We all know the CIA and its Saudi friends created ISIS as a proxy army to fight against any countries that dared stand up to American imperial aggression. But just for those who still doubt that truth, now we have the testimony of Talal Silo, a former Pentagon-backed commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to reconfirm just who has been pulling the strings on ISIS in the Middle East.

It was previously reported in October that the US allowed ISIS fighters to be bused out of Raqqa to other parts of Syria to continue their war on the Syrian people. Silo, who was also the SDF spokesman back in October when the deal was made and has now defected to Turkey, said that about 300 ISIS fighters had been allowed to leave. But in a recent interview with Reuters, he said that the real number of jihadists allowed to leave was far higher than that:

"Agreement was reached for the terrorists to leave, about 4,000 people, them and their families," Silo said, adding that all but about 500 were fighters.

He said they headed east to Islamic State-controlled areas around Deir al-Zor, where the Syrian army and forces supporting President Bashar al-Assad were gaining ground.

Note also what Silo said about the famous "last ditch battle" of Raqqa:

He told Reuters that the account of a last-ditch battle was a fiction designed to keep journalists away while the evacuation took place.

For three days the SDF banned people from going to Raqqa, saying fighting was in progress to deal with militants who had not given themselves up.

"It was all theater," Silo said.

"The announcement was cover for those who left for Deir al-Zor", he said, adding that the agreement was endorsed by the United States.

So the US military directly aided its alleged terrorist enemy - an enemy that was the ostensible reason for the US presence in Syria in the first place - by allowing them to flee to other parts of Syria and continue the destruction of its people, infrastructure and essentially its history. As part of the deception, the US government and CIA manufactured an elaborate cover story about a "final battle" in Raqqa in order to keep the media away and hide the fact that the 'exodus' was taking place.

The SDF commander claims that he came forward because he was "disillusioned" over the structure of the US-backed SDF and because in Raqqa, "they destroyed a city, but not the enemy". Then again, that's pretty much how the CIA has operated since its creation, using the US military and proxy forces as tools to achieve a covert agenda.

To those of us who are well aware of the true nature and role of the CIA over the last 80 years, it's no surprise that they would be disinclined to get rid of an 'enemy' that they themselves created, financed and armed. Such 'fake opposition' is the CIA's tried and tested way to justify the invasion, occupation, destruction and looting of any country they deem not compliant enough with the wishes of the US 'deep state'.

France is to begin trading unlisted securities using blockchain technology, a revolutionary move that will see middlemen such as brokers and custodian banks removed from the trading process.

The changes were announced by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and will come into force in July next year. It will only apply to non-listed securities that aren't required to be traded using a broker. The market, which is potentially worth up to three trillion euro, includes shares in hedge funds as well debt securities.

Author Alfred McCoy argues in his new book, "In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of US Global Power," that not only is the US' status a superpower bound to be eclipsed by China, but also that America's downfall will "be more abrupt than we imagine."

Speaking with Sputnik Radio's Loud & Clear radio program on Thursday, McCoy said that empires seem "indomitable" while at the height of their power. "And yet empires by their very nature, because they operate far beyond their natural boundaries, are incredibly fragile."

Retired Russian Colonel General Nikolai Tkachev has slammed allegations of his being involved in downing the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in July 2014 as stupid.

"I don't know what it is they are saying but it is obvious stupidity," he told TASS commenting on an article about a joint investigation carried out by The Insider and Bellingcat. "I have been living in Yekaterinburg for many years, participating in military and patriotic education programs for kids. I have been maintaining contacts with public organizations and taking part in various public events, always on the media's radar. I have nothing to add," he noted.

Earlier on Friday, the so-called investigative group Bellingcat, together with journalists from The Insider, published the results of their investigation, claiming to "determine the identity of 'Delfin,' a key figure sought by the Joint Investigation Team." "The investigation has identified, to a high degree of certainty, Delfin as Colonel General Nikolai Fedorovich Tkachev, currently serving as the Chief Inspector of the Central Military District of the Russian Federation," the article reads.

The White House has called on 'all sides' to cease fighting in Yemen, but failed to address the US role in the ongoing devastation in the Middle East's poorest nation. US military support has been crucial in the Saudi-led war on Yemen.

"The United States is gravely concerned by the recent escalation in violence and continued dire humanitarian conditions in Yemen," the White House said in a statement Friday. "We urge all parties to immediately cease hostilities, reenergize political talks, and end the suffering of the Yemeni people."

Ret. Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn lied to the FBI for some inexplicable reason and was indicted on one count of lying. That is a process crime. In other words, he wasn't indicted for a crime, he was nabbed for lying during the process of investigation.

As part of the deal, Flynn has agreed to full cooperation with the collusion witch hunters of the FBI. Flynn admitted that two transition team members were involved in the outreach to Russian officials. This week, the judge in the case recused himself. Obviously that is something Robert Mueller and his entire team should have done, along with many of the heads in the FBI.

A different judge will sentence him since the judge in the case, an Obama Judge, Rudolph Contreras, recused himself for some reason. Usually judges recuse themselves for conflicts of interest. Clinton appointee Judge Emmet Sullivan will sentence him, according to Fox News.

Contreras sits on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA) and has done so since 2016, the same court that approved the investigation and unmasking of Trump campaign staff. That could be the conflict of interest. Every judge on the FISA court was appointed during Obama's presidency. Seven of the judges will go into 2020 and the rest go to 2021.

Palestine's Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki has confirmed that his country will no longer seek to discuss the long stalled Israel-Palestine peace process with representatives of the United States.

According to al-Maliki, the US will have "no role" in the peace process stemming from Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem/al-Quds as the Israeli capital.

Today's statement confirms yesterday's remarks from Palestine's Ambassador to Russia, Hafiz Nofal who stated that instead of working with Washington, Palestine will look for new international brokers to participate in future peace talks.

This comes amid sources close to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stating that Abbas will cancel a meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence during his forthcoming visit to the region.

Current US ambassador to the Philippines, Sung Kim, recently congratulated the Philippines' armed forces and the US military for their successful completion of KAMANDAG, a joint military exercise held for the first time this year.

The US embassy in the Philippines on its website noted that:

KAMANDAG, which will run until October 11, is an acronym for the Filipino phrase "Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat," or "Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea," emphasizing the close partnership between the Philippine and United States militaries. KAMANDAG will increase overall U.S. and Philippine readiness, improve bilateral responsiveness to crises in the region, and further reinforce our illustrious decades-long alliance. Leading up to the commencement of KAMANDAG, AFP and U.S. forces completed bilateral humanitarian and civic assistance projects at schools earlier this month in Casiguran, Aurora.

The embassy also made particular note that the exercise would "increase counterterrorism capabilities," which is particularly convenient considering the current crisis Manila faces on its southern island of Mindanao, where parts of the city of Marawi are still being held by militants linked to the Islamic State.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Thursday laid out evidence pointing to collusion between the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign and the Russians that eventually led to Trump campaign officials being spied on, and he demanded that Attorney General Jeff Sessions either appoint a special counsel or step down.

What is the evidence that Clinton colluded with Russians?

"You gotta go back to the basics," Jordan explained on Fox News' Fox & Friends. "Remember we got [Robert] Mueller's special counsel team investigating possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russians to influence the election. To date, we have zero evidence of that taking place," he said.

"But what do we know?" Jordan continued. "We have learned in the last several weeks that the Clinton campaign paid the law firm who paid Fusion GPS, who paid Christopher Steele, the MI-6 agent, who paid Russians. The Clinton campaign paid Russians for this report for this dossier, and it's been reported that this dossier was all dressed up by the government taken to the FISA court and became the basis to spy on Americans."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will not meet with US Vice President Mike Pence later this month and is seeking a new mediator in peace talks with Israel. Abbas won't be alone in snubbing Pence on his Middle East tour in the wake of Trump's Jerusalem decision.

Abbas' refusal to host Trump was confirmed by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki before an Arab League meeting in Cairo. He added there will be no contact between US and Palestinian officials, and that his government was seeking a new mediator as Washington had surrendered its neutrality with Trump's declaration.

"We will seek a new mediator from our Arab brothers and the international community, a mediator who can help with reaching a two-state solution," al-Maliki said.

The statement comes after an earlier announcement by Fatah Friday that Pence is unwelcome in Palestine, following President Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, acknowledging the disputed city as the Israeli capital.