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Israel is sorry for being caught: After Gaza massacre Knesset proposes bill to ban photographing, recording soldiers


TeleSur
Sun, 27 May 2018 16:42 UTC
Israeli soldiers Palestinian child
© Reuters
If the proposed bill is approved human rights defenders who document violations like detaining children could face up to 5 years in prison.
The bill, which targets Israeli anti-occupation activists, imposes prison sentences on persons charged with recording or photographing Israeli soldiers.

Amid worldwide condemnation of Israel's use of lethal force against Palestinian protesters in Gaza, officials in Israel's parliament have proposed a bill, which would effectively ban the collection of evidence relating to the human rights and other abuses committed by members of the army.

The move comes at the same time Israeli government officials announced thousands of new settlement units in the West Bank and mere days after the killing of more than 60 protesters on May 14, the same day the United States moved its embassy to Jerusalem. Overall Israel Defense Force (IDF) have killed at least 116 Palestinians and injured over 12,000 using live ammunition on unarmed protesters, who have participated since March 30 in the "Great March of Return" protests according to newly-released figures from health officials.

The Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, convened Thursday to discuss a bill that would prohibit taking pictures or recording Israeli soldiers on duty.

Comment: Yet another absolutely outrageous move by the state of Israel. In the eyes of the psychopath, the problem is not with the abuse he inflicts on his victims, but with the people who condemn him. Same for Israel, the psychopathic rogue state! Killing hundreds of unarmed civilians and wounding thousands more is ok - but human right activists making a stand against it deserves prison!

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MIB

A short history of the Democrat-spy collusion plot

Roger Kimball
Spectator USA
Fri, 25 May 2018 17:33 UTC
mueller clapper Brennan
© Mark Wilson/Getty Images
A rogues' gallery: (L-R) FBI Director Robert Mueller, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CIA Director John Brennan
How highly placed members of one administration mobilised the intelligence services to undermine their successors.

Who what where when why? The desiderata school teachers drill into their charges trying to master effective writing skills apply also in the effort to understand that byzantine drama known to the world as the Trump-Russia-collusion investigation.

Let's start with "when." When did it start? We know that the FBI opened its official investigation on 31 July 2016. An obscure, low-level volunteer to the Trump campaign called Carter Page was front and centre then. He'd been the FBI's radar for a long time. Years before, it was known, the Russians had made some overtures to him but 1) they concluded that he was an "idiot" not worth recruiting and 2) he had actually aided the FBI in prosecuting at least two Russian spies.

Comment: If you are hoping for trials and convictions from this mess, don't hold your breath. Only small fry go to jail. The Deep State protects its own.

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Eye 1

'Every country does it': Ex-US under secretary of state Richard Stengel backs propaganda use


RT
Sun, 27 May 2018 17:06 UTC
Richard Stengel
© Yasser Al-Zayyat / Agence France-Presse
Richard Stengel, during his time as the US undersecretary of state for diplomacy.
Richard Stengel, once the fourth-ranking official in the US State Department and a former editor at Time, has seemingly backed the use of government propaganda against citizens during a discussion about 'fake news.'

The former US under secretary of state in the Obama administration, who was also the managing editor of Time magazine from 2006 to 2013, has made a career of writing about disinformation use. In his time in government, Stengel used a State Department blog to describe Russia Today as operating a "disinformation campaign."

Stengel's boss at the time, John Kerry, went one step further by calling RT a "propaganda bullhorn."

Comment: Stengal is finally admitting what every thinking person already knows. Unfortunately, thinking people seem to be in short supply these days. Don't be one of them.

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Boat

Two US warships enter disputed South China Sea waters, China slams move


RT
Sun, 27 May 2018 19:24 UTC
The USS Higgins
© Reuters
The USS Higgins
Two US warships reportedly sailed near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on Sunday. The maneuvers come days after Washington "disinvited" Beijing to the Pacific Rim 2018 naval exercises.

USS 'Higgins,' an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and USS 'Antietam,' a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, came within 12 nautical miles of the islands, two US officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity. The ships reportedly carried out maneuvers near Tree, Lincoln, Triton and Woody Islands in the Paracels.

China's Defense Ministry said that its ships and aircraft have warned off the US vessels that entered the country's territorial waters without permission. The ministry has condemned the arrival of the US warships near the islands, calling it a "provocation" and an infringement upon China's sovereignty.

Comment: The US Navy hasn't confirmed the information directly, but noted that it is conducting routine Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) in the region.
"We conduct routine and regular Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), as we have done in the past and will continue to do in the future," a representative of the US Pacific Fleet said.
See also:

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Info

Moon says Kim remains skeptical of Washington's pledge to guarantee North Korea's security in exchange for de-nuclearization


RT
Sun, 27 May 2018 16:59 UTC
seoul trump kim rally
© Kim Hong-Ji / Reuters
Anti-US.President Donald Trump rally near U.S. embassy in Seoul, South Korea
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un finds it hard to trust US President Donald Trump's assertions that the US would not seek to undermine his rule after Pyongyang gets rid of all its nukes, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said.

Moon was speaking in the wake of the surprise talks he held with the North's leader on Saturday near the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. He revealed that Kim agreed to engage in "direct communication" with Washington to prepare for the newly resuscitated summit, but said that its fate still depends on future negotiations between the parties.

Moon went on to add that he "relayed the message that President Trump is firmly willing to end his country's hostile relationship with North Korea and enhance economic cooperation should Chairman Kim make a decision on complete denuclearization and implements it."

Kim reportedly reiterated his pledge to de-nuclearize, but cast doubt on Washington's promise to provide him with security guarantees that the North seeks.

Comment: Trump says he's still looking into attending the June 12 summit:
"We're doing very well in terms of the summit with North Korea," Trump said at the White House. "It's moving along very nicely. So we're looking at June 12th in Singapore. That hasn't changed."
And US officials have even crossed into North Korea to prepare for talks:
Former US ambassador to South Korea, Sung Kim, crossed into North Korea on Sunday to hold talks with Pyongyang's Vice-Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, a source familiar with the matter told the paper.

The US envoy is accompanied by Allison Hooker, the Korea specialist on the National Security Council and an undisclosed official from the Defense Department, the source said.

The meetings between the officials from Washington and Pyongyang are expected to continue on Monday and Tuesday with the aim of organizing "any summit" between Trump and Kim on the North Korean nuclear program, it added.

According to the source, Sung Kim and Choe know each other well as they were both involved in nuclear talks in previous years.


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Chess

Ankara likely to buy Russian Su-57 fighter jets if US suspends F-35 delivery


Sputnik News
Sun, 27 May 2018 00:00 UTC
Su-57
© Sputnik / Grigory Sysoyev
Ankara is likely to buy Russian Su-57 fighter jets if Washington decides to suspend the delivery of F-35 jets in response to the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-missile systems, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported Sunday.

According to sources, the Russian-Turkish cooperation on military software and technology exchange discussed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Turkey on April 3 may also include the delivery of Sukhoi jets, namely the Su-57, a direct competitor of the F-35, the Yeni Safak newspaper reported.

Russia and Turkey signed a loan agreement last December to supply S-400 air defense systems to Ankara. The deal triggered disagreements between Turkey and the United States, with the latter threatening to impose sanctions against Ankara, as Washington believes that the weapon was incompatible with NATO defenses. On Friday, Putin criticized the United States for trying to force Turkey out of the deal with Russia.

Comment: As the reality-creators in the USA try to use 'smart' toys to control the world with, they are made irrelevant by 'super smart' toys Russia is ready to supply with no strings attached.

See also:

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Russian Flag

How did Russia turn into an "adversary nation"?

Gary Leupp
Counterpunch
Tue, 22 May 2018 16:21 UTC
Russian girl
Question for discussion: When did Russia become a "hostile power" or "adversary nation"? Did we decide that? If so I wasn't part of the discussion. Was there a law passed? Was it put on an official list?

Have I missed something? Did the Russians invade Alaska?

They interfered in our election, you say? Well then. Isn't the very issue that a hostile power interfered, as opposed to, say, Israel or Britain or Germany or South Korea or Saudi Arabia? What did Russia do that was hostile and adversarial to the U.S. before this alleged interference?

Was it in 1999, when Moscow weakly protested the expansion of NATO and U.S. bombing of Serbia? In 2001, when Russia offered NATO a transport route into Afghanistan? In 2004, when it protested the massive sudden expansion of NATO (by seven nations) up to its own borders? In 2008, when it responded to a Georgian attack on South Ossetia's capital of Tskhinvali by a brief punitive invasion of Georgia, whose president had been emboldened by expectations of NATO membership? In 2011, when having reluctantly agreed to the NATO-led attack on Libya, Russia started to complain that, hey, this is not a humanitarian campaign but a brutal regime-change operation? In 2014, when it responded to a U/S.-backed coup in Ukraine (designed to lead to Ukraine's NATO membership and the expulsion of the Russian Black Sea Fleet from Crimea with what are obviously defensive geopolitical moves.)?

Comment: And on that note:

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Play

The Century of Self: The mass manipulation of consumer society - complete documentary

Adam Curtis
Information Clearinghouse
Sat, 08 Apr 2006 16:34 UTC
adam curtis century of self
Adam Curtis, The Century of the Self tells the untold and sometimes controversial story of the growth of the mass-consumer society in Britain and the United States. How was the all-consuming self created, by whom, and in whose interests?

Freud provided useful tools for understanding the secret desires of the masses. Unwittingly, his work served as the precursor to a world full of political spin doctors, marketing moguls, and society's belief that the pursuit of satisfaction and happiness is man's ultimate goal.

Complete Series - Parts 1 Through 4

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Russian Flag

Russiadiditism: UK & US hold Russia responsible for MH17 crash

Frank Sellers
The Duran
Sat, 26 May 2018 16:03 UTC
Boris Johnson


After all, the Russians are hacking elections, so why wouldn't they be shooting down passenger planes?

Now the UK, which was host to the Skripal incident, is joining the members of the Joint Investigation Team in placing the responsibility for the downing of Malaysia MH17 over the skies of the Ukraine with the Kremlin, once again.

SKY News reports:
Russia must "answer for its actions" after it was named culpable by investigators for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 four years ago, Boris Johnson has said.

The foreign secretary said findings released yesterday that a Russian army missile blew the plane out of the sky showed that "the Kremlin believes it can act with impunity".

NATO has called on Russia to "accept responsibility" and "establish accountability" for the attack that killed all 298 people on board - including 10 Britons.

Comment: The story of blaming Russia is getting old. The question is, whay are they bringing this up right now? Are they trying to soil Russia's image right before the World Cup or are they preparing the ground for a new offensive in Ukraine?

As we commented earlier:
It is worth watching the full press conference of the Joint Investigation Team, because it becomes clear how weak their case is to put the blame on Russia. They make two claims: 1) that a BUK-TELAR unit crossed the border from Kursk into Ukraine, and 2) that the remains of a BUK missile indicate it was Soviet made. The first claim is borrowed largely from Bellingcat and is based on Google maps and social media images, and makes a flimsy argument to show that a BUK-TELAR from Kursk is one and the same with another photographed in Ukraine. Alas, for the second, nothing is said about how or where this missile was recovered. It is also claimed that such missile was made in 1986 - and one wonders why Russia would be using outdated equipment when they have been making huge efforts to modernize their military hardware.

Even if we accepted that a BUK-TELAR crossed into Ukraine and that a Soviet-made BUK missile hit the airplane, this does not show that Russian separatists with the backing of Russia did it! Remember that Ukraine has the same equipment, as well as an obvious motive to make Russia look bad.
See also:

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Star of David

Israel's psychopathic high court blesses maiming and murder of Gaza protesters

Maureen Clare Murphy
The Electronic Intifada
Sat, 26 May 2018 15:53 UTC
gaza snipers palestinians
© Atia Darwish/APA
Israeli forces aim towards Palestinian protesters east of Gaza City on 25 May.
Israel's high court rejected two petitions from human rights groups challenging the military's open-fire regulations this week as several more Palestinians died from wounds sustained during Gaza's ongoing Great March of Return protests.

It was the second ruling made by the court on Thursday rubber-stamping war crimes.

The high court ruling may be viewed by the International Criminal Court as an indication that Israel's judicial authorities are unwilling to carry out genuine proceedings concerning crimes against Palestinian civilians.

Between 19 and 25 May, Gaza's health ministry announced the deaths of seven Palestinians from injuries inflicted during protests along the eastern perimeter of the territory beginning 30 March.

Comment:

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