Puppet Masters

Dominic Raab: UK intelligence said Kabul 'unlikely' to fall this year

Patrick Wintour
The Guardian
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 09:58 UTC

Dominic Raab has said the central assessment of the UK government was that Kabul was "unlikely" to fall in 2021.

The UK foreign secretary also disclosed he had overseen high-level talks between the UK and Pakistan to discuss the Afghan crisis and would be heading to the region imminently.

He told MPs on the Commons foreign affairs select committee:

"The central assessment that we were operating to, and it was certainly backed up by the JIC (joint intelligence committee) and the military, is that the most likely, the central proposition, was that given the troop withdrawal by the end of August, you'd see a steady deterioration from that point and it was unlikely Kabul would fall this year."

He said contingency planning and testing of such an assessment took place, adding: "That was something widely shared by Nato allies."

Comment: This is what transpires for government leadership and oversight when sloppy work, iffy judgement and vindictive accusations come together. Raab is certainly not alone in such debacle.

Ben Rhodes' book proves Obama officials' lies, and his own, about Edward Snowden and Russia

Glenn Greenwald
greenwald.substack.com
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 00:00 UTC

It is hard to overstate the sociopathy of US national security officials: their casual willingness to blatantly lie about the gravest matters is limitless.

Ever since Edward Snowden received asylum from Russia in 2013, Obama officials have repeatedly maligned his motives and patriotism by citing his "choice" to take up residence there. It has long been clear that this

narrative was a lie: Snowden, after meeting with journalists in Hong Kong, intended only to transit through Moscow and then Havana on his way to seek asylum in Latin America. He was purposely prevented from leaving Russia — trapped in the Moscow airport — by the very Obama officials who then cynically weaponized his presence there to imply he was a civil-liberties hypocrite for "choosing" to live in such a repressive country or, even worse, a Kremlin agent or Russian spy.

But now we have absolute, definitive proof that Snowden never intended to stay in Russia but was deliberately prevented from leaving by the same Obama officials who exploited the predicament which they created. The proof was supplied unintentionally in the memoir of one of Obama's senior national security advisers, Ben Rhodes, entitled The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House. It is hard to overstate how dispositively Rhodes' own book proves that Obama officials generally, and Rhodes specifically, lied blatantly and cavalierly to the public about what happened: a level of sustained and conscious lying that can be explained only by sociopathy.

Can Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi lead Libya, and in what direction?

Vladimir Odintsov
New Eastern Outlook
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 00:00 UTC

© Reuters/Ammar El-Darwish
Saif al-Islam is seen after his capture in the custody of revolutionary fighters
Obari, Libya • November 19, 2011

After the events of 2011, when Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was not only overthrown but also brutally murdered, Libya effectively ceased to exist as a single state, continuing to be a tidbit for businesses and outside players. In a struggle between two quasi-states inspired by themselves, these competing outside players have long tried to seize power in the country by using the supposedly legitimate Government of National Accord, led by Fayez al-Sarraj in the West and the military bloc led by Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar in the east of Libya. The fighting has gone on for several years with varying success, and it has shown that neither of these two leaders enjoys the serious support of the majority of the Libyan people.

The internal and internecine tensions between the two camps and the multi-tribal composition of the country's population have never allowed the Libyan conflict of the past decade to be resolved. Although, against this background, certain outside players still managed to solve some business interests, the volatility of the internal political situation did not allow anyone to gain a guaranteed foothold in the country, which objectively forced the search for an internal political consensus by holding full-scale elections in Libya.

US and Ukraine defense ministers sign agreement for intensified military cooperation ahead of Zelensky's first visit to the White House

Jonny Tickle
RT
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 12:49 UTC

© Drew Angerer/Getty Images
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as he arrives at the Pentagon on August 31, 2021.

The US and Ukraine have agreed to deepen military ties by signing a strategic framework for their defense partnership, it was revealed on Tuesday, following a meeting between American and Ukrainian defense ministers in Washington.

The agreement came the day before a scheduled meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his American counterpart Joe Biden, who will convene in the White House on Wednesday.

Writing on Twitter, Zelensky revealed that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Ukrainian Minister of Defense Andrey Taran had signed the document, which he called an agreement "on the strategic foundations of the defense partnership." The president also noted the importance of Washington's support for "Ukrainian territorial integrity, gaining NATO membership and joint opposition to Russian aggression."

Israel opposes Biden plan to reopen US Palestinian mission in Jerusalem

Dan Williams
Reuters
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 01:42 UTC

Israel said on Wednesday that a U.S. plan to reopen its consulate in Jerusalem that has traditionally been a base for diplomatic outreach to Palestinians is a "bad idea" and could destabilise Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's new government.

The prior administration of President Donald Trump signaled support for Israel's claim on Jerusalem as its capital by moving the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv. It later subsumed the consulate, in west Jerusalem, in that mission. It was among several moves that incensed the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as capital of a hoped-for, future state.

President Joe Biden has pledged to restore ties with the Palestinians, back a two-state solution and move forward with reopening the consulate. It has been closed since 2019, with Palestinian affairs handled by the embassy.

"We think it's a bad idea," Foreign Minister Yair Lapid told a news conference when asked about the reopening:

"We think it's a bad idea. Jerusalem is the sovereign capital of Israel and Israel alone, and therefore we don't think it's a good idea.

"We know that the (Biden) administration has a different way of looking at this, but since it is happening in Israel, we are sure they are listening to us very carefully."

Wasel Abu Youssef, a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official, told Reuters that the Israeli rejection of the consulate's opening was expected, adding: "They are trying to maintain the status quo and block any political solution".

Pope quotes Putin's criticism of Western intervention in Afghanistan, believing broadside against imposing values came from Merkel

RT
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 13:51 UTC

Pope Francis has unwittingly backed President Vladimir Putin's condemnation of the American-led invasion of Afghanistan, citing the Russian leader's words in the belief they had been spoken by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In an interview with Spanish radio station COPE on Wednesday, the head of the Catholic Church was asked his views on the chaos that has unfolded in the region since Kabul fell to the Taliban last month.

According to the pontiff, he had seen wisdom in comments from Merkel, and attempted to translate them into Spanish for listeners:

"It is necessary to put an end to the irresponsible policy of intervening from the outside and building democracy in other countries, ignoring the traditions of the people."

The pope said he "felt a sense of wisdom" in the sentiment, and added that Merkel is "one of the world's great political figures." However, in reality, as Russian news organizations later pointed out, the statement was actually made by Putin at a joint press conference with Merkel in Moscow last month.

Afghan resistance against Taliban will stop if inclusive govt formed: Ahmad Massoud

Alarabiya News
Tue, 31 Aug 2021 11:07 UTC

Afghan resistance fighters will avoid conflict if the Taliban agree to a "power-sharing deal," the leader of the Afghan resistance movement in Panjshir, Ahmad Massoud, the son of one of the main leaders of Afghanistan's anti-Soviet resistance in the 1980s. He told Foreign Policy magazine:

"If the Taliban are willing to reach a power-sharing deal where power is equally distributed and is decentralized, then we can move toward a settlement that is acceptable to everyone. Anything less than this will be unacceptable to us, and we will continue our struggle and resistance until we achieve justice, equality, and freedom."

The fighters - who call themselves the National Resistance Front - have been holed up in Panjshir valley, north of Kabul, since the Taliban took over the country on August 15. Panjshir is the last remaining Afghan province not under the control of the extremist group.

On August 22, Massoud had told Al Arabiya that Panjshir valley will not be handed over to the Taliban and resistance fighters will be ready to fight back if the extremist group tries to seize it. "We confronted the Soviet Union, and we will be able to confront the Taliban," he said at the time.

Comment: Militia fighters made an offering to the Taliban, but so far fighting claims the day:

Taliban forces clashed with militia fighters in the Panjshir valley north of the Afghan capital Kabul on Monday night.

Since the fall of Kabul on Aug. 15, the Panjshir has been the only province to hold out against the Taliban, although there has also been fighting in neighbouring Baghlan province between Taliban and local militia forces.

Fahim Dashti, a spokesman for the National Resistance Forces, a group loyal to local leader Ahmad Massoud, said the fighting occurred on the western entrance to the valley where the Taliban attacked NRF positions.

He said the attack, which may have been a probe to test the valley's defences, was repulsed with eight Taliban killed and a similar number wounded, while two members of the NRF forces were wounded.

A significant force of Taliban fighters has been moved to the area but the two sides have so far been engaged in negotiations and have avoided fighting.

Israel MK: 'Future confrontation with Gaza will not have guaranteed outcome'

MEMO
Sat, 28 Aug 2021 10:49 UTC

© Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images/KJN
Israeli MK Amichai Chikli • Israeli infantry soldiers near border with Gaza Strip

Israeli MK Amichai Chikli announced on Friday that the Israeli army had lost its deterrence against the Palestinian resistance, mainly Hamas, warning that any future confrontation with Gaza will not have a guaranteed outcome.

As reported by Israeli Channel 7, Chikli stated:

"We lost the soldier, who was killed at the borders with Gaza, due to losing deterrence."

The MK, of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's party, spoke about the "failure" of the Israeli army, which, according to him:

"Is represented by a Hamas activist coming close to the border and opening fire at an Israeli soldier from a zero distance."

Commenting on the shooting of the Israeli soldier, who shot and wounded 41 Palestinian demonstrators before a Palestinian security officer responded, Chikli expressed:

"The Israeli army did not immediately repair its deterrence; therefore, it will not be able to win in the future confrontation with Hamas."

Crimes by US military must be investigated, Beijing says after reports that American troops fired on civilians after Kabul bombing

RT
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:18 UTC

China's Foreign Ministry has demanded probes be opened into numerous allegations of crimes committed by the US military against Afghans during the 20-year occupation of the now-Taliban controlled nation.

Speaking on Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin was asked to respond to reports that US troops had fired on Afghan civilians following the suicide bombing at Kabul airport last Thursday.

The incident has claimed nearly 200 lives but reporters, including RT International correspondent Murad Gazdiev, have relayed accounts from eyewitnesses who claimed US troops fired at the crowds after the explosion, potentially causing more casualties.

Comment: See also:

Afghan crisis shows EU needs more autonomy

DW
Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:19 UTC

Several EU member states were involved in the scramble to evacuate citizens and local Afghan supporters from Kabul

EU Council President Charles Michel said on Wednesday that the European Union needs to pursue decision-making autonomy in the wake of the chaotic evacuations from Afghanistan that ended last week.

"In my view, we do not need another such geopolitical event to grasp that the EU must strive for greater decision-making autonomy and greater capacity for action in the world," he told the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia.

Influence is EU's 'greatest challenge'

Looking to the future of the EU's role in the world, the EU Council president discussed the importance of maintaining the bloc's influence in an interdependent world.

"European influence will be our greatest challenge in the coming years, and Afghanistan has offered a stark demonstration," he said.

Comment:

Dear Charles Michel, the EU is just as beholden to the US as it ever was. You're not fooling anyone. The EU's Afghan refugee program is a case in point.

Quote of the Day

State power has its own limits defined by the fact that it is authority that reaches people from outside. State power cannot oversee and dictate the creative states of the soul and mind, the inner states of love, freedom and goodwill. The state cannot demand from its citizens faith, prayer, love, goodness and conviction. It cannot regulate scientific, religious and artistic creation. It should not intervene in moral, family and daily private life, and only when extremely necessary should it impinge on people's economic initiative and creativity.

- Ivan Ilyin

Exactly the same Faustian Bargain is being offered by Comrade Ardern here in NZ. Trouble is, there is no further plan, no "what happens next", and...

Martin Harris

winters and summers come and go and the downfall of earth is constantly wrongly predicted. summer is here; [Link] +1

rakarb

He's bloody moron and West's stooge. He was kissing frau Merkel's ass only a few weeks ago.

sinip

No way. Have you noticed that conspiring is practically, the most common social activity in existence? So how could that be?

sir_isO

RT = CNN So this piece is likely agitprop. "The beatings will continue until morale improves." Please, just follow the $cience.

DeliciousTears

Puppet Masters

Dominic Raab: UK intelligence said Kabul 'unlikely' to fall this year

Ben Rhodes' book proves Obama officials' lies, and his own, about Edward Snowden and Russia

Can Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi lead Libya, and in what direction?

US and Ukraine defense ministers sign agreement for intensified military cooperation ahead of Zelensky's first visit to the White House

Israel opposes Biden plan to reopen US Palestinian mission in Jerusalem

Pope quotes Putin's criticism of Western intervention in Afghanistan, believing broadside against imposing values came from Merkel

Afghan resistance against Taliban will stop if inclusive govt formed: Ahmad Massoud

Israel MK: 'Future confrontation with Gaza will not have guaranteed outcome'

Crimes by US military must be investigated, Beijing says after reports that American troops fired on civilians after Kabul bombing

Afghan crisis shows EU needs more autonomy

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