Puppet MastersS


Bad Guys

NATO chief says more war is way to secure lasting peace in Ukraine


RT
Tue, 30 Jan 2024 14:23 UTC
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg
More weapons and ammunition to Kiev is the "path to peace," according to the bloc's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg

Any negotiations between Moscow and Kiev about a peace agreement are "inextricably" linked to the situation on the battlefield, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has stated, insisting that the bloc must send even more military aid to Kiev.

Speaking in Washington at a joint press conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Stoltenberg said that aid to Ukraine is "not charity" but is an "investment into our own security."

He also shared his view that, in order to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine, the West needs to ramp up its support for Kiev and send it more weapons and ammunition, proclaiming that "weapons to Ukraine is the path to peace."

The comments come as the future of Western aid to Ukraine looks increasingly uncertain, with many of Kiev's backers running out of resources to help the country. The Ukrainian leadership is also reportedly losing hope of success against Russia, without Western support.

Stoltenberg also argued that a Ukrainian surrender could not be considered a "just peace," which, he prescribed, can only be reached by having Russian President Vladimir Putin "realize that he will not get what he wants on the battlefield."


Comment: The phrase that aid to Ukraine is "not charity" but is an "investment into our own security is not original. Stoltenberg used at the recent WEF meeting and just a few days ago, US senator,Jeanne Shaheen, in the Boston Globe wrote:
America's targeted assistance to Ukraine is not charity, nor is it a blank check. It is a strategic investment with oversight that bolsters US deterrence, protects democracies across Europe, and strengthens the US industrial base — including to contractors in New England.
The US senator is a member of the CFR and in the above, it is clear that what she writes above is from the same script as Stoltenberg and Blinken. It is equally clear that none of them are at all interested in what happens to Ukraine as a country or what happens to ordinary Ukrainians. To them it is a war against Russia because they see it to be a real threat to their hegemonic 'rules based' order. They argue by saying that allocating more money to Ukraine is also good for the US as the money in truth gets funnelled to the American military industrial complex, where many of them get serious 'donations'.


Comment: So everything that Ukrainians achieved ...will be in jeopardy. He doesn't mention what Ukraine achieved yet he likely isn't referring to the total destruction of Ukraine, the loss of 1 - 1.5 million men, the flight abroad of 10-15 million Ukrainians and the loss of 20% of Ukrainian territory...so far, to mention a few things.

He is most likely referring to what US Senator Lindsey Graham said when he visited Kiev to reassure Zelensky that "the Ukraine war was the best money the US ever spent because we get to kill Russians!".

See also:

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Attention

Trump's team reached out to RFK Jr. 'early on' about serving as VP: 'Wouldn't write it off'

Jon Levine
New York Post
Sat, 27 Jan 2024 10:43 UTC
robert f. kennedy jr
© ZUMAPRESS.comRobert F. Kennedy Jr. has publicly ruled out being Trump’s vice president.
People close to former President Trump made preliminary overtures to Robert F. Kennedy about the possibility of serving as his running mate, The Post has learned.

"Trump operatives expressed an interest in Kennedy early on, but it was all premature," said one person familiar with the matter, adding that it was "right out of the box when Bobby announced" in April 2023 he was running for president.

"Anything's possible. I wouldn't write it off by any means," the insider continued.

Comment: A Trump-Kennedy mega ticket would indeed result in a landslide at the polls. But this is likely a fantasy. Even if the two parties were willing, it seems it inevitably would be shot down by the Powers-That-Be, by any means necessary, to keep it from ever coming to fruition.

See also:

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Cruise Missle

Drone attack prevented at Russian oil plant - governor


RT
Mon, 29 Jan 2024 07:53 UTC
Drone
© social media
A UAV spotted over a refinery in Yaroslavl Region was reportedly brought down using electronic warfare systems.

A drone was used to target an oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl Region on Monday, according to local governor Mikhail Evraev. The attack was prevented using electronic warfare systems that successfully brought the UAV down, the official added.

The incident marks the first time since the start of the Russia-Ukraine military conflict that an oil refinery has been targeted in the Yaroslavl region, which lies to the north-east of Moscow, and some 700 kilometers from the country's border with Ukraine.

In a message on his official Telegram channel, Evraev said that the incident had occurred at the Slavneft-YANOS oil refinery - one of the largest facilities of its kind in the country -noting that law enforcement agencies and special services were currently working at the scene.

Comment: See also:

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Network

That's so Chad: Another African country looking to ditch Paris for Moscow

Vsevolod Sviridov
RT
Sun, 28 Jan 2024 16:16 UTC
Russian President Vladimir Putin and interim President of Chad Mahamat Idriss Deby
© Sputnik/Mikhail MetzelRussian President Vladimir Putin and interim President of Chad Mahamat Idriss Deby shake hands as they attend a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia.
The historic Moscow meeting between the president of Chad and Vladimir Putin helped outlines new contours of Russia and Africa's future

In many ways, the Russia-Africa Summit that held in July 2023 is going on to this day. Since that event, the leaders of three African countries - South Sudan, Equatorial Guinea and, this week, Chad - have visited Moscow. This does not include other high-level African delegations - for example, just a few days earlier, a delegation from Niger, headed by the Prime Minister, visited Moscow. These visits are happening in light of the growing trade turnover between Russia and Africa, as well as other structural changes in Moscow's 'Africa policy.'


Comment: The title may be overstated; at least the article talks about adding Russia more, rather than ditching Paris. The trade turnover between Chad and France was in 2021 more than USD 250 million, while the same for Russia, according to the article, was USD 2 million.


Comment: The latest moves to increase cooperation between Russia and Africa follow efforts from last year: Much has happened since 2019, when headlines read: France and other Western countries may be unhappy with the development of trade between Russia and Africa as if envy, resentment, or arrogance would help, but what do they expect? Africans following the headlines from Europe etc, might think: "Wait a minute, if their people have less priority than green agendas and support for the war in Ukraine, and if these policies also influence our possibilities for development, then what help exactly is it we can expect from them in the long run when our populations are growing by the minute and many of our people want to move ahead?"

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Bullseye

Why the ICJ ruling on genocide is a crushing defeat for Israel

Tarik Cyril Amar
RT
Sun, 28 Jan 2024 23:44 UTC
ICJ representatives
© UnknownICJ proceedings • South Africa delegation
The Hague-based court has not called for a ceasefire and has no enforcement power, but its decision is resounding nonetheless

The United Nations' International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled on the case that South Africa has brought against Israel. Those who mistake realism for simplistic materialism - the 'it's only there if I can touch it' variety - may underestimate the significance of that ruling. In reality, it is historic. Here's why.

First, and most importantly, the court has ruled against Israel. South Africa's well-prepared brief was over 80 pages long, closely argued, and very detailed. But its gist was simple: It had applied to the ICJ - which only handles cases between countries, not individuals - to find that Israel is committing genocide in its attack on Gaza, thereby infringing on fundamental Palestinian rights as brutally as possible.
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Star of David

Lebanon panics over fake reports claiming Israel plans to 'declare war'


Jerusalem Post
Sat, 27 Jan 2024 21:46 UTC
soldiers
© IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNITIsraeli forces simulating warfare with Hezbollah in Israel's North
January 27, 2024
There is no such report by Israeli media, Maariv stated, but the warnings in Arab media cause great concern in Lebanon.

A report was circulated on social media on Saturday by a reporter from the Lebanese Al-Manar network, which is affiliated with the terrorist organization Hezbollah, allegedly quoting Israeli media and according to which the Israeli government will declare war with Lebanon within hours, Maariv reported.

There is no such report by Israeli media, Maariv stated, but the warnings in the Arab media cause great concern in Lebanon.

In the meantime, the head of the Hezbollah faction in the Lebanese parliament, Mohammad Raad, warned Israel against attacking. During a memorial service for one of Hezbollah's terrorists, Raad stated that Lebanon's security is above all else and that Hezbollah is well prepared for war, and if until now Israel has felt only the partial power of the organization, then in an all-out war, "it will taste the extension of its arm."

Rumors start amid escalation of rocket attacks in Israel's north

Earlier, anti-tank missiles resumed fire on Israel's north after rocket sirens were activated in the settlement of Shlomi. A fall was detected in an open area, but no injuries or damage have been reported so far. Alerts were later activated in the settlements Dafna, Gosher, Ajjar, Kibbutz Dan, She'ar Yashuv, and Shnir for fear of a hostile aircraft infiltration.

Comment: Intelligence report indicates the IDF is ready for a war on two fronts:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prepared to start a full-blown war against the pro-Palestinian armed group Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Lebanese broadcaster LBCI reported on Saturday.

Hezbollah has been firing rockets and mortar shells at Israeli positions since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The barrages have prompted retaliatory strikes from the Israeli army.

According to LBCI, an intelligence report on Israel's plans has been provided to Hezbollah by an unnamed Arab country.

The potential IDF campaign would be aimed at compelling the militants to abide by UN Security Resolution 1701, which was adopted after the end of the last Israel-Lebanon war in 2006, the TV channel said. The UN document facilitated the creation of a demilitarized zone along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

The situation further escalated this month after an Israeli strike killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut.

Last week, Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi said:

"The possibility of a conflict with Beirut was much higher than it was in the past. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are in a state of 'increasing readiness' for cross-border attacks."

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib, meanwhile, said that the involvement of other countries in the Israel-Hamas fighting would be "unacceptable." He also warned that a war with Lebanon would not be "a picnic" for Israel. Hezbollah MP Hassan Ezzedine similarly said that the militants would "fight back twice as hard and deal a blow to the enemy."

Earlier this month, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to the Middle East to try and prevent a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to the Washington Post, US officials are concerned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may want to attack Israel's northern neighbor amid the growing criticism of his government's failure to prevent the Hamas October 7 incursion, which left around 1,200 people dead. The report also suggested that the IDF would find it "difficult to succeed" in a two-front war against Hamas and Hezbollah.
Does Israel 'abide' by UN resolutions?

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Putin

Putin wants new 'elite' in Russia


RT
Sat, 27 Jan 2024 15:51 UTC
Putin
© Vyacheslav Prokofyev/SputnikRussian President Vladimir Putin • St. Petersburg, Russia
The president said that military veterans should have a higher status than major showbiz stars...

Military veterans returning from the Ukraine conflict should become Russia's new elite, President Vladimir Putin has proposed. Addressing ministers and top St Petersburg city officials on Friday, Putin also called on Russian ministers to provide decommissioned military personnel with all the support necessary to facilitate their transition back to civilian life.

The Russian head of state previously revealed that some 617,000 service members had been deployed in Ukraine.

Putin remarked:
"I met today with students, who put their studies on hold, many of them, [and] went to the warzone. It's out of these people that we should be forming the country's elite in the future. Hence, they should be supported [and] assisted."
The Russian head of state described returning troops as those who can be entrusted with the country's development.

He also contrasted veterans with "people who, pardon me, expose their genitals or show their bottom" - an apparent reference to a private party featuring an 'almost naked' dress code organized by prominent Russian blogger Anastasia Ivleeva in Moscow last month. Photos and videos from the event, which was attended by Russian celebrities, mostly pop artists, ended up on the internet, scandalizing conservative activists and authorities alike.

Comment: Values are decisions. Putin has made his.

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Cardboard Box

Debt could destroy US economy - JP Morgan boss


RT
Sun, 28 Jan 2024 09:36 UTC
Dimon
© Rod Lamkey/Global Look PressJamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase
Jamie Dimon calls for the snowballing US debt burden to be addressed before it turns into crisis...

The US economy is heading towards disaster as the vast national debt continues to mount, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon said in an interview with Fox News earlier this week.

According to the chief executive of the nation's largest bank, the situation urgently needs to be tackled by the government before it causes a major economic crisis.

"It is a cliff, we see the cliff," Dimon said. "It's about 10 years out, we're going 60 miles an hour [toward it]."

The top executive agreed with the view of former House Speaker Paul Ryan, who has called the snowballing debt "the most predictable crisis we've ever had." The warnings were issued by Ryan and Dimon during a panel discussion at the Bipartisan Policy Center on Friday.

US government federal debt topped $34 trillion for the first time in history at the end of December. It now amounts to about $102,000 for an average American family of three. In 2023 alone, it grew by more than $4 trillion.

Comment: A runaway deficit to culminate in complete disaster is the plan. Biden is doing a bang-up job to achieve it.

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Attention

China ignores US entreaties of mediation

M.K.Bhadrakumar
Indian Punchline
Mon, 29 Jan 2024 17:21 UTC
China US Meeting
© Indian PunchlineWang Yi, Member of Politbureau of Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and director of Central Foreign Affairs Office (3rd from left) met with Jake Sullivan, assistant to US President for National Security (3rd from Right), Bangkok, Jan. 26-27, 2024.
There is an old proverb that when misfortunes come, they come in battalions. Coming on top of reports of American soldiers going down like nine-pins on a drone strike against the super secret CIA station for intelligence and covert operations on the Syrian-Jordanian border, 'nyet' is the word from Beijing to the Biden administration's entreaties seeking intervention with Tehran to rein in the Houthis of Yemen, against the foreboding backdrop of the Axis of Resistance expanding its operations against American and Israeli interests.

President Biden deputed his National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to handle this highly delicate mission with Beijing, instead of the US's top diplomat Antony Blinken. Sullivan is uniquely placed to switch roles between the US' domestic and foreign policies. He is a trusted hatchet man of the president and is actively involved in Biden's re-election campaign.

Sullivan stayed overnight in Thailand On Friday/Saturday to launch his charm offensive vis-a-vis Foreign Minister Wang Yi. But he came away with no sign that China is willing to use its influence with Tehran.

Later, an unattributable media briefing by a senior NSC official via teleconference was hastily arranged by the White House to cover Sullivan's back side. It brought home that reading the Chinese tea leaves is an art in itself. As the NSC official put it, "Beijing says they are raising this with the Iranians ... but we're certainly going to wait before we comment further on how effectively we think they're actually raising it."

Sullivan seems to have hit a brick wall. This is curious because the Biden Administration should have learnt from previous experience with Beijing in trying to prod China to convince close ally North Korea to scale back its nuclear weapons programme or roll back its "no limits" friendship with Russia over Ukraine.

Actually, South Korea's military said on Sunday that North Korea fired several cruise missiles, extending a streak in weapons tests that are worsening tensions with the US and reflecting Pyongyang's efforts to expand its arsenal of weapons designed to overwhelm remote US targets in the Pacific, including Guam!

Evidently, the Biden administration failed to comprehend that Beijing was under no obligation to use its influence on Pyongyang for serving American interests. It is sheer naïveté to expect Beijing to fall for selective engagement on issues that aim to buy time for the president to give his best shot in the upcoming November elections.
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Bad Guys

Ex-FBI official who shut down Hunter Biden lines of investigation also violated Hatch Act with anti-Trump posts

Brooke Singman
Fox News
Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:16 UTC
FBI Assistant Special Agent Timothy Thibault
© FBIFBI Assistant Special Agent Timothy Thibault, outed by Senator Grassley as the one who covered up Hunter Biden’s laptop while posting anti-Trump Lincoln Project garbage, was also the FBI’s spokesman for 2020 Election integrity.
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel determined a former FBI official violated the Hatch Act in his political posts on social media — the same official whistleblowers claimed had shown a "pattern of active public partisanship" which "likely affected" investigations involving former President Trump and Hunter Biden.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, had referred former Washington, D.C., Field Office FBI assistant special agent in charge Timothy Thibault amid allegations that he engaged in prohibited political activity on social media for investigation.

Grassley's calls for investigation came after whistleblowers approached his office alleging Thibault was instrumental in the opening of the elector investigation into the Trump campaign and its associates based, in part, on information from a left-aligned organization.

Comment: Mr. Thibault has a sketchy history of protecting the Bidens from scrutiny. He may be gone, but the damage is done.

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