Puppet Masters
Scandals piling up: Netanyahu questioned for 1st time in 'submarine affair' corruption investigation
Netanyahu testified about "the range of professional considerations" leading him to decide to purchase three Dolphin-class submarines and four Sa'ar 6-class corvettes from the renowned German shipbuilding company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, the PM's office said in a statement on Tuesday. The police refused to elaborate on the details of the testimony, noting that the investigation, under the supervision of the State Attorney, is ongoing.
It is the first time Netanyahu, not a suspect himself, has been questioned in the so-called 'Case 3000,' which revolves around the alleged corruption and graft in the procurement of the vessels.

A general view shows the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) new office complex in Taipei on June 12, 2018.
The US-funded American Institute of Taiwan (AIT) unveiled its new headquarters in Taiwan's capital on Tuesday, amid growing tension between the US and China over the fate of the disputed island. The massive $256 million complex, complete with Chinese gardens, occupies 6.5 hectares and will house nearly 500 American and local employees.
The swanky facility replaces AIT's old stomping ground - a low-key military building that had housed the organization for decades.
Comment: The US isn't interested in the sovereignty of Taiwan - they're interested in producing a vassal state they can use to 'contain' China's growth and leadership in Asia.

Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter (R), speaks alongside his wife Stephanie, and US Vice President Joe Biden during a swearing-in ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC, February 17, 2015.
During a talk on his new memoir, Biden had been discussing his late son Beau's feelings on the conviction of pediatrician Earl Bradley for the rape and molestation of young children. It was then that the man in the audience stood up and accused Biden himself of abusing women.
"What about the girls you molested on C-Span at the Senate swearing in?" the man shouted, according to The News Journal in Wilmington.
The man seemed to be referring to an incident in 2015 when Biden tried to kiss the awkward-looking teenage daughter of a US Senator on the head during a Congressional swearing in ceremony. The former vice president has been criticized before for letting his hands wander when around women, often touching them or rubbing their shoulders without permission.
Hassan Rouhani noted that Tehran had sent its military advisers to the Arab republic at the request request of its legitimate government in order to help Damascus fight terrorism. He expressed hope that no "foreign military presence" would be needed after the terrorist threat had been eradicated.
Israel accuses Iran of sending the country's troops to Syria in order to attack it from Syrian territory. Tel Aviv has already conducted several airstrikes against Syrian bases under a pretext of Iranian Revolutionary Guards being stationed there. Tehran and Damascus deny these accusations.
Comment: Iran, Russia and Syria hold all the cards. Israel wants Iran and Hezbollah out of the south of Syria, which is fine with them, but not for free. If they stay out while Syria liberates the ISIS- and rebel-occupied area adjacent to the Golan, Israel and/or the U.S. will have to offer something, like a pull-out from al-Tanf. And if Israel and the U.S. want "foreign militaries" out of Syria, they'll have to leave too. They're the ones there illegally, after all. See Elijah Magnier's recent writings on the subject:
- Art of the Deal: No Hezbollah or Iranians in op to liberate S. Syria - but only if US pulls out of al-Tanf
- Russia reportedly working on deal with Israel for S. Syria - but Syria will regain it either way
- Russian mission in Syria almost complete, now it's up to Damascus and allies to continue the fight
- US and Israel will not allow the elimination of Al-Qaeda and ISIS in southern Syria - The solution is Syrian resistance
Avenatti told the Daily Beast that the Russian government is trying to damage his reputation by planting negative stories about him in the media.
"They're doing it because they see me as a threat, a considerable threat," he told the website. "If we weren't a threat, none of this would be happening."
Comment: Get a grip, Avenatti. Just because you're getting bad press, that doesn't mean it's the Russians. But to egomaniacal, hysterical idiots like you, any bad press must be from the Russians, because who else would say anything bad about you?
The Daily Beast acknowledged that the media-savvy lawyer did not provide any "concrete proof" along with his seemingly paranoid statement. It said he claimed that some "media figures" and a "high ranking American intelligence official" had told him in confidence about the nefarious Russian plot.
Comment: Then you're either a liar, or a total idiot. Take your pick.
One of the stories allegedly being spread by the Kremlin is that Avenatti once travelled to Moscow and had sexual relations with a number of women while there. "They were trying to claim that I too had taken a trip to Moscow," he said. "I've never been to Moscow in my life. I've never traveled to Russia in my life."
Comment: Shameless publicity grab. But what else should we expect?
"Washington once again demonstrated political recklessness by sanctioning employees of the Russian company Sovfracht for supplying aviation fuel to Syria," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement published on Wednesday.
In addition, the ministry called the US sanctions "a new outrageous attempt to extend US national laws far beyond the borders of the United States," stressing that restrictive measures against Sovfracht are "support for terrorists," since they hit the legitimate Syrian authorities, which "carry the main burden of the struggle in the interests of security in the whole world."
The statement noted that the aviation fuel delivered by Sovfracht was intended for the Russian aerospace forces helping to fight terrorist groups on Syria's soil.
The Russian Foreign Ministry warned that Washington's "intrusive desire to harm Russia instead of uniting efforts in countering terrorism could be costly for the American people, who have suffered from this evil many times."
Comment: The U.S. just can't admit that it was wrong - to do so would be to admit their criminal support for the very terror they claim to fight. It's really very simple: Russia, Syria, Iran and Hezbollah are fighting terrorists. The U.S. government has supported them for years, sanctions the Syrian government, and hates on Iran and Hezbollah. It's not difficult to see which side of the fence the U.S. sits on.
Pompeo said he will be playing the lead role when it comes to ensuring progress with Pyongyang, and added that he is confident the US would begin its next engagement with North Korea "in the next week or so."
According to the secretary of state, there were "lots of other places" on which Trump and Kim reached understandings, but were not included in the final Singapore document. Those topics will be revisited when talks resume.
After meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday, Trump announced the US will be "stopping the war games" on the Korean peninsula, describing them as expensive and "provocative."
At a lunch with Republican senators on Tuesday, however, Pence said that exercises will continue - according to Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colorado), a frequent critic of Trump.
Oslo will ask Washington to station 700 Marines on its territory, starting in 2019, compared with 330 currently. The new troops will be based in the Inner Troms region of the Norwegian Arctic, close to Russian territory, rather than in central Norway. The rotation of the new US forces arriving in Norway will last for a five-year period, compared with the initial six-month mission - which was later extended - of US Marines deployed there in 2017.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide said that the request has "broad support in parliament" but should not be misconstrued as being the first stages of establishing a permanent US base in Norway. Soreide also insisted that the troop build-up was not aimed at Russia - although acknowledged that Moscow was likely to "react" to the plan.
Comment: Clearly Norway's proximity is being used by the West as a means to continue its attempt to encircle and intimidate Russia:
- Norway used NSA technology for illegal spying
- Norwegian army forgot how to army: New Norwegian defense leaves country defenseless, embarrassing report finds
- "We will respond" states Russia - in response to Norway's decision to deploy NATO missile systems
- Hypocritical NATO 'concerned' by Russia's military build-up close to "our borders"
- 'We don't want war with Russia': NATO exit is gaining force among citizens of Slovakia
- People of the lie: Sweden joins NATO in the war against Russia
- The Atlantic Council wants to form NATO coordinated propaganda network to target Russia
The US president's son-in-law and adviser allegedly used an expletive in a conversation with Israeli Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer as the latter visited the White House, Haaretz reported. Dermer reportedly sought to sign secret documents with the sitting president, which would allegedly serve as a sign of the US' commitment not to ask Israel to abandon its purported nuclear arsenal.
The ambassador purportedly wanted to meet privately with Flynn, forcing Trump's advisers to explain that Dermer could not dictate whom he wished to talked to. According to Haaretz, the aides got a feeling that they were "being taken advantage of."
Comment: A mere hiccup. Jared is a committed zionist and Israel knows it.
- Jared Kushner, Israel and Palestine
- Debut speech: Kushner compares Palestine peace talks to 'real estate issue'
- Jared Kushner: "Peace envoy" and funder of illegal Israeli squatters in Palestine
- Kushner receives $30M from Israeli firm while shaping ME/Israeli policy














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