Puppet Masters
Russia is set to deliver its first S-300 air defense systems to Iran as soon as Tehran clears the payment. This comes as terrifying news to the West and NATO, because it is going to mean an end to the "era of risk-free airstrikes," according to German weekly magazine Stern.
The surface-to-air missile system (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) is a defensive weapon against aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, with a range of up to 200 kilometers, able to fire at multiple targets and down an aircraft as high as 20 km. Additionally, different modification of radars associated with the S-300 can track aerial missiles up to 1,000 km travelling at up to 10,000 km/h and cruise missiles up to 300 km away.
Its hit precision rate is up to 93 percent.
Syria holds a general election every four years, with the previous vote taking place in 2012.
The announcement comes hours after Russia and the US issued a joint statement on cessation of hostilities in this country, announcing February 27 as the starting date for the ceasefire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the truce will not include terror groups, such as Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) or Jabhat al-Nusra.
Putin called on Assad's government and the opposition to support the action plan agreed by Moscow and Washington.
On Monday, the Kremlin released details of the Syrian ceasefire plan the US and Russia agreed upon. The two countries had to conduct several rounds of secret negotiations before settling all details and making them public. According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the plan of ceasing hostilities presents a "real step that can stop the bloodshed."
The event was to be held on International Women's Day, but was canceled two days after the invitations were sent, the Jerusalem Post learned on Sunday.
"In consideration for the concerns against some of the participants, the Austrian Parliament has canceled the event 'In Grandmother's Words: The Fate of Women in the Second World War,'" Parliament spokeswoman Marianne Lackner said.
"It had showed already that it is difficult to find witnesses for the project whose physical and health condition allows participation in the event. A short-term replacement of the podium is therefore not possible."
Comment: No, there can't be anyone speaking who dares to provide an alternate view of reality; despicable.
An upgraded version of the Chinese Phased Array Radar, as well as the KJ-2000 and KJ-500 airborne early warning and control systems could well cope with the task, People's Daily Online reported, citing military expert Yin Zhuo.
The remarks came after unconfirmed reports surfaced that the Chinese military detected F-22s over the East China Sea. The PLA is said to have sent helicopters and a warship to the area. In addition, fighter jets were prepared to join other forces if requested.
The incident took place on February 10.
Initial reports did not specify the type of the aircraft or the country the plane belonged to, but Yin Zhuo mentioned that if the planes were F-22s then the Chinese could track them.
"In fact - it's very possible that China can track the Raptor. Stealth is not a cloak of invisibility, after all. Stealth technology simply delays detection and tracking," defense expert Dave Majumdar wrote for the National Interest. "Even combat-configured F-22s are not invisible to enemy radar, contrary to popular belief."
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Davutoglu announced an action plan to provide support for the tourism industry, including an $87-million government grant and setting up a facility to allow travel firms to restructure their debts.
"We believe Russian tourists will start coming back to Turkey," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Sabah, an English-language newspaper published in Turkey. Davutoglu added the current political tensions between Ankara and Moscow should not impact Russian "guests" who visit the country.
The government did not expect any shrinkage in tourism stemming from this issue, he added.
Comment: Davotoglu seems to be losing it (if he ever had to begin with). Could the Turks really not see this coming?! 1) Tourism is essential to the Turkish economy. 2) Russians made up a crucial number of those tourists. 3) Turkey shot down a Russian jet and facilitated the murder of its pilot. How in the world would that not affect tourism? The lack of foresight, and the sense of entitlement is alarming.
Meanwhile, at least certain elements in Turkey's government and military are backing down from its Syrian invasion rhetoric:
All the countries of the (NATO) coalition should participate in ground operations in Syria. This statement was made by Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
The Turkish Minister added that the issue of conducting such operations is not on the agenda and is not worth it, RIA Novosti reported.
"My ambitions are to establish new rules of the game, which implies a new political elite in Ukraine's government," he said in an interview with the Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 television company.
He said he has gathered around himself "young and promising lawmakers, representatives of non-government organizations, journalists, various regional leaders and deputy ministers and a couple of ministers."
"These people have got united in a bid to change the country," Saakashvili said.
Aisha has every reason to send a "black mark" to the West. She is the only child of Gaddafi who today can have an impact on the minds of Libyans and because the West represents a real threat. The only daughter of eight children of Gaddafi, it is typical of the fanaticism of women that they are able to defend their "child-Libyans". Enlightened in the best traditions of the Sorbonne, she announced the creation of a secret government in Libya and abroad. The West immediately accused her of taking a Martyr's death like the one that took her father. However, in addition to her father's death, Aisha still has a personal score to settle - the deaths of one child and a sibling from a NATO airstrike.
Comment: Libya needs a new hope. Aisha Gaddafi may be part of it, and most certainly at the heart of it.
Carter was responding to a question from Hartmann about recent Supreme Court decisions on campaign financing like Citizens United.
Transcript:
HARTMANN: Our Supreme Court has now said, "unlimited money in politics." It seems like a violation of principles of democracy. ... Your thoughts on that?
CARTER: It violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it's just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president. And the same thing applies to governors and U.S. senators and congress members. So now we've just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election's over. ... The incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody's who's already in Congress has a lot more to sell to an avid contributor than somebody who's just a challenger.
Comment: This is how it works. Money buys politicians. The grand illusion, especially in an election year, is that the US retains any sort of democratic essence.

Mr. Lavrov and Mr. Kerry: Candid photos reveal modes of international negotiation. (Check out background reactions!)
Thus, it turns out that six states have openly opposed the preservation of the territorial integrity of another UN member state. The situation looks surreal since this step contradicts the basic principles of the UN Charter, and those six above mentioned states have basically undermined the very foundation of this international organization.
The latest vote can only be interpreted as straightforward encouragement of armed aggression against Syria, which pursues a single goal - to tear apart this embattled nation as soon as possible. Of course, we are talking about Turkey, although this particular state or any other potential aggressor hasn't been mentioned in the draft of the resolution. Ankara is determined to occupy northern Syria and in the creation of a so-called "safe zone" that will harbor terrorists, a step in the creation of Erdogan's neo-Ottoman Empire.
Comment: As in WWII, those behind the curtain become more and more revealed as we add up the actions, motivations, manipulations and gains. Who is being sacrificed and who is benefitting...it all becomes clear as the players make their moves. It is all a trap, or don't they see this?














Comment: Russia's entry into the Middle East, whether it's providing arms to Iran or protecting Syria from Western-created terrorists, has completely changed the geopolitical game. The US no longer has carte blanche to engage in their imperial takeovers.