThe entrance of the Waer district is pictured in the central Syrian city of Homs, Syria September 19, 2016
The initial seven days of the nationwide ceasefire in Syria have run their course, the Syrian Army has declared. It did not add whether the truce will be reinstated in the near future.

The Syrian Army's statement blames "terrorist groups" for jeopardizing the cessation of hostilities, Reuters reports.

"It was assumed that the ceasefire will present a real chance to end the bloodshed, but terrorist groups did not adhere to any of the points of the agreement on a ceasefire, the number of violations on their part has exceeded 300," reads the statement published by SANA news.

According to the statement, the Syrian Army has "shown the highest level of endurance in confronting the abuses by terrorist groups."

Comment: See also: Ceasefire canceled? Syrian rebels unite with al-Nusra Front and preparing for offensive

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Eye 1

SOTT Focus: Samantha Power loses it, walks out of UN meeting on US airstrike against Syrian soldiers

Corey Schink
Sott.net
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 18:03 UTC
Samantha Powers
© Associated PressSamantha Powers memory lapses over US war crimes
Yet again, US' 'diplomacy' threatens to further destabilize the Middle East. After NATO murdered Syrian soldiers in broad daylight - an act of war against Syria and, arguably, against Russia - by conducting airstrikes on behalf of ISIS, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power had the gall to walk out of a emergency UN Security Council meeting on the matter. Instead of responding sanely to Russia's request for information, Power completely side-stepped the issue and, delusional as ever, demanded that Russia pressure Syria to 'push for peace'. Stunned, her Russian counterpart Vitaly Churkin called her walk-out an act of 'unprecedented contempt.'

Churkin went on to say: "What I saw today, unfortunately, was very concerning, as my American colleague Samantha Power behaved very strangely to say the least." It's obvious that things are bad when even seasoned diplomats like Churkin are compelled to comment on the strange behavior of their colleagues. But then, again, Power herself is a unique type of crazy. The 'asthenic' psychopath as described by Lobaczewski is relevant here.

Asthenic psychopaths are, among other things, hypersensitive and full of dreams of reforming the world, seeking to 'save it' in their own crazy way. The result is typically mass murder, which in no way deters them from pursuing their 'ideal world.' They are easily found in literary and political milieus, where they seek to impose their false idealism on others. There's also one to be found inside Samantha Power's head.
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Vader

Arrogant, unapologetic U.S. is ready to create more chaos in Asia

Tony Cartalucci
New Eastern Outlook
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 00:00 UTC
U.S war plane
The United States exists an entire ocean away from Asia, yet its policymakers, politicians, and even Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter have declared America's "primacy" over the region, vowing to assert itself and its interests above all nations actually located in Asia.

In a June 2016 Reuters article titled, "U.S. flexes muscles as Asia worries about South China Sea row," Secretary Carter is quoted as saying:
The United States will remain the most powerful military and main underwriter of security in the [Asian] region for decades to come - and there should be no doubt about that.
The US, by presuming to dictate all that takes place across Asia, has all but declared itself a hegemon.

Reiterating the notion of American primacy and exceptionalism is a full-time occupation for the US State Department's employees. This includes US Ambassador to ASEAN Nina Hachigian who pointed out to followers on Twitter that she had "spoke to some Lao shop owners" following US President Barack Obama's recent visit to the Southeast Asian nation, and "they said [President Obama's] visit was the most exciting and significant event in decades."

Of course, for the nation of Laos, the most significant event regarding the US is undoubtedly the 2 million tons of munitions the US dumped on it between 1964 and 1973. These 2 million tons include cluster bombs consisting of some 266 million submunitions, an estimated 30% of which were left unexploded and remain to this day an enduring, deadly hazard to Laos and its 6.8 million people.

Comment: Obama's final jihad in Asia: Securing submission from Asian vassals, pivoting American aggression in China's direction

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Георгиевская ленточка

Putin's party United Russia wins 343 seats out of 450 in Duma elections


RT
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:02 UTC
Duma
Official results in Russia's parliamentary, regional and municipal elections show the ruling United Russia party heads the polls with 54.3 percent after 93 percent of votes counted. Other parties have slammed the record-low turnout as "shameful" and the results as "untrustworthy." According to the Russian Central Election Committee (CEC), United Russia party is dominating the polls, followed by the Russian Communist Party with 13.5 percent, the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) with 13.3 percent, and Fair Russia coming in fourth with 6.2 percent.

LDPR, the Communist Party and Fair Russia have also made it into parliament, having passed the required 5 percent threshold. United Russia will now have 343 seats in the 450-member lower house. The Communist Party will have 42 seats, LDPR will have 39, and Fair Russia just 23.

The other 10 non-parliamentary parties that took part in the elections did not receive enough votes to make it into parliament as they were unable to pass the 5 percent barrier. Some of their candidates, however, could still enter parliament as a result of constituency races.

Sunday's voter turnout in Moscow and St. Petersburg was a record-low in comparison to previous elections. The Russian capital saw a 20 percent turnout, while St. Petersburg saw 16.1 percent. The overall turnout stood at 47.8 percent of Russia's 111.6 million eligible voters, Interfax reported, citing CEC data.

Comment:

Putin commented on the elections:
"In a situation riddled with complications and a large number of uncertainties and risks, the people unconditionally choose stability, and trust the leading political force - the government. The results of the voting are also the reaction of our citizens to attempts of external pressure on Russia, to threats, sanctions and attempts to destabilize the situation from the inside," the Russian president told government members on Monday.

Putin told government members that they should abstain from using "shock therapy" in economic reforms, making only gradual changes under carefully-weighted plans.

Putin also praised the efforts of United Russia MPs and other party officials in making the lives of the Russian people better."They work as effectively as possible. Some skeptics can say that they don't work as well as they could. But no one is performing better, it is that simple," the president said.


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Heart

New UK Independence Party leader Diane James hails Putin as 'hero'


RT
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:28 UTC
Diane James
© Toby Melville / ReutersDiane James, the new leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP).
Diane James, who last week replaced Nigel Farage as leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), confirmed Russian President Vladimir Putin is among her political inspirations.

In her first interview as leader, James told BBC Sunday Politics presenter Andrew Neil she couldn't think of anybody "other than Vladimir Putin" as her main political hero. Then, after some thought, she added former British prime ministers Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill to the list.

Her comments set social media abuzz, with political commentators and journalists alike questioning James's understanding of Putin's and her own politics.

"Diane James is a Putin fan so I expect UKIP's next major campaign to feature her riding a horse topless," comedian and broadcaster Tiernan Douieb tweeted.
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Compass

The house cleaning continues: Russian newspaper predicts major power ministry reforms in Russia


RT
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 14:57 UTC
russia reforms police structures
© Alexei Danichev / SputnikRussian Rapid response task force.
The Russian authorities are planning to implement major reforms to law enforcement agencies, merging the federal security, federal bodyguard and foreign intelligence services into a structure similar to the Soviet-era KGB, a business daily reports.

Quoting multiple unnamed sources, the Kommersant newspaper wrote that the reforms are scheduled for the nearest future and will be completed before the presidential elections of 2018.

The planned result is the creation of the Ministry for State Security, or MGB - the agency uniting the currently independent Federal Security Committee (FSB), Federal Bodyguard Service (FSO) and Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

In addition, the authors of the plan aim to merge the Prosecutor General's Office with the federal agency for especially important criminal cases - the Investigative Committee - and dissolve the Ministry for Emergency Situations, splitting its tasks between the Defense Ministry and the Interior Ministry.

The major objectives behind the planned overhaul are stated as improving the effectiveness of state management and measures to counter corruption.

Comment: Putin is a manager par excellence whose focus is always on improving Russian lives. The reorganization of so many departments should allow for positions to be filled by those who share his vision. He does not brook fools.



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Star of David

Reasons why the US backs Israel

Ryan McNamara
Jacobin
Sun, 18 Sep 2016 00:00 UTC
Israeli army guys
© Israel Defense Force / FlickrSoldiers in the Israel Defense Force during a training mission
A new US military package will shower billions of dollars on Israel. But not because it supports democracy. If multibillion-dollar weapons deals are any measure, Israel and the US have never been closer.

This past week, despite a reported personal rift between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the US and Israel signed a pact that contains the largest pledge of military assistance to a single country in US history. The ten-year agreement will provide $3.8 billion of aid yearly to Israel — up from the $3.1 billion awarded to Israel in the countries' previous decade-long deal.

In justifying the largesse, commentators and officials have pointed to the threat of a resurgent Iran and ISIS. The deal, National Security Advisor Susan Rice said at a press conference, "will ensure that Israel has the support it needs to defend itself."

Yet the diplomatic platitudes are less illuminating than a statement Netanyahu made a year ago at the Knesset: "I am asked if we will forever live by the sword," the prime minister said, then gave his answer: "Yes."

Israel is in a constant state of military action, largely enabled by the US. In just one twenty-four-hour period during negotiations over the new aid package, Israel bombed Gaza and announced new settlements in the West Bank city of Hebron. Each of these acts was at once a show of strength and an outgrowth of US support.

Comment: "Superior means of violence." "Israel must build up its military to the point where there is no longer any hope for effective armed resistance." And there is the crux of the Palestinian issue, provided lock, stock and barrel by the USA.

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Chess

Russia and Turkey hold "fruitful" military meeting to discuss resolving key regional issues

Serkan Demirtas
Hurriyet Daily News
Thu, 15 Sep 2016 15:18 UTC
turkey russia generals
© AA photoGeneral Staff of Turkey, Hulusi Akar (L) and his Russian counterpart Valeriy Gerasimov (R) salute escort of honour during an official welcoming ceremony at Turkish General Staff Headquarters in Ankara, Turkey on September 15.
The Turkish and Russian chiefs of general staff held extensive discussions in Ankara on a wide range of issues, including the ongoing turmoil in Syria, on Sept. 15, in the first top level military-to-military meeting since the two countries resolved a long-standing crisis after Turkey downed a Russian warplane last year.

One of the most important outcomes of the talks is that both top soldiers agree that regional problems can only be resolved through joint initiatives of regional countries as Turkish military sources described the meeting as "fruitful."

Russian Chief of General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov arrived in Ankara on Sept. 15 for a visit that was announced by Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov just hours before Gerasimov landed in the Turkish capital. He was welcomed by Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar through an official welcoming ceremony at the Turkish military headquarters.

The Russian chief of staff had planned to pay a visit to Ankara on Aug. 26, but the trip was postponed in the last minute.

According to Turkish military sources, this visit of Russian chief of staff that comes after an 11-year gap was very fruitful as the common understanding in the military has been enhanced with expectation that it will bring about more positive results in the future.
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Attention

French blogger exposes YouTube representative's threats if she asks 'tough questions' during interview with EU head Juncker


RT
Mon, 19 Sep 2016 13:51 UTC
french blogger interview Juncker
© Youtube Screenshot of the interview between video blogger Laetitia Birbes and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker
A French video blogger who interviewed European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker has exposed a video in which a YouTube representative tries to censor her "super tough" questions. The embarrassing scene was caught on hidden camera.

"You don't want to get on the wrong side of YouTube and the European Commission, or of the people who trust you. Except if you don't care about having a long career on YouTube," a YouTube employee tells Birbes, adding that he would have to discuss potential "red-flag" questions with Juncker's spokesperson, Natasha Bertaud.

"At the beginning, I realized that YouTube was trying to gently influence me," Birbes said in her video statement on Facebook. "Then eventually it got more serious, and at some point I felt threatened."

Comment: YouTube and Facebook are becoming more blatant in their attempts at censorship:

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