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Thu, 04 Nov 2021
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Rocket

Israeli air force helicopter fires two missiles on Golan, Syria

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Syrian sources said that Israeli helicopters fired two missiles into the Syrian Golan Heights on Sunday, the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar website reported.

AFP cited an Israeli security sources as saying the strike had targeted purported terrorists who were planning an attack on the Jewish state. Lebanese news portal el-Nashra reported that among those targeted in the strike was a senior Hezbollah commander.


Comment: Israel has cried wolf so many times, it's impossible to believe such lazy, fabricated pretexts. "Purported terrorists"? Yeah right. "Planning an attack"? Give us a break!


Comment: Good job, Israel, piggy-backing on the ISIS crisis in order to assassinate people you don't like. Reuters reports:
An Israeli helicopter strike in Syria killed a commander from Lebanon's Hezbollah and the son of the group's late military leader Imad Moughniyah, Hezbollah said, in a major blow that could lead to reprisal attacks.

The strike hit a convoy carrying Jihad Moughniyah and commander Mohamad Issa, known as Abu Issa, in the province of Quneitra, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, killing six Hezbollah members in all, a statement from the group said.

It comes just days after Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said frequent Israeli strikes in Syria were a major aggression, that the group was stronger than before and that Syria and its allies had the right to respond.
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Rocket

SOTT Exclusive: Kiev breaks ceasefire, launches major offensive in E. Ukraine - Donetsk retakes airport

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Ukrainian troops have launched a major offensive on Novorossiyan Armed Forces this morning. Clashes have erupted all along the front line, with heavy artillery fire at Gorlovka and skirmishes in numerous cities and towns. As RT reports, the order was given early this morning, according to Poroshenko aide Yury Biryukov:
"Today we will show HOW good we are at jabbing in the teeth," he wrote on his Facebook page, a mode of conveying information favored by many Ukrainian officials. In a later post he said: "They are now striking a dot. Uuu..." in a reference to Tochka-U ('tochka' means 'dot' in Russian), a tactical ballistic missile, one of the most powerful weapons Ukraine so far deployed against rebel forces.
...
"Locals in Donetsk said they haven't heard such intensive shelling since summer," Valentin Motuzenko, a military official in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, told Interfax news agency. "The Ukrainian military are using all kinds of weapons, Grad multiple rocket launchers, mortars..." Motuzenko said.
In other words, the ceasefire is officially over. And Kiev broke it. As one local resident in Donetsk puts it in the video below (recorded by Ukrainian reporters from Channel 17): "Poroshenko is sending us our pensions." Last year, Kiev stopped sending pensions to citizens in the east of the country. This is how he is 'paying' the citizens there.


Treasure Chest

'De-dollarization' deepens: Russia buys most gold in six months, continues selling US Treasuries

The rumors of Russia selling its gold reserves, it is now clear, were greatly exaggerated as not only did Putin not sell, Russian gold reserves rose by their largest amount in six months in December to just over $46 billion (near the highest since April 2013). It appears all the "Russia is selling" chatter did was lower prices enabling them to gather non-fiat physical assets at a lower cost. On the other hand, there is another trend that continues for the Russians - that of reducing their exposure to US Treasury debt. For the 20th month in a row, Russia's holdings of US Treasury debt fell year-over-year - selling into the strength.

Buying low...

Russia gold reserves jump the most in six months in December, near the highest since April 2013.

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Comment: The currency wars are intensifying!


Light Saber

Russell Brand's epic rant against Fox News and Rupert Murdoch

Russell Brand
© Russell Brand
The man himself
Russell Brand unleashed an earful in the direction of Fox News, Rupert Murdoch and those who are spewing hateful speech in the wake of the attacks in Paris. (Rather than sounding slightly unhinged, or even pedantic, the rant was surprisingly refreshing.)

In an episode of Russell Brand's "The Trews," posted online this week, the comedian was baffled by comments made by Fox News' Jeanine Pirro - especially when she advocated for violence. In the video below, he attempts to dissect Pirro's comments, look deeper into potential motives, and most importantly makes a much-needed call for peace and tolerance. Watch below via "The Trews":


Comment: Russell Brand is spot on in his analysis of Fox News, the people behind it, and why they encourage mindless violence against a foreign 'other'.


Red Flag

Fox news genocidal propaganda: "We need to kill them, we need to kill them"

Jeanine Pirro
© Unknown
So said Jeanine Pirro, latterly of "Birmingham is a Muslim-only city fame", as she began a piece to camera on her show Justice this weekend.

Pirro, a former judge, explains of Islamic terrorism: "You're in danger, I'm in danger. We're at war. And this is not going to stop."

In a seven-minute rant that has to be watched to be believed, she claims there will be efforts in America to limit free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to "comply with Sharia blasphemy laws which call for death to those who slander the Prophet Mohamed". And how can America combat this? "Bomb them, bomb them and bomb them again," she urges.

Comment: This woman needs to look into a mirror (not the camera) before spewing such hate, at least she would if she had a conscience. All the forces that she narrated as "threats" were created, funded and maintained by her own government. Her rant, coincidentally enough, bears a striking resemblance to a story that ran eighty-something years ago: SOTT Exclusive: Breaking news! Reichstag torched, culprit caught! Muslim plot for world domination uncovered!


Bell

An open letter to Europe's leaders: "F*ck the EU" was an insult, not a command!

Nuland fuck the EU
Dear leaders of Europe,

In a socio-political-economic-military bloc like the EU, consisting as it does of 28 countries and 24 official languages, communication can be a problem. Although most speak English or understand it to some degree, nuances of the language can perhaps be difficult to pick up. So I propose to clear up a particular nuance that has obviously been misunderstood by most of you.

On December 13th 2013, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, said to the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt the words "F*ck the EU". Now this was immediately interpreted by you all to be a command coming from the US boss in Washington to "f*ck the EU". The problem is - and here good knowledge of the English language is useful - that Victoria Nuland was insulting you, dear leaders, and all Europeans. She was NOT commanding anyone to "f*ck the EU", but the fact that you appear to have run with her suggestion is evident for all with eyes to see. The devil's advocate in me would suggest that she most likely meant it both ways; that is, both as an insult and as a command. BUT, at the very least, you should have been insulted and not taken it as a command.

You may protest and say that you didn't take it as a command, in which case I will refer to a few examples that demonstrate how you have. In all fairness to Victoria Nuland, it didn't start with her command/insult, but the destruction of Europe has definitely gone ballistic since she provided you with renewed enthusiasm.

Monkey Wrench

Netanyahu's wishful thinking: A world without the International Criminal Court

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© Abir Sultan/ASP
"Oh crap, the world seems to be catching on to the plan... must deflect, must false flag some more."
"Today the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Fatou Bensouda opened a preliminary examination into the situation in Palestine." - The Times of Israel, Jan 16, 2015

It had to come. With the International Criminal Court receiving bad press for its inefficiency, and a seeming lethargy in its prosecuting nerve, Israel came storming in with the clearest of messages against announcements of a preliminary investigation into the Palestinian issue. It will do everything it can to prevent its soldiers from being investigated for war crimes by a foreign body citing universal jurisdiction.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman led the charge. Liberman released a statement to the press on Friday finding it repugnant that Israel should be the subject of any "probe".
"The same court which after more than 200,000 deaths didn't see fit to intervene in what was taking place in Syria or in Libya or in other places now finds it worthwhile to 'examine' the most moral army in the world" (Jerusalem Post, Jan 16).

Comment: 'The most moral army in the world'!! What a laugh - coming from the government and military that has recently killed over 2,000 innocents in 'Operation Protective Edge,' injured over 11,000 more, and has left large swaths of Gaza uninhabitable and in an even greater state of humanitarian crises than it was before. What a laugh - coming from a government and military that materially supports foreign terrorists in order to overthrow the democratically elected and peaceful leadership of Bashar al-Assad. And what a laugh - coming from the government and military that engineers false flag operations that seek to demonize and persecute an entire faith and its followers - just so it can continue it's project for a greater Israel.


The importance of Israel's statement lies precisely in its own assessment about the role of international institutions, which it deems inadequate before superior domestic experiments. Otherwise, any international entity is only useful as long as the rules are appropriately adjusted.

This is the very definition of law that ceases to be law, one that slips into the area of pure power politics. This concept lies at the core of those critical of ICC procedure, such as former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. This is not in itself surprising, as Kissinger might himself, given the appropriate circumstances, face a successful prosecution suit. Writing for Foreign Affairs (July/August 2001), Kissinger called the move towards an international court as "an unprecedented movement... to submit international politics to judicial procedures."

Headphones

Behind the Headlines: Paris terror attacks - Je suis Charlie!

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Following the brutal gunning down of journalists and illustrators at the Charlie Hebdo magazine offices in Paris last week, there has been an outpouring of support across the West in support of the victims and the magazine they worked for. As the French government clamps down on any and all commentary that questions the official narrative, your hosts discuss this latest international incident in the 'global war on terror', and its implications for free speech in 'the West'.

Running Time: 01:49:00

Download: MP3


Bulb

Gas threat and Auschwitz snub: More insults to Russia that deserve a response

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© Sean Gallup/Getty Images
How many insults does the European Union expect Russia to bear without consequences? Ethnic cleansing of Russian people by the Brussels-backed Kiev regime, a refugee crisis on Russia's borders, economic sanctions based on groundless accusations hurting Russian society - and now this - the neo-Nazi cabal that seized power in Ukraine with CIA backing last year has repeatedly been found guilty of siphoning off Russia's natural gas exports to the EU.

On top of all that comes the insult of Russian President Vladimir Putin not being invited along with European leaders to attend the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. More on that in a while.

But first on the issue of natural exports. Russia this week finally responded to the Kiev regime's incorrigible banditry by giving notice that it is to cut off all gas supplies that transit through Ukraine - which make up about 40-50 per cent of the EU's supply. In the middle of winter and with temperatures plummeting the move by Russian state-owned Gazprom has reportedly sent Brussels officials into panic mode.

Comment: The West's actions toward Russia just expose their boorish, parochial attitude, and their lack of any decency, manners, or respect. They are like a bad guest: rude, insulting, and self-centered. Compare that with the Russian mentality: The Russian national character - Confounding the West for centuries

Cunningham is right: Russia has ever right to counter the juvenile wailing of the West.


Bizarro Earth

The dying of the light

Mosque attacks Paris
© Unknown
What is Europe doing?
I remember first reading Sebastian Haffner's Defying Hitler back in 2009. It shook me to the core to read about one man's experience with Nazi Germany, and the persecution he experienced simply trying to maintain his common sense during days of utter darkness. So many lies were taken at face value by his peers, until they finally changed and it became dangerous to speak to them. A tipping point was reached. It became impossible to speak out, despite the fact that social life continued on "as normal". History has recorded what followed. Speech could prove lethal, just as lethal as having the wrong religion, ethnicity, or skin color.

Sebastian's memoirs gave us an insight into what experiencing life under 'the totalitarian beast' looks and smells like. As an American I'd felt the strange change myself, from 9/11 to the expansion of the War on Terror, Homeland Security, and Total Information Awareness. Now 'The Scum' is not the Jew and the Communist, but the "Islamo-fascist".

We knew that a modern "Defying Hitler" would not have a Hitler to defy. It would not have a Bush, or an Obama, or an Osama, to defy. We were always treated to some new terrorist, evil dictator, or conspiracy. There were no symbols, like the Swastika, soaked with the blood and dread of a generation.