Puppet MastersS


Attention

US State Department warns of 'potential, imminent threat' in Saudi Arabia

Tyler Durden
Zerohedge
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 20:57 UTC
Turkish soldier
© Reuters
Back in April, the US quietly warned citizens of "credible threats" to tourist areas in Turkey, particularly in Istanbul and the southern resort city of Antalya. In retrospect, one historic suicide bombing at the local airport, and one failed and/or staged coup later, the warning had been spot on. Which is why while traditionally official warnings of upcoming threats to US citizens around the globe have been generally ignored, this time it may be prudent to pay attention.

Moments ago, the US State Department warned Americans in Saudi Arabia about a "potential, imminent threat against U.S. citizens" Wednesday and urged to travel with caution. The agency tweeted out a brief statement titled "Reports of a potential imminent threat" in Jeddah.
Read More...
Chess

Trump campaign says Donald would loosen civil service laws to seek out Feds loyal to Obama

Eric Katz
Government Executive
Wed, 20 Jul 2016 20:08 UTC
Christie
A key Donald Trump ally unveiled this week how the Republican nominee would reform the civil service as president, and it could dramatically change the protections federal employees currently enjoy.

Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., who is heading up Trump's transition effort, told a group of donors at a private meeting he is helping compile a list of Obama appointees in executive branch positions at risk of being converted into career employees before the administration leaves office in January. That process, known as "burrowing in," is legal but requires oversight and approval from the Office of Personnel Management.

To root out potential burrowers, Christie said -- according to Reuters, which first reported the story -- he is recommending Trump immediately work with Congress to change civil service laws. While the governor did not get into specifics, the process would likely mirror Republican efforts already under way to limit or strip entirely federal workers' due process rights.
Read More...
Jet5

Syrian opposition asks US to stop airstrikes after mass civilian casualties


RT
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 20:37 UTC
airstrikes
© Reuters
The head of Syrian opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), urged the US-led coalition to suspend its aerial campaign against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) after reports that air strikes resulted in dozens of civilian deaths.

The coalition strikes should be halted while French and US-led incidents involving heavy civilian casualties, which occurred in the area around the northern Syria city of Manbij, are being investigated, SNC's president, Anas al Abdah, said in a statement issued late Wednesday, warning that the deaths of civilians during coalition strikes could "prove to be a recruitment tool for terrorist organizations," Reuters reported.

"It is essential that such investigation not only result in revised rules of procedure for future operations, but also inform accountability for those responsible for such major violations," Abdah wrote to the foreign ministers of the countries, taking part in the coalition efforts.

Another western-backed opposition group, the Free Syrian Army, also condemned the incidents in the Manbij area by calling them "shocking massacres.""We will not allow any crime to be justified under the pretext of combating terrorism," the Free Syrian Army said in a statement signed by more than 30 armed factions, as quoted by Reuters.
Read More...
Dollar

US Navy sued for $600mn by German tech company over 'unlicensed software'


RT
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:43 UTC
Navy
© U.S. Navy / Reuters
The US Navy has allegedly installed pirated copies of 3D virtual reality software on "hundreds of thousands" of its computers without permission, a German technology company claims. The firm is suing the military for $600 million in unpaid licenses.

Washington has taken a tough stance on software piracy over the past few years, pressing to criminalize copyright infringement and restrict access to copyrighted material. Now, it is the US military facing a $600-million lawsuit over alleged use of pirated software in a massive scale.

In a lawsuit filed in a US Federal Claims court last week, Bitmanagement, a German-based software provider, claimed the US Navy has been extensively using unlicensed copies of its virtual reality application called BS Contact Geo, TorrentFreak news outlet reported on Wednesday.
Read More...
USA

Trump: US can't dictate rule of law to Turkey, praises Erdogan's coup squelch


RT
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 12:10 UTC
trump hands in air
© www.politico.com
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for quelling last week's uprising. As for the aftermath, Trump told The New York Times he believes the US can't "lecture" others on civil liberties.

Trump delivered his view as he went over his main campaigning points with The New York Times ahead of the Thursday convention. Most focused on a heavy redefinition of American roles with regard to military presence and spending in other countries.

"I give great credit to him for being able to turn that around," he said of Erdogan's actions Friday night in quelling a coup attempted by a group of rebellious military. He also chose not to criticize the Turkish leader for his tactics in the aftermath of the uprising, which have seen thousands of military, education, and government personnel imprisoned, dismissed or suspended.

"I don't know that we have a right to lecture. Just look about what's happening with our country. How are we going to lecture when people are shooting our policemen in cold blood? How are we going to lecture when you see the riots and the horror going on in our own country?" Trump said.

The Republican presidential hopeful also mused over pressing Ankara into securing civil liberties in the post-coup environment. "When the world sees how bad the United States is and we start talking about civil liberties, I don't think we are a very good messenger," Trump explained. The Obama administration has so far appeared not to offer any strategy for dealing with Erdogan, with Turkey being a crucial ally in the region and home to American nuclear weapons.

Comment: Trump is not Hillary. And, occasionally he has a legitimate point. But the US oligarchy is no longer interested in legitimacy or good points. The presidency is a joke, which fits nicely with aspects of Trump. With Hillary, there will be hell raised to a brand new level. Choosing is not a decision; it is barely a question.

Read More...
Eye 1

Update: President Erdogan says other countries might be involved in coup attempt

Huaxia
Xinhua
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 04:45 UTC
Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that other countries might be involved in July 15 coup attempt.

"There might be other countries involved in the coup attempt. Judicial process will reveal it," Erdogan said in an interview with Al Jazeera in Ankara.

Fethullah Gulen, a Muslim cleric based in the U.S., and his people are behind the coup attempt, Erdogan said.

The Turkish president said he was informed about the coup attempt first by his brother-in-law and his initial reaction was disbelief.

He admitted that there was intelligence weakness for the incident. "If there were accurate intelligence they could prevent the coup attempt," Erdogan said.

Comment: See also: Failed Turkey coup: Why Russia warned Erdogan ahead of time

Read More...
Boat

Still making waves: Soviet-era Kirov class battlecruisers serve as a reminder to America of Russian naval prowess

Robert Farley
National Interest
Wed, 20 Jul 2016 18:10 UTC
Russian cruiser Kalinin
© Wikimedia Commons/U.S. NavyA starboard bow view of the Soviet Kirov class nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Kalinin.
In the 1970s, the Soviet Union embarked on a project to do what no navy had done for decades—build a surface warfare vessel comparable in size to the battleships of World War I and World War II. The U.S. Navy—and every other navy in the world—had given up on ships of this size due to expense and vulnerability. Why concentrate capabilities in a single ship which could quickly fall victim to missiles and torpedoes?

The Soviets not only persisted in building the ships, but have kept them in service even after the Cold War ended. Originally intended to threaten the U.S. Navy's most precious warships—aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines—the surviving ships now play a different role, showing the flag and ensuring that the world keeps Russian naval power in mind.
Read More...
Chess

Trump's statements on NATO anger European leaders


RT
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 19:12 UTC
trump
© Jim Young / Reuters
Eastern European NATO members, long in the habit of accusing Russia of aggressive plans to target them, were apparently given a cold shower by US presidential hopeful Donald Trump, who cast doubt over Washington's commitment to defend them.

"NATO is the basis for our security," Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka said Thursday at a news conference in Poland, commenting on Trump's remarks. "I expect that also in the United States, whoever wins the presidential election, I hope the United States will remain a solid NATO partner."

The core of the North Atlantic Treaty is collective defense. Every member is bound to declare war on any nation attacking a NATO member. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Trump said America's obligation to do so was undermined by other NATO members who are not keeping their end of the bargain.

"They have an obligation to make payments. Many NATO nations are not making payments, are not making what they're supposed to make," he said in reference to the 2 percent GDP benchmark for defense spending, which is routinely not observed by most of the bloc's members.
Read More...
Snakes in Suits

Trump reportedly considering making fracking billionaire head of energy sector if elected president


RT
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 19:05 UTC
trum harold hamm
© ReutersU.S. Republican Presidnetial nominee Donald Trump and Harold Hamm, founder and CEO of Continental Resources
If Donald Trump becomes president, America may get a 'fracker-in-chief' as its energy minister. Harold Hamm, an Oklahoma oil man and Republican donor, has been advising the Republican candidate on energy.

Reuters reported Wednesday that sources close to the Trump campaign have indicated that the candidate is considering Hamm for the position of energy secretary in his prospective cabinet, citing four anonymous sources.

The move would actually make Hamm, who is currently the CEO of Continental Resources, the first US energy secretary selected straight from the oil and gas industry since the cabinet position was created in 1977.

In his speech before the Republican National Convention, Hamm said that Trump would protect American interests by taking a more laissez-faire approach to the energy industry than President Obama or presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Read More...
Jet5

Russian bombers destroy 2 ISIS command centers in Palmyra


RT
Thu, 21 Jul 2016 19:01 UTC
Sukhoi 22M airplane
© Vladimir Astapkovich / SputnikA Sukhoi 22M airplane
Six Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers have destroyed two terrorist command centers and compounds during anti-IS airstrikes near the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, Russia's Defense Ministry said.

Early in the morning on Thursday, six Tu-22M3 long-range bombers took off from a Russian air base to conduct "a concentrated strike" on Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) targets east of the Syrian city of Palmyra as well as outside the towns of As-Sukhnah, Arak and At-Taybah, the ministry's statement said.

"The militants' command centers, manpower and combat vehicles have been targeted," it also said.

"According to imagery intelligence, the airstrike destroyed two command centers of terrorist groupings, [their] manpower and combat vehicles in shelter," the Defense Ministry added.

Read More...