Puppet MastersS


Recycle

Saker's Ukrainian election report: Coming full circle with some cautious hope?

Poroshenko and family
© UnknownUkie oligarchs v2.0
What was the main demand of the Maidanites? Oh yes, to expel the a fat corrupt leader. Now, several months later it sure looks to me that they traded one fat and corrupt leader for another one. The big difference being that Yanukovich at least did not use force against his own people. Poroshenko has no such problems.

The other difference - of sorts - is, I suppose, that the western corporate media called Yanukovich an oligarch. Not so Poroshenko. He is no oligarch. He is a 'tycoon'. Same difference, of course, but one designates a bad guy, while the other is spoken with a sense of admiration for the resourcefulness of the latter.

Was there ballot rigging and/or other irregularities? Yes, probably. Does it matter? No, not at all. That big money would win the election was inevitable. That is the case in all so-called democracies, including the US, why should it be different in the Ukraine?

Timoshenko got only 12.8%. That is actually pretty good news since she clearly has had mental issues every since she was freed from Yanukovich's dungeons.

Eye 1

'Vote at gunpoint,' anyone? US keen to legitimize 'good' election in Ukraine no matter what

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© Reuters / Maxim ZmeyevPeople cast votes in a mock ballot box that reads "Rubbish bin for the President" during an anti-election rally in the eastern city of Donetsk May 25, 2014
A team of American lawmakers is in Ukraine to observe the presidential election which Washington has called a historic milestone and provided over US$ 11.4 million to support the vote despite ongoing violence in eastern Ukraine.

US senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Benjamin Cardin (D-Maryland) arrived in Ukraine's capital Kiev as a part of the American monitoring mission. The US team is led by former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright.

"Throughout the last few months, the Ukrainian people have repeatedly demonstrated their desire to choose their leaders without interference and to live in a democracy where they can determine their own future free of violence and intimidation," the US president said in a statement. "This election is another important step forward in the efforts of the Ukrainian government to unify the country and reach out to all of its citizens to ensure their concerns are addressed and aspirations met."

Comment: The US government has demonstrated on numerous occasions in Ukraine and elsewhere that it can readily contradict what it said earlier, facts and morals be damned, as long as that serves its agenda at the moment. This is simply another example.


Newspaper

Political earthquake: Eurosceptics surge in EU parliamentary elections

RT Video image1
© RT
The European parliamentary elections have drawn to a close bringing major gains for both Eurosceptic and Far Right movements. The results have dealt a blow to governments, with the French PM even calling the result "a political earthquake."

The most major anti-EU public mood was demonstrated in France, where Marine Le Pen's far right National Front scored more than a quarter of the votes cast. Without even waiting for the final figures, French PM Manuel Valls announced on national television that such a result for the anti-EU party was a political "earthquake" for France - and the entire Europe.

"The sovereign people have declared they want to take back the reins of their destiny," said Marine Le Pen. "Our people demand just one politics. The politics of the French, for the French."

People

Putin and new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discuss readiness for top-level cooperation

Russian President Vladimir Putin
© RIA Novosti / Michael KlimentyevRussian President Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin and India's incoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi have discussed plans for future top-level contacts, the Kremlin said Friday.

"The Russian President congratulated Modi with the victory in the elections and a rise to the position of Prime Minister of India. Both sides emphasized the continuance of traditionally friendly Russian-Indian relations, which have been steadily developing based on the Declaration of Strategic Partnership," the Kremlin's press office said in a statement.

According to the statement, the parties expressed readiness for further cooperation in trade, economy, science and other fields, as well as coordination on key international issues, including within the UN, G20 and BRICS.

Modi, the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will be inaugurated as India's Prime Minister on May 26. The opposition BJP was recently announced the winner of the general elections conducted from April 7 to May 12.

Comment: The U.S. government's intention of isolating Russia from the world is apparently having no effect! In fact, in the past weeks we've see Russia developing stronger relationships with more and more countries.


Radar

Mission accomplished in Iraq: the biggest oil heist in history

no oil war
© unknown
Prior to the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq, US and other western oil companies were all but completely shut out of Iraq's oil market. But thanks to the invasion and occupation, the companies are now back inside Iraq and producing oil there for the first time since being forced out of the country in 1973." - Antonia Juhasz, oil industry analyst, Al Jazeera.

These are the 'best of times' for the oil giants in Iraq. Production is up, profits are soaring, and big oil is rolling in dough. Here's the story from the Wall Street Journal:

Cell Phone

SOTT Focus: Behind the Headlines: NATO, from Regional Defence Pact to Global Military: Interview with Rick Rozoff

Sott Talk Radio logo
This week on SOTT Talk Radio we spoke with Rick Rozoff, an investigative journalist who lives and works in Chicago. An active opponent of war, militarism and intervention for over 40 years, Rozoff manages the STOP NATO website and writes on the threat of international militarization, especially in the form of the globalization of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Rozoff contends that NATO is the first attempt in history to establish an aggressive global military formation. It currently includes a third of the nations of the world, either as members or partners, has members and partners on five continents, and has conducted active operations on four, with the potential to expand its reach into the remaining two where it has not yet officially intruded itself.

Running Time: 01:50:00

Download: MP3


USA

Paul Craig Roberts - Putin's threat just stunned U.S. & Europe

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Today former US Treasury official, Dr. Paul Craig Roberts, warned King World News that the threat made by Putin today just stunned the United States and Europe. Dr. Roberts also discussed how the threat unfolded today at the International Economic Forum in Russia. Below is what Dr. Roberts had to say in this powerful interview.

Eric King: "Dr. Roberts, there is this International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg (Russia). I know the U.S. has pulled out, but does the high level of attendance, despite Washington's pressure, indicate fading U.S. influence?"

Dr. Roberts: "Yes. One of the advisors to Putin had publicly complained that Washington had put unprecedented pressure on American and European countries not to attend. But it turns out that present at this forum, which began yesterday and continues today and tomorrow, there are official delegations from 62 countries, and the CEOs of 146 of the major companies in the world....

Umbrella

Scottish Parliament to consider asylum petition for Edward Snowden

hands holding protect Snowden sign
© www.express.co.ukThe people speak out in defense of their defender.
Scottish lawmakers will consider a petition Tuesday to grant fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden asylum in Scotland should it gain independence.

The petition will be considered by the Scottish Parliament's Public Petitions Committee, which allows individual voters to put forward proposals.

It has been lodged by former university lecturer Mick Napier, who says Snowden deserves political asylum.

Napier's petition says Snowden "revealed uncontested information on the extensive surveillance undertaken by the British GCHQ and the US NSA to the extent that they furtively collect all emails and text messages of every citizen."

It adds: "For this we owe him a debt of gratitude and the award of political asylum would be a demonstration of that gratitude."

USA

Write down this date: July 1st, 2014 - End of America

On this date, U.S. House of Representatives Bill "H.R. 2847" goes into effect. It will usher in the true collapse of the U.S. dollar, and will make millions of Americans poorer, overnight. You now have just several weeks to prepare...


SOTT summary of the transcript

dollar crash
On July 1, 2014, the U.S. House of Representatives Bill "H.R. 2847" goes into effect. It will usher in the true collapse of the U.S. dollar, and will make millions of Americans poorer, overnight. You now have just several months to prepare...

Economic Factors at Play

I know that to most people, the situation seems to be getting better in America. Stocks have recovered all their losses. Real estate has rebounded. Unemployment and bankruptcies have dropped. But here's the thing: The unfortunate reality is that we are actually in a much more dangerous and precarious place today than we were six years ago. I'm simply following my research to its logical conclusion.

Book

As publishers fight Amazon, books vanish

Amazon

Amazon's power over the publishing and bookselling industries is unrivaled in the modern era. Now it has started wielding its might in a more brazen way than ever before.

Seeking ever-higher payments from publishers to bolster its anemic bottom line, Amazon is holding books and authors hostage on two continents by delaying shipments and raising prices. The literary community is fearful and outraged - and practically begging for government intervention.

"How is this not extortion? You know, the thing that is illegal when the Mafia does it," asked Dennis Loy Johnson of Melville House, echoing remarks being made across social media.

Amazon is, as usual, staying mum. "We talk when we have something to say," Jeffrey P. Bezos, the founder and chief executive, said at the company's annual meeting this week.