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Bernie "Sellout" Sanders dodges question about Clinton's pay-to-play scheme, deplores Trump

bernie
© RT
Bernie Sanders loves to slam Donald Trump, but when asked about the Clinton Foundation, Bernie goes bust.

Bernie Sanders has zero credibility.

He proved himself to be a feckless and weak leader who hustled an entire generation of millennials into believing a vision that he turned his back on in a matter of seconds.

Bernie built a campaign on change, bashing Wall Street opulence and vowing to take down the 1% establishment...only to pitifully bow down to Hillary Clinton in front of the whole world during the DNC.

Sanders not only kissed the a$$ of the candidate who stole the election right from under him, but he aligned with the ultimate establishment 1%'er, a woman so in bed with Wall Street bankers that Goldman Sachs is considering a name change to Goldman Hillary Sachs.

Comment: The thing is, Bernie is right about Trump. Trump would be horrible for America. He's just wrong about Hillary. She would be just as bad, if not worse. In the "lesser of two evils" debate, how is it that Hillary has managed to con so many people into thinking she is not a power-hungry corporate shill who gets her jollies toppling foreign governments, having their leaders killed, and massacring thousands of innocent people? Trump is a narcissist who can't help but expose himself whenever he opens his mouth. Hillary is a political psychopath who knows how the game is played, and how to wear a mask of sanity.


Stock Up

Trade between Russia and France begins to recover

France Russia trade
Trade between Russia and France rose by almost six percent in the first seven months of this year to $6.9 billion, according to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development.

During that period Russian imports surged more than 30 percent to $4.2 billion, while exports fell by 19.4 percent to $2.7 billion.

"France has traditionally been Russia's strategic partner," Russian Economic Development Minister Aleksey Ulyukaev said on Wednesday while meeting with the special representative of the French government for developing relations with Russia, Jean-Pierre Chevenement.

Wolf

Avaaz spin-off Purpose, the PR firm you've never heard of, is leading the charge for regime change in Syria

syria campagin organization propaganda

Another "aid" organization clamouring for Assad's removal

Comment: Max Blumenthal peels back the layers of connection between the 'humanitarian aid groups" meddling in Syria and their Western financial/political overlords.


Posing as a non-political solidarity organization, the Syria Campaign leverages local partners and media contacts to push the U.S. into toppling another Middle Eastern government.

On September 30, demonstrators gathered in city squares across the West for a "weekend of action" to "stop the bombs" raining down from Syrian government and Russian warplanes on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Thousands joined the protests, holding signs that read "Topple Assad" and declaring, "Enough With Assad." Few participants likely knew that the actions were organized under the auspices of an opposition-funded public relations company called the Syria Campaign.

By partnering with local groups like the Syrian civil defense workers popularly known as the White Helmets, and through a vast network of connections in media and centers of political influence, The Syria Campaign has played a crucial role in disseminating images and stories of the horrors visited this month on eastern Aleppo. The group is able to operate within the halls of power in Washington and has the power to mobilize thousands of demonstrators into the streets. Despite its outsized role in shaping how the West sees Syria's civil war, which is now in its sixth year and entering one of its grisliest phases, this outfit remains virtually unknown to the general public.

The Syria Campaign presents itself as an impartial, non-political voice for ordinary Syrian citizens that is dedicated to civilian protection. "We see ourselves as a solidarity organization," The Syria Campaign strategy director James Sadri told me. "We're not being paid by anybody to pursue a particular line. We feel like we've done a really good job about finding out who the frontline activists, doctors, humanitarians are and trying to get their word out to the international community."

Yet behind the lofty rhetoric about solidarity and the images of heroic rescuers rushing in to save lives is an agenda that aligns closely with the forces from Riyadh to Washington clamoring for regime change. Indeed, The Syria Campaign has been pushing for a no-fly zone in Syria that would require at least "70,000 American servicemen" to enforce, according to a Pentagon assessment, along with the destruction of government infrastructure and military installations. There is no record of a no-fly zone being imposed without regime change following —which seems to be exactly what The Syria Campaign and its partners want.

Telephone

Kerry confers with Lavrov about Syria, Ukraine & North Korea

Secretary of State Kerry

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (left) conferred with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Syria, Ukraine, and North Korea.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart resumed discussions on Syria on October 5, despite a U.S. decision earlier this week to suspend direct talks with Moscow on trying to end the conflict.

Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone about Syria, Ukraine, and North Korea. The State Department said the chat was outside the engagement that Washington put on hold just 48 hours earlier due to continued Russian bombardment of the besieged city of Aleppo.

"It would be irresponsible for us, given what's happening in Aleppo, not to touch base with Foreign Minister Lavrov periodically," spokesman Mark Toner said.

Snakes in Suits

Oh the irony: Russian Vekselberg's Renova Group finances the Clintons

Viktor Vekselberg and Hillary Clinton
The breathtaking and qualified investigative report, recently released by Jerome Corsi on the Clinton's cash-sucking empire, have unleashed a wide public campaign to seriously audit and eventually close the controversial Clinton Foundation. Established back in 2001, it was designed to add some charity charm to banal capitalization of the still powerful brand of the former US President.

According to the Daily Wire, only in 2009-2012 the CF officially (!) raised over $500 million while spending only $75 million on "programmatic grants" and over $400 million on employee salaries and "other expenses". After having forced to disclose its list of contributors, many investigators exposed numerous facts of the conflict of interests during the period when Mrs. Clinton held the position of the US Secretary of State.

The cases of Marc Rich, the world's most famous tax evader who was granted amnesty by Bill Clinton in the last minutes of his presidency by enabling the "HRC option", the former Lebanese DPM and Hezbollah sympathizer Issam Fares making seven-figure donations to the CF, the Ukrainian billionaire, ex-president Kuchma's son-in-law and major CF contributor Viktor Pinchuk who used to breach the US sanctions regime against Iran, are already properly reported worldwide.

While the story of Mrs. Clinton's lobbying affair with the Russian oligarch Viktor Vekselberg has also had a notable coverage in the US media, the plot was generally focused on a gibberish 2012 Clinton Global Initiative email controversy. The most detailed report "From Russia With Money" on Clinton's cronyism in Russian favor was done by Peter Schweitzer, president of The Government Accountability Institute, this August. According to the latter, in 2010-2012 Mrs. Clinton advocated multibillion American technology investments into the Vekselberg-run Skolkovo Project (the Russian Silicon Valley), engaged e.g. in developing hypersonic cruise-missile engines, radar surveillance equipment, and vehicles capable of delivering airborne troops.


Bulb

Russia passes law offering additional state protection to participants in counter-terrorist operations

russia tactical unit
© Grigoriy Sisoev / Sputnik
The exercise of the Interior Ministry's tactical and counter-terrorism units
The Russian government has drafted a set of amendments extending state protection programs to military servicemen and police who take part in counter-terrorist operations, as well as intelligence agents who protect the interests of the country.

The bill, which was published on the government's website on Thursday, proposes changing the current norm under which state protection can only be offered at the written request or written consent of those eligible for such protection - witnesses, judges, jury members, and other participants in criminal law proceedings. The new document contains provisions allowing the protection measures to be extended to those who cannot file such requests or give consent when state authorities possess information showing that their life or health is in danger.

The bill authorizes investigations into such reports and sets the terms under which these probes must be completed. It empowers the authorities to take urgent measures to protect the persons in extraordinary cases.

Snakes in Suits

Major Brexit court challenge could declare Article 50 plans unconstitutional and illegal

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May
© Darren Staples / Reuters
The government is to face a major legal challenge to its Brexit policy next week when ministers will be accused of bypassing democracy if it triggers Article 50 without parliamentary consent.

The Times newspaper has seen a draft legal argument which accuses the government of acting unconstitutionally by over-extending the use of royal prerogative, a power which enables ministers to make decisions without a vote in parliament.

It will be heard by the Lord Chief Justice in the High Court next Thursday, where Attorney-General Jeremy Wright will act as barrister for the government.


Comment: The UK government is fighting tooth and nail over the Brexit referendum seeking any way to subvert the process come hell or high water of what the people want.


Dollar Gold

Economic collapse coming? IMF announces global debt rises to all-time high

manhattan skyline
© Eduardo Munoz / Reuters
The skyline of lower Manhattan, as seen from Exchange Place, New York
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised concerns over ballooning global debt that has reached 225 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP), which could lead to financial crises.

"At 225 percent of world GDP, the global debt ...is currently at an all-time high. Two-thirds, amounting to about $100 trillion, consists of liabilities of the private sector which can carry great risks when they reach excessive levels," the IMF said.

In 2002, global debt stood at 200 percent of the global GDP.

"The sheer size of debt could set the stage for an unprecedented private deleveraging process that could thwart the fragile economic recovery," said the Washington-based fund.

Snakes in Suits

White House accuses Israel of betraying trust yet still gives money

Netanyahu and Obama
© AFP Photo/Drew Angerer
The White House accused Israel of a betrayal of trust, in an unusually sharp rebuke over its plans to build hundreds of new settlement homes deep in the West Bank.

Days after President Barack Obama approved a $38 billion Israeli military aid package and attended former president Shimon Peres's funeral in Jerusalem, the White House railed at the construction of 300 housing units on land "far closer to Jordan than Israel."

Warning that the decision jeopardizes the already distant prospect of Middle East peace as well as Israel's own security, press secretary Josh Earnest said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's word had been called into question.

"We did receive public assurances from the Israeli government that contradict this announcement," he said.

"I guess when we're talking about how good friends treat one another, that's a source of serious concern as well."


Comment: The White House has been saying this for years yet keeps sending Israel money. So the US says one thing to manage perception yet rewards Israel.


Comment: This PR article shows just how inept US foreign policy is and how powerless it is to do anything about it.


Stormtrooper

At least 44 Afghan troops visiting US for military training have disappeared since 2015

afghan police
© Austin Pritchard / U.S. Army / Reuters
Afghan Uniform Police and soldiers from the U.S. Army 4th Brigade Combat Team provide 360-degree security outside a compound during training at National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, California, U.S. on September 18, 2011
In an effort to find illegal work and settle permanently in America, at least 44 Afghan troops visiting the US for military training have gone missing since January 2015, Pentagon officials said. It raises concerns about procedures for such programs.

Eight Afghan troops have left military bases without authorization since September alone, Pentagon spokesman Adam Stump told Reuters, disclosing the total number of Afghan troops who have gone missing for the first time.

"The Defense Department is assessing ways to strengthen eligibility criteria for training in ways that will reduce the likelihood of an individual Afghan willingly absconding from training in the US and going AWOL [absent without leave],"Stump said.

The Afghan Army has previously been occasionally infiltrated by Taliban militants who carried out attacks on Afghan and US troops. Rogue shootings of foreign troops claimed lives of nearly 40 soldiers in several dozen attacks in 2012.