Puppet MastersS


Attention

Gulf states & Arab League condemn 'sue the Saudis' 9/11 law, dangerous precedent and attack on sovereignty


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 10:04 UTC
Twin towers
© Ray Stubblebine / ReutersThe remaining tower of New York's World Trade Center disolves in a cloud of dust and debris about a half hour after the first twin tower collapsed, September 11, 2001.
Six Gulf Arab countries have blasted the bill passed by the US Congress that would allow Americans to sue Saudi Arabia over the 9/11 attacks, calling it a dangerous precedent and attack on sovereignty. Their concerns were echoed by the Arab League.

The US House of Representatives unanimously passed the "Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act" (JASTA) on Friday. A version of the bill had passed in the Senate in May, also without opposition.

The Federal Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 had been used to shield Saudi Arabia from lawsuits over the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. JASTA creates an exception to FSIA, allowing US citizens to sue foreign countries for terrorism that kills Americans on US soil. Fifteen out of nineteen of the men that hijacked commercial airliners and used them as missiles to take down the World Trade Center and damage the Pentagon were Saudi subjects.

On Monday, the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council expressed "deep concern" about the bill, with Secretary General Abdullatif al-Zayani calling it "contrary to the foundations and principles of relations between states and the principle of sovereign immunity enjoyed by states," AP reported.
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Bad Guys

Rogue Libyan govt seizes oil ports to protect nation's wealth from Western takeover


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:59 UTC
libya oil port
© Ismail Zitouny / ReutersA general view of the Marsa al Hariga oil port in the city of Tobruk, Libya
The US and several of its allies have condemned the takeover of four oil terminals in Libya by the country's rival administration, calling for an immediate withdrawal. Those behind the seized ports say the move was necessary to protect the nation's wealth.

"The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States condemn this weekend's attacks on Zueitina, Ras Lanuf, Es Sider, and Brega oil terminals in Libya. We call on all parties to undertake an immediate ceasefire and to refrain from any further hostilities," the US State Department wrote in a statement on its website.

It went on to stress that the six countries see the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) - which ran the oil terminals prior to the seizures - as Libya's "sole executive authority."

"We call for all military forces that have moved into the oil crescent to withdraw immediately, without preconditions," the joint statement added.

Meanwhile, the GNA itself has also called on those responsible for the seizures to be defeated, with a Sunday statement from the government's Presidential Council calling the attacks "unjustified escalation" that would "prolong the period of conflict" in Libya.
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Map

Strong partnership: Massive Russian-Chinese naval drills kick off in disputed South China Sea


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:22 UTC
Russian ship
© mil.ru
Russia and China have started their massive joint 'Naval Interaction - 2016' exercises in the South China Sea. The ambitious drills, which are to last eight days, will take place in the air, coastal and maritime zones of the disputed sea.

RT's Roman Kosarev, reporting from a Russian flagship, has witnessed the start of the drills. He was present at the opening ceremony of the start of the exercises, managed to capture a tug-of-war contest between Russian and Chinese sailors.

Russian group consists of major "anti-submarine warfare ships 'Admiral Tributs' and 'Admiral Vinogradov', the major landing ship 'Peresvet', the sea tug 'Alatau' and the 'Pechenga' tanker," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that the commander of the group is Rear Admiral Vadim Kulit.

"During the entrance into the foreign port, the [Russian] military seamen of both countries fired "international salute" (21 volleys from each side)," the ministry added.

Comment: This show of force should get Japan's attention that the US isn't the only game in town.

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Bulb

China calls US 'cause and crux' of 'vicious circle' of tensions on Korean peninsula


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 14:47 UTC
missile
© KCNA / Reuters
Beijing has blamed Washington for exacerbating the "vicious circle" of tensions on the Korean Peninsula after the US pinned the responsibility for Pyongyang's nuclear test last week on China's alleged lack of effort to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.

On Friday North Korea made headlines after conducting its fifth nuclear test. The 10 kiloton explosion set off an artificial earthquake and an avalanche of international responses condemning the test.

While Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called for a more "creative" response to the situation rather than issuing endless rounds of sanctions, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter over the weekend blamed China for its failure to curb the North Korean threat.

"I'd single out the role of China. It's China's responsibility. China has and shares important responsibility for this development and has an important responsibility to reverse it," Carter said.

The American assessment of the complex geopolitical tensions on the Korean Peninsula voiced by Carter resulted in widespread criticism in Chinese State media.
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Radar

Just testing Iran's reaction: US spy planes fly within a mile of Iranian airspace


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 09:45 UTC
Navy plane
P-8A Poseidon wikipedia.org
Two US spy planes have flown within a mile of Iranian airspace, and have received warnings of a potential shootdown should they breach it. US military officials said Iran behaved "unprofessionally" and "unsafe[ly]" during the stunt designed to "test" its reaction.

As confrontations between the two nations increase in the region, with Tehran allegedly threatening to shoot down US spy planes in the vicinity of its borders, the US navy also voiced the need to establish the rules of behavior between Iran and the US to avoid armed conflict.

A number of anonymous defense officials told Fox and CNN news that over the weekend the Iranian military warned the nine-member crew of the Navy Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft and a 24 member crew of EP-3 Aries not to enter Iranian airspace or they would run the risk getting shot down.

According to officials the September 10 warning was issued as both planes flew on a reconnaissance mission 13 miles off the coast of Iran, in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. That is just one mile short of the 12 nautical miles that belong to Iran's territorial waters.

One US official told Fox News that American planes ignored the warning and continued on their mission, but without infringing on Iran's air space.

Comment: See also:

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Chess

UK to change constituency boundaries, threatening Corbyn's seat


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 00:28 UTC
labour party
© Suzanne Plunkett / Reuters
New government plans to change constituency boundaries could see a series of MPs lose their seats, including the leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn.

The changes to be announced on Tuesday are likely to reduce the number of parliamentary seats from 650 to 600, with the Labour Party coming out as the biggest loser. The new boundaries will be in place ahead of the next general elections, expected in 2020, but the full impact of the changes will not be known until experts analyse the proposals.

England alone will lose 32 of its MPs, and Wales nearly a third of its current Westminster representatives.

Regions where Labour led in the 2010 general elections will see the largest losses, with London going from 73 (45 Labour) to 68 seats and the North West from 75 (51 Labour) to 68. But only one of the Conservative strongholds, West Midlands, sees a cut as high as six seats.
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Eye 1

US' deceit means certain failure for latest Syrian ceasefire

Adam Garrie
The Duran
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 11:37 UTC
Kerry and Lavrov in Geneva
The fundamental difference in outlook between the US and Russia about the Syrian conflict makes the failure of the latest 'cessation of hostilities' agreement all but certain.

The recent Russia-US brokered ceasefire was a hard won gesture which in a perfect world would have far reaching consequences for Syria.

In reality, for the people of Syria who are heroically battling on the front line of a war between civilisation and barbarism, the agreement isn't worth the secretive paper it's written on.

A terrorist called Ali al-Omar who leads the Al-Qaeda affiliate Ahrar Al-Sham (formally Al-Nusra) has rejected the ceasefire and claims his group will continue to wage war.

Comment: Further reading: Surprise! US-backed 'moderate rebels' fail to uphold ceasefire in Syria

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Eye 1

Syrian Army & US-backed terrorists continue fighting despite nationwide ceasefire


South Front
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 11:49 UTC
Syrian army soldier flag
© Sputnik/ Iliya Pitalev
Heavy firefights and artillery duels were reported in and at Aleppo City on September 13 as Syria entered the 2nd day of nationwide ceasefire.

The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Hezbollah shelled and engaged Jaish al-Fatah militants in Qarassi, Zeitan, Khan Touman and Khalsah while Jaish al-Fatah units targeted the pro-government forces' positions in the Malah Farms and at the Ramouseh Artillery Base.

Jaish al-Fatah is a major militant operation room that includes the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (formerly Jabhat Al Nusra) terrorist group opposes the SAA and its allies across the country.

On September 12, a significant part of Jaish al-Fatah (including one of the biggest militant groups in Syria, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham) claimed that it did not support the ceasefire agreement. According to Jaish al-Fatah members, the agreement should not exclude Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham because this Al Qaeda-linked organization is a common example of Syrian opposition.

Comment: Further reading: Surprise! US-backed 'moderate rebels' fail to uphold ceasefire in Syria

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Chess

Surprise! US-backed 'moderate rebels' fail to uphold ceasefire in Syria


South Front
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 11:37 UTC
Lavrov
© AFP 2016/ Yuri Kadobnov
Russia has welcomed the Syrian government's decision to honor the ceasefire regime and expressed serious concern over refusal by some Syrian opposition groups to respect it, the Foreign Ministry of Russia said on September 12.
"At the same time the most serious concern is the reaction of some of the armed groups of the Syrian opposition, the largest of which — "Ahrar ash-Sham" - refused to follow US-Russian agreements and expressed its unwillingness to break with their "comrades in arms" from Jabhat Fatah al-Sham group," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
We remind that over 20 Syrian 'opposition' groups with US-backed Ahrar al-Sham as a leading force of the move, have rejected to participate in the peace plan proposed by Russia and the United States. Other groups that rejected the deal are Failaq Al-Sham , Nour Al-Deen Al-Zanki, Jaish al-Islam, Shamia front, Ajnad al-Sham, Jaish Al-Nasr and Jaish al-Tahrir.

Comment: Further reading:
A previous attempt at implementing a truce back in February failed within days of that initiative because anti-government insurgents affiliated with the al-Qaeda terrorist network refused to abide by that earlier agreement.

There is no reason why this second ceasefire attempt should otherwise succeed in holding.

There may well be a temporary lull in violence simply because opposition militia will avail of the opportunity to regroup and repair. But the core of the insurgents are dominated by terrorist groups like Jabhat Fatah al Sham (formerly al-Nusra Front) and Daesh and numerous other affiliates.

These proscribed terror groups have no interest in negotiating a political transition in Syria with the incumbent government of President Bashar Assad. Their whole purpose is to overthrow the state and turn it into a so-called caliphate ruled by fear.

The US does not want a ceasefire in Syria -- it wants breathing room


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Light Saber

Israeli warplane and drone have been shot down in Syrian airspace: Syrian Army said in a statement


RT
Tue, 13 Sep 2016 07:23 UTC
Israeli drone
© Arnd Wiegmann / ReutersAn Israel Aero Space Industries (IAI) Heron 1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
An Israeli warplane and a drone have been shot down by Syrian forces in the southern Quneitra countryside, Golan Heights, the Syrian Army said in a statement. It comes after the Israeli military targeted Syrian positions in the Golan Heights. The Israeli military denied that any of its military planes were shot down by Syria, Reuters reported. According to the IDF, two Syrian missiles targeted their aircraft, but both missed.

"Overnight two surface-to-air missiles were launched from Syria after the mission to target Syrian artillery positions. At no point was the safety of [Israeli] aircraft compromised," the Israeli military said, as cited by Reuters. Several hours ago, the Israeli Army claimed that a "projectile" was fired from the Syrian side. According to a military spokeswoman, the projectile was most likely not intentional, rather spillover from "internal fighting in Syria," AFP reported.

Comment: In 2012 Syrian security forces reportedly seized yet another cache of weapons, bearing traces of Israel's contribution to unrest inside the country. The Israeli shipment had been smuggled into Syria for anti-government armed groups, who nowadays are known as moderate rebels or ISIS.
See also:

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