News & views …
Back to Main
November 8, 2015
Open Thread 2015-42
Comments
Time for the rest of the Syrian fighters to rejoin Syrian society. I never was able to learn what their complaints against the govt were. Were they anti-secular? I know there were complaints that the govt wasn’t doing enough to help those hit be a drought, exaccerbated by Turkey’s building many dams on the Tigris-Euphrates.
http://nsnbc.me/2015/11/03/russia-usa-increase-cooperation-in-targeting-terrorist-brigades-in-syria/
Gen Andrey Kartapolov said that Russia had repeatedly said it was ready to “cooperate with all Syrian patriotic forces struggling against terrorists from the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusrah, adding:
“As part of efforts to create a broad international anti-terrorist coalition in the Middle East, we have established contacts with leaders of the Syrian opposition and field commanders of a number of armed groups…. Despite their four-year-long confrontation with the government troops, these patriotically-minded forces postpone their political ambitions to the ideas of preserving Syria as a united independent state free from the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations,” Kartapolov said. “We hope this step will give a new vector in the settlement of the Syrian conflict.”
The general also noted that “the Syrian opposition” had provided the coordinated of 24 targets to the Russian military. The Tass news agency quotes Gen Andrey Kartapolov as saying:
“We have reached an agreement on joint actions against terrorists and established contacts for information transfer. Thus, Russia’s warplanes flew 12 sorties today to hit 24 terrorist targets with the use of boosted devices and high-precision air bomb KAB-500 in the areas of Tamdor, Deir ez-Zor, Itria and east of Aleppo. Coordinates of these targets were referred by the opposition,” he said.
In particular, the Russian air strikes destroyed a terrorist command center, a munitions depot, ten various fortified positions and 12 artillery and air defense positions of terrorists. Washington and Moscow have also reached a partial consensus about those armed opposition groups whom both sides would accept as possible participants in a future political solution to end the war in Syria.
Posted by: Penelope | Nov 8 2015 19:29 utc | 1
There continue to be signs that the “refugee crisis” in Europe is engineered by US/EU w help from Turkey. This Starikov video explains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTJc9pN29A4. Also the never-ending media coverage; clearly the govts are trying to hype the crisis, not calm it. The following link explains how the crisis is being made to create a LOCAL economic problem, etc. All to present the Transatlantic Partnership as a solution, thus anticipating the opposition to TTIP. Obviously it will be much more difficult for Europe to ever escape vassalage after TTIP.
http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2015/11/08/refugees-and-europe-catching-whiff-of-man-made-disaster.html
The barricades erected at the EU’s external borders and the artificially created masses of people thronging in front of checkpoints only reinforce the suspicions that we are actually witnessing the staging of a massive theatrical production
Posted by: Penelope | Nov 8 2015 19:40 utc | 2
Thinking back about Syria, & all the recent ME history that’s come up lately… I recalled US extradition of Maher Arar to Syria where, it seems it was tortured. al-Assad would have been president at this time.
I’d appreciate those who have followed things/more familiar w/Syria then I, to say what they know about this. Did al-Assad indeed, run a torture “program”?
The real reason the West actually doesn’t want refugees in Western soil
Posted by: nmb | Nov 8 2015 19:54 utc | 4
Hitler on Putin and Syria – YouTube A well done analysis of the current situation.
Posted by: Fran | Nov 8 2015 20:03 utc | 5
Posted by: jdmckay | Nov 8, 2015 2:45:36 PM | 3
I cannot think of any Middle Eastern Regime that is not known for corporal punishment and torture.
Posted by: somebody | Nov 8 2015 20:59 utc | 7
3
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/02/14/outsourcing-torture
Posted by: john | Nov 8 2015 21:17 utc | 8
Troops in Syria will be barbequing Wahhabis by the dozen with new Russian weapon the ‘bumblebee’
Military experts from Popular Mechanics, a US magazine of popular technology, are quite impressed with the capabilities of the Russian portable flamethrower system with a cute nickname Bumblebee, which nevertheless is capable of completely devastating enemy forces not only in the open but in bunkers, trenches, and even armored vehicles.
Russian rocket-propelled flame thrower, the Bumblebee, was originally developed due to the need for more effective fire power against an enemy entrenched in fortified positions, houses, caves and other solid cover.
Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20151108/1029765936/russia-bumblebee-flamethrower-weapon.html#ixzz3qwE7pOxD
Posted by: harry law | Nov 8 2015 21:38 utc | 9
“We continue though in Afghanistan, even though our primary missions is train, advise, and assist, we’ve actually retained a U.S.-only – this is actually not coalition, but it’s a U.S.-only unilateral role of being able to conduct counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan primarily against al-Qaida and its remnants, but ISIS would be fair game as well. What we’re not doing counterterrorism operations against is the Taliban. We don’t – we actually view the Taliban as being an important partner in a peaceful Afghan-led reconciliation process. We are not actively targeting the Taliban. [1]”
Pentagon Spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis.
http://fpc.state.gov/249194.htm
Posted by: Brunswick | Nov 8 2015 21:52 utc | 10
Spratley Islands what’s really going on there, the really interesting fact history of, from someone living in Beijing several years. Not what MSM is telling you!
NOV 8
21 min
SoT #64 – Jeff Brown: The Truth Behind U.S. Military Aggression In The South China Sea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GWZoBAJ1tCs
Posted by: schlub | Nov 8 2015 22:32 utc | 11
Okay I Know This Is Spamming. But I Feel Strongly It Must Be Said —
/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2015/11/430903.shtml
A Modest Theoretical Proposal
author: geral e-mail:e-mail: gsosbee@gmail.com
…and where are all the geniuses who could offer suggestions on how to improve the human condition!
A Modest Theoretical Proposal To End Gross Abuses Of Human Beings :
Remove all governments from power, educate the masses regarding their rights and responsibilities, and allow all the world’s people to govern themselves in a manner consistent with universally recognized human and civil rights.
Inescapable violence always emanates from government against the people . Today, the murderous attacks and incessant threats reflect rule by a global coalition of bellicose regimes bent on world inhumane domination:
http://www.sosbeevfbi.com/part4-worldinabo.html
Some of my studies :
https://ttu.academia.edu/geralsosbee
About me (typo in the following data: my name has always been spelled ‘Geral’):
http://gangstalkingwiki.com/GeraldSosbee.htm
homepage: homepage: http:// http://www.sosbeevfbi.com
phone: phone: na
address: address: usa
contribute to this article
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Good For You Geral 07.Nov.2015 22:58
blues link
This is bigger than anyone knows.
Think about it.
Why persecute virtually innocent individuals?
Maybe because they are vetting an army of 10,000 psychopaths to carry out things like 9/11?
They wouldn’t stoop to that, would they?
\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What if this could be real?
Just imagine what an army of 10,000 psychopaths could do to the U.S.A. and never have the slightest motive to be a whistle-blower?
No moral compunction. Proven ability to be immune to morality. Tested and confirmed ability do anything, kill any number of others. With not the slightest shame or guilt.
What could such an army do?
Posted by: blues | Nov 8 2015 22:37 utc | 12
However the crash of the Russian plane is or is not decided … who is in physical possession of the ‘black boxes’ now? Who has been in possession of them since the crash?
However it does turn out, it has certainly become a well-tailored source of panic in the airline/terror industries.
And it’s spreading from there … observe @12 blues above.
Whenever it’s a case of ‘be scared, be very, very scared’ … very, very foul things often follow, or have already prededed, that pitch in the background, perpetrated by the evangelists of fear themselves.
This seems to be a strike against Russia all right … by Britain, France, and the USA, leading from the rear. Israel, the 500kg guerrilla – closest to the scene in this case, and always foulest of the foul – is, as usual, not mentioned.
Posted by: jfl | Nov 8 2015 23:14 utc | 13
Israel declare military zone in West Bank city
The Israeli Final Solution of their Palestinian Problem proceeds in Palestine.
Yemen’s Ansarullah fighters advance towards Aden
Saudi Arabia, Israel’s diligent student, seems to be losing ‘control’ of its own Final Solution in Yemen.
It’s turning into civil war, with two sections of the Yemeni Army supporting either Yemen or KSA/USA/Da’esh/al-CIAda respectively.
Everyone in the UN is obediently looking the other way, as the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and his Mentors pursue DD&D in the Middle East, and call it Peace.
One bright light flickered in Florida, US Jewish group’s criticism of Israel’s ‘misguided policies’ is a wakeup call: Writer
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, slammed Israel’s “misguided policies” against the people of Palestine.
Speaking in Orlando, Florida, on Thursday, Rabbi Jacobs said the Jewish community must not remain silent when hate-crime attacks kill innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories.
American Jews are Boycotting, Disowning, and Separating themselves from the monsters in Israel who claim to be Jews.
When will mainstream Arab governments Boycott, Disown, and Separate themselves from the monstrous Wahabists in Saudi Arabia who claim to be Muslims?
Everyone in the UN and US Congress is obediently looking the other way, as the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and his Mentors pursue DD&D in the Middle East, and call it Peace.
Posted by: jfl | Nov 8 2015 23:39 utc | 14
@jfl #13:
srael … is, as usual, not mentioned.
What would Israel’s motive be? I can’t see a terrorist attack against a Russian airliner as serving a useful purpose for anyone. All it does is allow desperately frustrated parties to lash aeh and feel they have harmed Russia in some intangible way.
Israeli intelligence probably understands Russia better than anglo intelligence does. A substantial proportion of Israeli citizens are from the Soviet Union. Also, Israel does not see itself as a rival of Russia, whereas the US and – incredibly – Britain do.
Finally, someone with knowledge of Russia who used to post here suggested before that Russian intelligence has Israeli government structures pretty well penetrated: thus launching a terrorist attack against Russia would be risky for Israel. (If I recall correctly, Israel helped with supporting jihadism inside Russia, but my guess would be that that was mostly during the Yeltsin years, when Russia was so pathetic that that would have been understandable in a way.)
Israel most certainly does not openly act as if it is Russia’s enemy, whereas Britain most certainly does. I think simple things like that mean something and are probative in this case.
@1 It was less about complaints than trying to grab what wasn’t being nailed down for the street level fighters. As with any group, there were dreamers in the group.
The leaders, high level army and Baath party defectors, wanted to be the GNC of Syria and have power delivered to them by the West in exchange for no bid contracts and letting Obama and other Western leaders strut around with another scalp for the trophy collection. Much like Libya, I’m sure they just wanted to steal from the currency reserves and spend the treasury on pet projects such as cool malls with Apple Stores in an initial orgy of spending. The reason the Free Syrian Army doesn’t exist is because no one wants to follow these guys. Beyond religious fearmongering, they didn’t offer anything because the just wanted to take Assad’s and anyone who stood with him imagined power and wealth.
Posted by: NotTimothyGeithner | Nov 9 2015 0:00 utc | 16
Climate change could push100 million people into poverty: World Bank
In a new report published on Sunday, the international financial institution said that “without rapid, inclusive and climate-smart development, together with emissions-reductions efforts that protect the poor, there could be more than 100 million additional people in poverty by 2030.”
“The poor are more vulnerable to climate-related shocks than wealthier people because they are more exposed, lose more in relative terms, and lack the financial systems and social safety nets that would allow them to better prepare and cope,” it added.
The World Bank is intent on reassuring the ‘wealthier people’ there’s no immediate problem … for them. Nothing more ‘development’ and more money can’t solve. Their ‘financial systems and social safety nets’ will allow them to cope … in their armed lifeboats.
Christian Parenti has done a good job of wrapping up climate, so-called ‘economics’, and violence … Tropic of Chaos (2011).
Certainly climate change is the floor built upon by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate in launching his program of death, devastation, and destruction in Syria and Yemen in the Middle East. And we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
Maybe it’s time for a change? Maybe the 1% not only don’t, but are incapable of having the interests of 100% of humanity at heart? Not to mention the 99.9% of inhuman life on earth? Maybe its time for 100% of humanity to assert itself in the face of the Trans-National Corporations which – through the agency of their human slaves among us – have chosen suicide for themselves and so for us all?
Posted by: jfl | Nov 9 2015 0:15 utc | 17
@ 14
One swallow doesn’t make a summer. Reform Jews have been painfully silent, while their brethren and kin murder innocents. This is no more than the mildest accommodation to public opinion. “Quick, make the Goyim think we’re not all the same!”
You want the truth? Some of my closest friends have been Israelis on the run from serving in the IDF, and Jews who opposed Zionism. I was married to a Jew. (We didn’t split up due to religion or politics.)
But they were, to a man and woman, people who considered themselves ‘ex-Jews’. Their usual refrain was: ‘The problem is Judaism, not just Israel or Zionism. Judaism teaches you to think non-Jews are sub-human, lesser beings. That only Jews suffer, and feel, and have real emotions.’
They opened my eyes. They introduced me to the crimes Israel commits against Palestinians. They were right, and uet they were ignored by the vast majority of their ‘fellow Jews’ in America and Israel. They were shunned by the vast majority of Jews and Israelies.
Christians grow up learning the tale of the Good Samaritan. Jews are taught that Tikkun Olam only applies to Jews. As Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef stated: ‘Gentiles were born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world – only to serve the People of Israel.’
Posted by: Biffa Bacon | Nov 9 2015 0:20 utc | 18
@15 D
I was thinking Israel primarily in terms of the ‘intelligence’ leaked to the MSM via Britain and France, but I think it’s silly to accept Israeli-Russian detente at face value.
The Russians made ‘Syria‘s unity, independence, territorial integrity. and secular character are fundamental’ number one at the joint statements’ points in Vienna. That does not accord well with long-standing Israeli plans.
Israel is well-positioned and very well capable of having brought down the Russian airliner, though … and of having whispered in al-CIAda’s ear that they ought to take ‘credit’ for it … a la 9/11. Causing more DD&D in the ME – outside of Israel, of course – perhaps causing Russia to extend its efforts in the ME, and to overextend itself – even just taking the spotlight off the ongoing Final Solution to their Palestinian Problem as it proceeds – on MSM page 26 … all these are reason enough for Israel to have actually brought down the Russian aircraft itself.
In any case, Israel is bound to be the primary source of ‘intelligence’ on the matter. It has the NSA raw feed to work from in addition to its own not-to-be-under-rated efforts. If they weren’t the actual perps … they could at least have forewarned the Russians what was ‘going down’, and prevented the slaughter of blameless Russians … a la 9/11.
Posted by: jfl | Nov 9 2015 0:34 utc | 19
@jfl #19:
You make good points, but Russia has said it is not going to let Syria break up, and I think that Israelis can understand that terrorist acts aren’t going to change Russia’s mind about that. As for warning Russia if it knew about the operation: we don’t know that Russia would have acted on that warning.
But yes, the press not mentioning the usual prime suspect Israel in this case is par for the course. Let’s agree that if either one of us runs across some interesting mention of possible Israeli involvement, we’ll post it here.
I must say that I find the possible “Israeli-Russian detente” intriguing, since I tend to think of both Russians and of Israelis as crafty. I think that the English have largely lost their touch with things like that, mostly because they have not been able to keep enough distance from their cousins across the pond.
Blues @ 12,
People often imagine that govt is the problem; if only we had a smaller govt. . . . But what PART of the govt would you want to be smaller? Social Security? Medicare?, Police? Firefighters? Courts? Bank regulators?, the Post Office, Primary schooling? Do you really want all of these to be privatized, to be done for profit?
It’s not govt that’s evil, but govt as captured by the banksters and transnationals. A decentralized govt which sets its own monetary & trade policy is the govt which is least able to become a tool of predators. The system being built now will make govts smaller & weaker– because the power increasingly resides beyond citizens’ reach, in the hands of supranational institutions like WTO, TPP, TTIP, IMF, World Bank, BIS, — and in huge corporations which should be broken up.
Posted by: Penelope | Nov 9 2015 1:12 utc | 22
@jfl #20:
Yeah, this remark sounds off: “Christians grow up learning the tale of the Good Samaritan”. The West has become so post-Christian that it’s hard to imagine anyone coming from a Christian background making that remark. Even worse, the Samaritan thing is just one parable, whereas “love thy neighbor as a thyself” is a recurring theme, and something someone actually coming from the Christian tradition would be much more likely to mention.
“Opened my eyes” is also a bit much.
Demian @15: What would Israel’s motive be?
Much of what I have learned about the Syrian fiasco has come from MoA, so I am quite surprised by your question as you are a frequent commenter here.
Isn’t it abundantly clear that each country in the ‘pro-Sunni alliance’ (for lack of a better term) wants something from the conflict? It is my understanding that Israel wants:
1) To undermine support for Hezbolla;
2) Counter Iranian influence in the region;
3) Eliminate/reduce support for Palestinians;
4) Support US/NATO ‘win’ against Russia/SCO;
5) Break up Syria and Iraq into small ‘buffer’ states that are not a threat to Israel.
Russia’s involvement throws a BIG wrench into the plans/goals/expectations of each of the nations in the ‘pro-Sunni alliance’. AFAICT, they are working in concert to achieve their goals both overtly (we see consultations, etc.) and covertly.
I am as suspicious of the notion that Israel has good relations with Russia as I am of the notion that Obama has poor relations with Israel and the neocons. I believe that Israel is firmly and happily in the Western orbit.
Jordan is another example. Jordan has been a place for US training of rebels but Jordan has now joined Russia’s international group. They are very pro-US/pro-West so I see this move as not sincere. Just a means of gathering intel, I would guess.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 1:13 utc | 24
Argentina Election coming up – who wins and who is Argentina’s next President?
Whether by fair means or foul?
Daniel Scioli (Kirchnerist) v Mauricio Macri (Empire candidate)???!
Posted by: Julian | Nov 9 2015 1:16 utc | 25
Blues @12 & Penelope @22
What I want to add to what Penelope said is that those supranational institutions like WTO, TPP, TTIP, IMF, World Bank, BIS are owned by real people and it is those people that we want to remove from power.
Those people, the global plutocratic families that have owned private finance for centuries, and who also own corporations and property through ongoing inheritance, are the real threat to mankind’s progress/survival.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 9 2015 1:37 utc | 26
Why the TPP Must be Opposed at All Costs: It’s Worse Than You Think
ISDS refers to Investor State Dispute Settlement mechanism. Think of it as really: Intentional Subversion of Democracy & Sovereignty. This is the extrajudicial process written into the TPP (Chapter 28), whereby governments can be dragged before tribunals by corporate lawyers if they think national (health, environmental, public policy) laws violate their TPP rights or limit future expected profits. This is a panel of bespoke-suited corporate lawyers deciding whether environmental laws, safety regulations, public policy, or labor laws get in the way of profit or not. Imagine how they will decide. Profits or people? The outcome, written into the very raison d’etre of the TPP, is a foregone conclusion. These results will be unaccountable and binding. No appeal is possible.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that corporations want profit the way that sexual predators want sex: at any cost. Instead of moderating, controlling or preventing this, this agreement enshrines into transnational law a supranational corporate entitlement to profit, regardless of risk or danger to the state, democratic sovereignity, the people, or the planet. For that reason alone, the TPP should be opposed at all costs.
But there’s more.
People, KJ Noh included, go on to enumerate the individual, explicit terms wherein the TPP – and the TTIP, it’s as Atlantic as it is Pacific – betrays people for profit … reason zero is above. Read it carefully. It removes sovereignty from the people and their governments and bestowes it on the TNCs – the result “will be unaccountable and binding. No appeal is possible.”
It’s a cup of hemlock. It’s now or never. The US Congress must be prevented from enacting this bill or its serfdom forever … or until violent revolution. Would that we could force th US COngress to drink the poison they have prepared for us.
Same with the TTIP … Europeans must know that ‘their’ European Unit will pass the TTIP in one Washington minute. Or is it up to all the individual countries to pass it? I cannot believe the USA has allowed that possibility!
Posted by: jfl | Nov 9 2015 1:42 utc | 27
Full court pressure on Russia continues – this time via the IAAF.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/nov/08/russia-expulsion-doping-report-iaaf?CMP=ema_632
Re: Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 8, 2015 8:13:47 PM | 24
You forget to mention that the next target after the dismemberment of Syria is the next largest state on Israel’s border – that being Egypt.
The road to Moscow lies through Damascus, Cairo, Tehran etc. etc. and then onto Beijing.
If Egypt can’t see they’re being played by the West (trolled by blowing up and destroying the Egyptian tourist industry because they’re getting too close to Russia) at the moment they are fools and deserve all they get.
@21 D `I must say that I find the possible “Israeli-Russian detente” intriguing, since I tend to think of both Russians and of Israelis as crafty.`
There’s craft in aggression and craft in defense of craft in aggression, and the Russians have been forced to develop the latter, post-czarist-autocracy.
I must say that you seem to have become quite the defender and enthusiast of Israel.
Posted by: jfl | Nov 9 2015 2:18 utc | 30
Oh Jesus…
We have:
jfl | Nov 8, 2015 6:14:10 PM | 13
However it does turn out, it has certainly become a well-tailored source of panic in the airline/terror industries.
And it’s spreading from there … observe @12 blues above.
Then we get:
Penelope | Nov 8, 2015
8:12:09 PM | 22
People often imagine that govt is the problem; if only we had a smaller govt. . . . But what PART of the govt would you want to be smaller? Social Security? Medicare?, Police? Firefighters? Courts? Bank regulators?, the Post Office, Primary schooling? Do you really want all of these to be privatized, to be done for profit?
Really, what I said had nothing to do with all the recent crashing airliners. After 9/11 I said they needed to have a way to keep passengers from wandering into the cockpit (now they have keypad PIN code locks, after I suggested it).
My only comment about the recent Egypt crash was that it’s stupid to have two “black box” flight recorders in the tail that stop working when the power goes out. They have flash drive now and things called “batteries.” They ought to try using those (since I mentioned it). Also stop being cheap and put six or more on each plane in different locations (since war might become an issue).
In regard to Penelope’s comment:
People often imagine that govt is the problem; if only we had a smaller govt. . . . But what PART of the govt would you want to be smaller? Social Security? Medicare?, Police? Firefighters? Courts? Bank regulators?, the Post Office, Primary schooling? Do you really want all of these to be privatized, to be done for profit?
Since when do I express concern about the goofy “smaller govt” notion? Maybe the guy I quoted (Geral) talked about that somewhere, but certainly not me.
Recently: psychohistorian | Nov 8, 2015 8:37:10 PM | 26
What I was talking about is creating an army of thousands of people who have proven ability to torture and destroy other innocent people (psychopaths) and then using that army to carry out missions such as 9/11. I tried to express that that could be dangerous.
Nothing more.
Posted by: blues | Nov 9 2015 2:21 utc | 31
In case some of you have missed it, here’s the story of a mysterious heart attack (and in NYC)http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-11-07/putins-multi-millionaire-media-mogul-dies-mysterious-heart-attack-luxury-dc-hotel of the man credited with “inspiring” the creation of Russia Today.
Posted by: danx | Nov 9 2015 2:30 utc | 32
@31 blues … sorry if you’re straight about all that. I just read the highlights of your post ‘… an army of 10,000 psychopaths …’, didn’t follow the links … figured it for ‘be very, very scared’ and dismissed it. Sorry if you’re actually sincere.
Posted by: jfl | Nov 9 2015 2:37 utc | 33
follow-up to #24, where I wrote:
Russia’s involvement throws a BIG wrench into the plans/goals/expectations of each of the nations in the ‘pro-Sunni alliance’.
I wonder at times if the US/US allies had really wanted Russia to step up their involvement so as to create “another Afghanistan” for them. In which case, Russia’s involvement is not a ‘Big Wrench’ but a necessary part of taking down Putin’s Regime – Just as Russia’s Afghan War helped to bring down USSR.
AFAIK, there’s just not enough info at this point to say. The US/West may have thought/hoped that Putin would ‘play ball’ until Putin stood in the way of US bombing Syria in September 2013. Since that point, we have seen the Ukraine coup – with economic sanctions against Russia, the negotiation of an agreement with Iran (hoping to pull them into Western orbit, or at least give them pause), the rise of ISIS, and a drop in oil from >$100 to $40’s.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 2:40 utc | 34
WRT: jfl | Nov 8, 2015 9:37:06 PM | 33
Thanks. Just because I’m snarky a lot doesn’t mean that I won’t have something serious to say now and then.
Posted by: blues | Nov 9 2015 2:41 utc | 35
@jfl #30:
post-czarist-autocracy
Not sure what you mean by that. (1) Don’t you mean post-Soviet/communist autocracy? (2) For “autocracy” to have a useful meaning, one needs to hold up liberalism as a good model. But I think liberalism has been discredited everywhere, not just inside Russia.
quite the defender and enthusiast of Israel
I’m not defending Israel. I was just sharing my intuition that I don’t think that Israel was behind it, largely to gauge it by others’ responses. As for enthusiast: hardly. I am just much more shocked by Britain’s unconcealed fanatical Russophobia, than by anything that Israel ever did, simply because I used to be an anglophile and still like many aspects of British culture. I lived in England for a year, but would never consider even passing through Israel.
This is the first time I’ve seen anyone anywhere having to defend themselves about not liking Israel. I don’t even buy Intel processors, because they’re made in Israel.
I don’t have enough forensics knowledge to speculate on the actual cause of A321’s demise—I’ll let the experts work on that—so I focus on the geopolitical aspects of what may or may not have been a bomb, but may as well be treated as one for its hybrid war blast radius.
To this end, another possible puzzle piece that I haven’t heard raised in these discussions yet—a South Front guest post at the Saker’s Vineyard: A new war began on October 31…
The most up-to-date information indicates the October 31 tragedy was the result of a terrorist act on board the Airbus A321. If that supposition is confirmed, and considering the reaction by the Russian authorities, one might say that Qatar finally got what it wanted—a war.
Incidentally, Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaled al-Atyya publicly threatened Russia with “World War Three”. We can’t speak for Russia, but as far as Qatari clans are concerned, the war is on….
There are reasons to believe that the Russian leadership is inclined to view the A321 incident as a direct declaration of war, similar to the 9/11 attacks on the United States. All terror organizations of a certain size are backed by this or that country or financial interest.
One should also turn one’s attention to Great Britain’s position. Almost immediately following the attack, London announced that the British secret services have intercepted telephone conversations among terrorists connected to the Islamic State. This information was being concealed from Russia….
As far as Russian leadership’s reaction to the confirmed fact of an attack on a Russian civilian aircraft, one should expect that its fight against terrorism will intensify. In practice it means increasing the scope of the military operation in Syria and in other parts of the world. It would appear that the emphasis will be shifted to a global war on terror, which implies attacking the sponsors and organizers of the radical formations.
Posted by: Vintage Red | Nov 9 2015 3:13 utc | 37
@Jackrabbit@4
I am as suspicious of the notion that Israel has good relations with Russia as I am of the notion that Obama has poor relations with Israel and the neocons. I believe that Israel is firmly and happily in the Western orbit.
Excellent point. Besides all the reasons you numbered, Israel doesn’t need to have a motive to act against Russia, they are one of the main reasons Russia is in Syria, Israel being at the forefront of the empire of chaos drive for domination in the ME.
As I wrote in the former thread, the CIA station in Egypt is one of the largest in Africa, playing an important regional role in North Africa, the ME, Horn of Africa, the Lower Nile, and the Arabian Peninsula, it has a close working relationship with Egyptian intel, one that is also shared with Mossad and MI6. Mossad itself has a privileged relationship with Egyptian intel, having collaborated for years against Hamas in Gaza, and the takfiris in the Sinai dessert.
The newly found relation between Russia and Egypt won’t alter for a bit the CIA stranglehold on Egyptian intel, one that was enhanced after 9/11, when Egypt became a hub for extraordinary renditions, torture, and disappearance of those poor suspects, innocent in their majority, caught in the CIA dragnet. More recently, the CIA/Mossad/MI6 actively worked against the Muslim Brotherhood, and for the return of the Egyptian military to power, the Sadat/Mubarak model, a tin-pot military dictatorship thinly disguised as a “democracy” with bloody bayonets.
IMHO, CIA/Mossad/MI6 are the main suspects IF, big IF, a case for a bomb is found after the investigation on the downed plane ends. IS lacks the capability, sophistication and intel to carry out an operation of such magnitude, but they will be scapegoated into it. I think Demian question is legit, based on the appearance of a civil relationship between Israel and Russia, but fails to connect the dots that flow in the undercurrent of the murky world where a parallel war is being secretly fought, the interests of the empire rules, and the lives of millions are nothing but a speck of dust.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 3:16 utc | 38
@31 blues
I cannot abide a proposal of an army of psychopaths to get rid of the ones in place under the global plutocrats. Sounds like a continuation of the same sickness/hurt to me.
I propose we globally replace private with sovereign finance and neuter inheritance. I believe the follow on implications of these changes would resolve most of the social conflicts we face.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 9 2015 3:17 utc | 39
CORRECTION
My former post was @Jackrabbit@24, not @4.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 3:21 utc | 40
Actually, Demian@23, the Good Samaritan parable is offered by Jesus in answer to the question “Who is my neighbor?” which comes directly from the ‘Love thy neighbor’ statement of Jesus, so the two would be very much linked in the mind of a Christian. (Not to interfere with your conversation with jfl, though.)
The photograph of the inside of the magnificent St. Isaac Cathedral in St. Petersburg at rt.com is stunning. The memorial service for the victims of the plane crash in the Sinai would have been very beautiful today. Russia is a big country, but I remember how a similar loss of life by an airplane crash affected us in New Zealand back in the early 80’s – that time the crash was pilot error in the Antarctic. Then, names were read out of more than two hundred victims on the radio; in St. Petersburg the great bell tolled for each one.
“Memory eternal” is the beautiful hymn that is sung.
The normal Sunday Gospel reading for today would have been Luke 16:19-31
Posted by: juliania | Nov 9 2015 3:49 utc | 41
@24/34 jackrabbit. you make some good observations. i think it is too early to tell just what is premeditated as opposed to happenstance.. i wouldn’t want to give too much credit to any country, least of all the usa, for having a well thought out plan of attack against russia for example.. in fact, the usa looks as if it is fumbling into the next disaster fiasco, as yet to be announced.. russia on the other hand seems to operate from a well thought out position of being an under-dog in a silent war that is being pushed upon it from a number of different angles..
as for israel – i would imagine they never really thought out the longer term implications of syria going rogue.. many within israel may see the wisdom in retaining assad, as opposed to having a failed nation right next door, although having cheap oil thanks isis and the kurds certainly is nice.. i am sure they have other economic based designs on the areatoo.. as for egypt – this is a country that has been in the usa-israels pocket for a long time, even if egypt likes to entertain some form of neutrality by maintaining a relationship with russia.. it’s a complicated chess board that i don’t claim to understand.. i don’t know that anyone is playing a masterful game of it, with the possible exception of russia – picking its spots carefully, and perhaps china – by staying out of it all here.. i see the usa’s role as much more muddled and haphazard – a bit like a wounded animal, or one on it’s last legs but i could easily be accused of being biased..
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 3:51 utc | 42
If ISIS is deemed responsible for the attack, should the Saudi clerics that called for Jihad against Russia and Iran be charged for inciting violence / supporting terrorism (Saudi Arabia is a member of the US-led coalition against ISIS)?
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 3:51 utc | 43
@42jb.. that is wishful thinking along the lines of bush 2 and gang being brought to the hague..
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 3:53 utc | 44
@43
That the media ignores the culpability of those who support ISIS is an outrage.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 4:01 utc | 45
@Jackrabbit@34
I wonder at times if the US/US allies had really wanted Russia to step up their involvement so as to create “another Afghanistan” for them.
I think you’re extrapolating a bit the points you made in 24. Russia’s support for Syria is but one line in a proyection of power, part of Russia’s strategic resurgence vis-a-vis the empire and its minions. Russia doesn’t have the strategic margin to make the same mistake twice, a variable that entered the equation before the pro-Syrian intervention was carried out, one that was coldly calculated and planned for years.
Victory is the only way out, and victory will be, however form it takes in the quagmire Syria has become.
But for a deeper view into the soul of the Russian Spring, the current events in Syria and the Donbass, no one can explain it better than Alexander Dugin.
http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/dugin-war-donbass-will-be-imposed-us-washington-and-kiev/ri10997
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 4:04 utc | 46
Israel confirms dropping bombs on impoverished Gaza Strip
Israeli war planes have launched an attack against a site allegedly belonging to Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the southern part of the besieged Gaza Strip.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has slammed the United States for its stance on the recent wave of violence by Israeli forces in the occupied territories.
Rudeineh warned Washington on Sunday that the current conflict had reached alarming levels and could have, “dangerous consequences for the whole region,” adding that the US stance on the issue has done nothing to calm the situation.
Israel’s Final Solution contiues to unfold. The world does nothing.
Except the US … the Nobel Peace Prize laureate makes sure the Israelis have bullets and bombs enough to complete the job.
Posted by: jfl | Nov 9 2015 4:09 utc | 47
LW@45
I really don’t know to what extent “another Afghanistan” for Russia was planned. It’s just that it seems that the overriding conflict is between Western/neolib/NWO and everyone else (BRICS/SCO/etc.). Russia is a key member of the opposition. I was musing that the primary ‘target’ for regime change might have shifted from Syria to Russia in September 2013.
I think Russia and Iran surprised the US/US allies with the strength of the forces deployed in Syria and their diplomacy/public relations.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 4:43 utc | 48
schlub @ 11: Thanks for the South China Sea link.
Penelope @ 22 said: “It’s not govt that’s evil, but govt as captured by the banksters and transnationals.”
Although govts. can be evil, you’re right, for now, it’s the mega-corps that are the problem. Thirty years of ” Lets make Governments smaller” BS, has done it’s work. With govts. out of the way, mega-business can have it’s way with humanity.
Posted by: ben | Nov 9 2015 4:46 utc | 49
WRT: psychohistorian | Nov 8, 2015 10:17:11 PM | 38
I cannot abide a proposal of an army of psychopaths to get rid of the ones in place under the global plutocrats. Sounds like a continuation of the same sickness/hurt to me. — WRT above^
I must more cynical than some people. At least three here have been unable to “get” what I have said! Here it is:
(+) It is now almost common knowledge that something called “gangstalking” happens. What might such a phenomenon lead too? You would be testing individuals to see if they could harm or cause the death of innocent people with no remorse.
(+) The ones who passed this test would then be paid handsomely, and they would never feel remorse, nor any compulsion to whistle-blow.
(+) They would then be tasked with carrying out 9/11.
(+) No one (being normal) could imagine how so many people could keep quiet about the job.
(+) I am certainly not suggesting that this should be done. (It would be insane.)
(+) Merely that it has already been done.
That’s a bit “conspiratorial”, I suppose.
Posted by: blues | Nov 9 2015 5:04 utc | 50
West Secretly Elated Over Downed Russian Airliner
[…] As Russia carries out its investigation of the disaster, the rest of the objective world waits for answers. For others, they have already begun drawing up narratives to use the disaster to serve their purposes. One such individual is John Bradley, a frequent contributor for The Economist, The Forward, Newsweek, The New Republic, The Daily Telegraph, Prospect, and The Independent.
He has also lectured at the Washington-based policy think-tank, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and for over 2 years, was given almost unlimited access across Saudi Arabia while writing his establishment-lauded book, “Saudi Arabia Exposed: Inside a Kingdom in Crisis.”
His most recent work is an unsavory op-ed for the UK Spectator titled, “The Russian plane crash could undermine Putin’s Syria strategy.” In it, Bradley conveniently answers the most important question that will be asked if investigators determine the plane’s destruction was an act of terrorism, “cui bono?”
Bradley describes not only how the disaster helps further undermine Egypt, (a nation struggling to balance between placating Western interests and and averting a “Libya-style” collapse within its own borders) but also how the incident would undermine Russia’s efforts in Syria.
Bradley states:
It now seems fairly likely that an explosion brought down the Russian passenger airline over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula over the weekend. One Metrojet official has already suggested that the ‘only explainable cause is physical impact on the aircraft’ and they have ruled out technical failure or human error. If the ongoing investigation proves that to be the case, it will obviously have an immediate and catastrophic impact on Egypt’s already decimated tourism industry.
Regarding Russia in particular, he states:
But it would also be the most unwelcome news possible for Vladimir Putin, who sold military intervention in Syria to the Russian people as a way of making them safer. In turn, opponents of Russian intervention – the US, Turkey and the Gulf Arab despots – would be privately elated. For does this not prove their argument that Russian intervention only complicates the situation on the ground while increasing the threat of terror attacks?
But should the downed airliner turn out to be the victim of terrorism, not only would “the US, Turkey and the Gulf Arab despots” be “privately elated,” it also appears that ISIS would have provided them a much needed card to play during future negotiations regarding the conflict in Syria. After noting that ISIS took credit for the downed airliner as it was closing in on a motorway used to resupply Syrian forces operating in Aleppo, Bradley explains:
All [at the negotiations], of course, realise that it is only worth negotiating from a position of strength. The anti-Assad allies will be hoping that Putin now fears a new Afghanistan, and will therefore be more flexible on the question of Assad’s departure. They will also be determined to ramp up support for the so-called ‘moderate rebels’, especially given that Washington has recently sent in Special Forces to ‘advise’ them (or, in other words, act as human shields against Russian bombs).
Bradley sums up his op-ed by almost celebrating the fact that those who assumed Russia’s entry into the Syrian conflict would spell its quick conclusion were “sadly mistaken […]”
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 5:10 utc | 51
I once knew an individual who went through this process. They would have been able to inflict harm with zero remorse. They were getting paid off in many ways. But they had to drop out because they developed a more obvious mental illness.
Posted by: blues | Nov 9 2015 5:14 utc | 52
@49
I live in the US which is now committing war crimes that it prosecuted others for in the past……in my name I call your reference to gangstalking agnotology bull shit in relation to the war crimes being committed by the US and Israel at this time.
On another note I read this link and thought I would share;
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/08/us-weyerhaeuser-plum-creek-timb-idUSKCN0SX0WW20151108#iQZzBTgEbgig62GP.97
In the old days of government oversight, this merger would be viewed as limiting competition, as it would be in the best interests of the public to do……now, not so much.
And blues, “WE THE PEOPLE…..” want government that provides utility functions as well as the proper amount of regulation against anti-humanistic behavior. We do not have government that does either simply and in the public interest at this time, IMO!
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 9 2015 5:23 utc | 53
@44jackrabbit.. that’s true, but think of how the uk or the usa where the saudi arabia gov’t is giving them so much pork for those arms contracts would think of the media jeopardizing all that pork? media and arm sales companies seem connected at the hip..
you think the media is going to actually report saudi arabia, qatar, uae and etc funding these whack jobs called ISIS? forget it.. it would require balls and a willingness to lose money – none of which they have any stomach for.. the msm deserted real investigative reporting and coverage a long time ago for a constant diet of pablum for the masses..
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 5:36 utc | 54
i continue to follow developments in Deir Ezzor.. seems to be an important entry point for ISIS from iraq and one that russia/syria is determined to cut off.. they blew up the bridge a week or more ago and that hasn’t helped isis any either.. maybe the airport in deir ezzor could be great strategic value if they can properly protect it and put it into use?
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 5:44 utc | 56
@psychohistorian #52
And @psychohistorian, “WE THE PEOPLE…..” are equally guilty voting either the Democrats or the Republicans, ie the Clinton, the Bush, Thrump or Bernie Sanders and over 80% Black voted for Oboma twice…..
Posted by: Jack Smith | Nov 9 2015 5:44 utc | 57
Another link I found interesting but above my pay grade…11 dimensional chess and all that rot
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/08/de-zionising-empire-150810125757752.html
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 9 2015 5:57 utc | 58
james@53
No, I don’t think the media will report on who supports ISIS. That is exactly what I am complaining about.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 5:59 utc | 59
@58 jackrabbit.. read this at angry arab only moments ago.. ” In the briefing notes it was suggested that the crown prince demand Cameron rein in BBC coverage.
In return, Cameron was to be offered lucrative arms and oil deals for British business which would have generated billions of pounds for the jet divisions of BAE Systems and allowed BP to bid to drill for hydrocarbons in the Gulf.”
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 6:02 utc | 60
link didn’t work properly.. once at angry arab, look for “Saturday, November 07, 2015
Can you imagine if this was Iran? “UAE told UK: crack down on Muslim Brotherhood or lose arms deals”
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 6:04 utc | 61
@ blues | Nov 9, 2015 12:04:35 AM | 49
I must more cynical than some people. At least three here have been unable to “get” what I have said! Here it is:
(+) It is now almost common knowledge that something called “gangstalking” happens. What might such a phenomenon lead too? You would be testing individuals to see if they could harm or cause the death of innocent people with no remorse.
(+) The ones who passed this test would then be paid handsomely, and they would never feel remorse, nor any compulsion to whistle-blow.
Blues, maybe you are not cynical enough. The massive epidemic of pedophilia that has engulfed the upper echelons of the UK government (and others) is exactly what you’re hypothesizing in the quote above. It’s for the purpose of controlling people through blackmail. Any handsome rewards to those blackmailed are incidental, and there is no necessity for them to be remorseless about harming and causing the death of innocent children — fear of discovery is sufficient, and the blackmailers don’t care if the blackmailed are remorseful or not. This is why Margaret Thatcher surrounded herself with kiddie-diddlers — they would obey her or be destroyed. This is why Jimmy Savile got away with his activities (over 500 pedo accusations, according to Wikipedia) — he supplied the security services with a steady stream of his accomplices, to be blackmailed and controlled. Check out the aangirfan website, if you have a strong stomach.
Posted by: PhilK | Nov 9 2015 6:05 utc | 62
@56 Jack Smith
I admit to having hopium for the first Obama annointment but voted for Jill Stein/Green Party the last go round. I lost it for Obama immediately as he screwed the public over private finance by not taking down the TBTF banks.
I was a deluded Naked Capitalism blog reader/commenter for a long time thinking the system could be saved but now believe private finance to be evil and needs to be totally eliminated. I don’t currently advocate eliminating inheritance, the other associated key component of social organizational structure, but it needs to be neutered to stop the global plutocrats from buying governments.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 9 2015 6:08 utc | 63
Will Russia continue to tolerate this?
“Offensives by the Syrian army and its allies backed by Russian air strikes are going more slowly than expected due to increased Saudi support to rebels […]”
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/06/us-mideast-crisis-syria-idUSKCN0SV23O20151106
Posted by: dsfsd | Nov 9 2015 6:51 utc | 64
Murad Gazdiev
@MuradoRT
Nov 5
Nusra “rebels” reportedly seized german journo about 3 weeks ago. Doubled ransom when they found out she was pregnant. “Worth two lives”
Murad Gazdiev
@MuradoRT
Nov 5
Dread to think how exactly #nusra jihadists found out the journo they kidnapped in #syria was pregnant…
Posted by: brian | Nov 9 2015 7:03 utc | 65
@psychohistorian #62
Excuses or admitting guilty for crimes against humanity as complicity?
In June 2015 was almost shot by a cop telling him “you cops killed too many people.” Backed off immediately as he placed his hand on his gun’s holster, apologizes profusely.
Should We the people have sympathy for anyone voted either for Democrats or Republicans for the endless wars and murders? Nope, many here plans to vote for Bernie Sanders as the lesser evils. Do you wanna conclusive proofs, he will continue to supports Israel, endless wars and murders?
Posted by: Jack Smith | Nov 9 2015 7:05 utc | 66
@psychohistorian #62
Watched a video today forgot where, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson Chief of Staff for Colin Power admitted he is willing to be charged together with his boss and the NeoCons for the Iraq adventure where millions either murdered or displaced. (Anyone here watch the video please provide the weblink for psychohistorian.)
Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, truly a Man willing to accept responsibility for his mistakes.
Posted by: Jack Smith | Nov 9 2015 7:27 utc | 67
@62 With you man. I wasnt old enough to vote for Obama the first go round, which I am grateful for, because I definitely would have done it. And I was like “Fuck it” and voted Stein, though I wonder if it might not just make more sense to not vote.
Been reading NCap for 5 years now I think, but I think I was a socialist even before I started it reading it, so Ive sort of always known Capitalism couldnt be saved, but I was probably really in denial about it partially until just awhile ago myself, even though I called myself socialist. And Im not even entirely sure im socialist anymore, I think I might be losing myself to Nihilism. I dont have a clue. Capitalism is fucked, the climate is fucked, fossil fuels are fucked… It all looks so bad.
I wish I had been born a few decades earlier, because the future is looking pretty scary.
Posted by: Massinissa | Nov 9 2015 7:42 utc | 68
Russia plays weird games. Opposes Ukrainian Nazis but still provides them with gas. Opposes Saudi proxies in Syria but negotiates geo-political partnership with Saudis. Very mafia.
Posted by: paul | Nov 9 2015 9:35 utc | 69
@68 “Russia plays weird games. Opposes Ukrainian Nazis but still provides them with gas. Opposes Saudi proxies in Syria but negotiates geo-political partnership with Saudis. Very mafia.”
No, it is diplomatic and a sign Russia is helmed by sane statesmen. Mafia tactics are employed by the USA. Plata y ploma. Accept our “protection” or we will burn your country down. Iraq, Libya, and Syria refused Don Washington’s offer and got the lead.
Posted by: Ben Zanotto | Nov 9 2015 10:44 utc | 70
@68
“Russia plays weird games. Opposes Ukrainian Nazis but still provides them with gas. Opposes Saudi proxies in Syria but negotiates geo-political partnership with Saudis. Very mafia.”
USA against misogyny and beheadings but still conduct major arms and trade deals with Saudi. Oppose Al Qaida types after they attacked US in 2001, yet arm, train and abet them in Syria.
Posted by: mandala | Nov 9 2015 10:49 utc | 71
fresh news from syria
http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/news-round/
Posted by: Mina | Nov 9 2015 10:56 utc | 72
Too Weak, Too Strong
Patrick Cockburn on the state of the Syrian war
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v37/n21/patrick-cockburn/too-weak-too-strong
Posted by: virgile | Nov 9 2015 11:16 utc | 74
“What I want to add to what Penelope said is that those supranational institutions like WTO, TPP, TTIP, IMF, World Bank, BIS are owned by real people and it is those people that we want to remove from power.
Those people, the global plutocratic families that have owned private finance for centuries, and who also own corporations and property through ongoing inheritance, are the real threat to mankind’s progress/survival.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Nov 8, 2015 8:37:10 PM | 26”
You’ve been reading waaay too much nonsense from websites owned by dupes and disinfo agents. None of those mentioned are in any way private nor owned by any families. All of them belong to our countries, more precisely the parliaments. It’s them that are bribed, blackmailed and owned, unlike any of the mentioned institutions.
Posted by: fghjkl | Nov 9 2015 11:25 utc | 75
“And blues, “WE THE PEOPLE…..” want government that provides utility functions as well as the proper amount of regulation against anti-humanistic behavior. We do not have government that does either simply and in the public interest at this time, IMO!”
Psychohistorian, sorry but you misunderstood the Constitution. You are most certainly not part of “The People”. Go get a legal dictionary and then re-read using that for translation.
Posted by: fghjkl | Nov 9 2015 11:37 utc | 76
“Can you imagine if this was Iran? “UAE told UK: crack down on Muslim Brotherhood or lose arms deals”
Posted by: james | Nov 9, 2015 1:04:30 AM | 60″
No, since Iran was always a staunch supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood – go look at some articles on PressTV and co. from the time when Morsi’s gang ruled Egypt. they are still weeping because of his removal.
Also the current base of operations for MB is in London, which was also mentioned even by the MSM last year. So this was definitely the correct address, UAE are simply talking to the real boss.
Posted by: fghjkl | Nov 9 2015 11:41 utc | 77
None of those mentioned are in any way private nor owned by any families. All of them belong to our countries, more precisely the parliaments. It’s them that are bribed, blackmailed and owned, unlike any of the mentioned institutions.
I disagree. The institutions mentioned and one in particular that was not mentioned, The So Called “Fed” is indeed privately owned. Such institutions are owned by groups of private billionaires and trillionaires such as The Rothschild Family.
These groups own Big Oil, Pharma, Big Ag, All the Media Companies, Military Contracting Companies and everything else. They control governments with relatively small bribes and kickbacks. And they dictate the policies of these governments.
That the US Congress has made legal The Consolidation of Media Ownership and The Consolidation of Finance, Insurance, Real Estate; legalized insider trading for itself AND legalized Full Bore 24/7 Propaganda, lies and total bullshit for “news”; gives you a clue as to whom is running things.
That individuals working in government benefit directly from these things does not make them bosses. They are stooges. The bosses keep a lower profile.
Posted by: fast freddy | Nov 9 2015 12:05 utc | 78
Well here’s a surprise: Ukraine Risks Becoming A Failed State. I thought it failed already.
Left without the much-used cover of a war, the internal divisions and dysfunctional core of the Ukrainian political elite didn’t take long to reveal itself. Rather than the democratic hope it might have become after last year’s “Revolution of Dignity,” Ukraine now looks like just another incompetent and corrupt post-Soviet regime. It’s no wonder cracks are appearing in Kiev’s all-important relationship with the West….
There’s little will for further upheavals so soon after the revolution and the war in the east. But unless the current political elite finds it in itself to clean up – a highly unlikely turn of events –Ukraine’s history of violent regime change is probably not over yet.
Repression of the masses continues, the Rada of Solons on the Dniepr has begun passing a new labor code, ending many Soviet-era rights and protections.
Posted by: rufus magister | Nov 9 2015 13:03 utc | 79
Turkey and Qatar: Close Allies, Sharing a Doomed Syria Policy
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/turkey-qatar-close-allies-sharing-doomed-syria-policy-14283?page=3
Posted by: virgile | Nov 9 2015 13:28 utc | 80
Here’s the first speculation about the purpose of the attack on MJ9268 that makes sense to me. The suspected culprit is Saudi Arabia, with or without Israel’s help.
If Putin openly attacks the obvious culprits, the Saudis, as if it was ISIS, everyone will assume Saudi Arabia directed them. Then, of course, there is no evidence that ISIS can penetrate airport security. Usually such things are done by Israel…
If Russia fails to act openly, the Russian people will feel weakened and humiliated. If Russia acts openly, Putin will have allowed himself to be maneuvered.
This is why this was done, always a “plan within a plan” as with “Charlie” or “9/11,” game theory using press assets and [a] childish narrative…
@Jackrabbit 24, you forgot to include that Israel wants Golan Heights, and a united Syria just might want it back. I find more collusion between Saudis and Israelis, than Russians and Israelis. Putin would never confront Israel directly. They have way too much international cover for their war crimes.
Posted by: shadyl | Nov 9 2015 14:24 utc | 82
Demian;American policy is controlled and supported by Zionists,they are throughout our nation,working to promote Israeli friendly policy and divide its enemies,all self made of course.
They hate Russia as goyim who disliked Jews,just like they despise all goyim,who have the temerity to point out Jewish frailty.as cattle and slaves to be used.
Your burst of naivety surprised me.
Todays lying times promotes the big kahunas visit to America,as nuttyyahoo comes to spew more lies,lapped up by the lapdogs of congress,and the big gumby,Obomba.Man,what a useless pos,if I was POTUs after this guys treatment,I’d abscond with his passport.But electoral concerns for the hell bitch stay his hand,I guess.
Posted by: dahoit | Nov 9 2015 14:31 utc | 83
@Demian@81
The link you provided is about UK politics,
On the Current Duality in the UK’s Political Direction
it has none of the quotes you cited. Would you mind to provide the correct link? Thanks.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 14:42 utc | 84
psychohistorian @ 63
We followed similar paths, from NC/Yves >> BO (I worked to get him elected 1st time, voted Green 2nd).
IMO Yves was great at describing the anatomy, in detail, of financial breakdowns. No workable solutions though.
My stomach sank with BO similar to what you describe: his selection of Geithner before he was inaugurated. I was part of 2 meetings with him in NM during campaign, and he all but promised us hard measures were coming from his admin if elected towards TBTF. Volcker was amongst his key financial advisors then, advocating strong measures towards WS/TBTF. But Volcker was entirely ignored. I never would have worked for BO had he made this clear.
Just in: Call to ban Russia from track & field competetions – The US is working hard these days against anything russian.
https://www.rt.com/news/321302-wada-russia-athletics-doping/
Posted by: LOOT | Nov 9 2015 14:54 utc | 86
@dahoit #83:
Your burst of naivety surprised me.
I was confused and wanted to be set right. 😉 Sometimes my posts are questions rather than pronouncements. The only things I hold myself to have a good grasp of are philosophical matters and the Russian view of things. I am not like some other people here (you know who you are), who doggedly hold to reactionary and absurd positions on matters they know nothing about.
As for Israel and Russia, here is a good article which gives the background on Syria:
Syria: why the West meddling into a 3000 years old realm has failed
This map says all you need to know about why Israel must be outraged at Russia’s determination to preserve Syria. Were it not for the Anglo-French Zionist rape of what was left of the Ottoman Empire, Israel would not exist, and its present territory would simply be part of Syria.
Of course, that may come to pass once more. “Pages of history” and all that.
@Lone Wolf #84:
Oops. Sorry.
New Eastern Outlook: Gordon Duff (of Veterans Today):
The Crash, Coming into Focus, Hebdo and Much More
I need to check my posts more carefully.
Here is the correct link for #87:
Syria: why the West meddling into a 3000 years old realm has failed
Lone Wolf @ 51
AFAIC Bradley does nothing more then stitch together his favorite subset of most every “theoretical” possibility, most of which have been put forth here. My view is simply: any of this is unknowable until investigators determine cause of crash… period. I’ve seen no reason… reading his/Russian/investigator’s statement carefully, that Putin has any intention wrt to this crash, other then find out what the hell happened.
From the article below,
Sharm El Sheikh is believed to be a hub for British intelligence across the Middle East. They obviously know the airport well.
Not only for Brit intel, for the CIA/Mossad and NATO countries intel too.
Why British Haste on Plane Bomb Theory?
British officials have made an unseemly leap to speculate on a terrorist plot in the Russian airliner crash over Sinai last weekend.
And Russia has understandably reacted furiously to the speculation, saying that it is too early to make such an assessment when crash investigators have not even compiled, let alone evaluated, evidence.
American officials, including President Barack Obama, are also now echoing the British claims of a bomb on the plane. The question is: why the haste?[…]
[…]So what is to be gained by London and Washington attributing the Russian airliner deaths to terrorism? It is not hard to imagine that both would like to see Russian President Vladimir Putin incurring a political backlash from his nation over what is Russia’s worst-ever air crash.
The Al Qaeda-affiliate in Sinai claiming to have taken the plane down has said that the alleged attack was in revenge for Russia’s military intervention in Syria, which has wiped out hundreds of Islamic State and other so-called jihadists.
Russia’s military intervention in Syria has so far proven to be a political success for Vladimir Putin. Russia has gained much kudos internationally for its decisive actions to eradicate vile terror groups and for helping to relieve the Syrian nation from a four-year war. Moscow has also taken the lead with respect to organising political talks between the government of Bashar al-Assad and constitutional opposition parties.
Furthermore, Putin’s military foray in Syria has discommoded Washington and London in their covert attempts at regime change in that country. The Western-backed covert war relying on sundry mercenary terror networks — mislabeled as “moderate rebels” in the Western media — has been brilliantly exposed and is being thwarted by Russia. Western vexation with Putin’s masterstroke in Syria is palpable.
A month after Putin’s stunning success in Syria, a Russian civilian passenger plane goes down over Egypt. A ragtag terror group claims responsibility in killing over 200 Russian civilians in revenge for Putin’s anti-terror operations in Syria.
Britain and America then move at the highest level of government — how unusual is that?— to back up the terrorist claims of a “spectacular” blow against Russia. The political motivation of undermining Putin seems clear — albeit despicably base given the loss of civilian life.
Cameron and Obama are evidently being fed intelligence assessments of a bomb being stowed in the airplane’s hold by terrorists.
But here is a big one. The confidence by which these assessments of terror methodology are being made raises an even more troubling, darker question: was it really terrorists, or was it British MI6 agents palming the deed off as terrorists?
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 15:48 utc | 91
shadyl@82
Yes, I missed the Golan Heights. There is also speculation that Israel wants to maximize it ability to grab offshore gas reserves and pipe that to market.
But let me quickly add that I am not saying that Israel did it. I was only responding to Demain’s questioning that Israel had any motive.
In a sense, all the countries that support/tolerate ISIS (each seeking to gain something) are complicit. That is why I brought up the Saudi clerics. ISIS is a blanket that the media doesn’t want to look under.
Posted by: Jackrabbit | Nov 9 2015 15:50 utc | 92
@Demian@88
Thanks.
From your link,
[…] Using only sources from intelligence agencies, we were then informed that Russia was under the assumption that Saudi intelligence and their paid operatives within Egyptian intelligence were responsible. It’s been stated that: “Half the Egyptians work for Israel, the other half for Saudi Arabia anyway, Egypt has no security services, only paid foreign spies […]”
…And both halves work for the higher bidder, be that CIA/MI6 or NATOstan intel, all of them with the loud and clear intention of making Russia pay for ruining their investments in Syria/Iraq, i.e. IS, Ja’N, and all the “moderates” in between.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 16:24 utc | 93
@Lone Wolf:
The article I mentioned in #87 and #89 made me realize that the Empire has reasons to destroy Syria independent of its program to destroy Russia. Specifically, Syria and Russia, both in their own right, pose the same problem for the Empire.
The way the Empire proceeds is well known, and is often called “divide and conquer”. A corollary of divide and conquer when you have nation states is to prop up the regimes of those states that can be colonized, and to destroy those states which cannot. Some states are more resistant to colonization, apparently because they have “stronger cultures’, representing a deeper civilization. The Empire has taken on various identities through the centuries; it is associated with finance capitalism and has been represented by the Netherlands, then Britain, and now the US. Zionist interests have interpenetrated at least the last two phases of the Empire.
Countries/empires which have resisted the Empire which can be said to represent “alternative civilizations” because their nation is based on a sufficiently rich culture are Germany, Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and China. With Merkel opening up Germany’s borders to “refugees”, the subjugation of Germany – a project which began with England and France’s scheming to get it into the war called WW I – is now complete. That process took a century.
Russia and China are touted as the two main “threats” by the Empire because they represent the largest alternative civilizations. But there are others. The Arab world is a civilization in its own right, one which is naturally a pole in the multipolar world which is emerging which the Empire is desperate to arrest. The rump of the Ottaman Empire, Turkey, is a false representative of this civilization which can be used by the Empire as a Trojan horse (in the same way that Poland, a false representative of Europe, is nothing more than a Trojan horse). Syria, in contrast to Turkey, remains true to Arab/Islamic civilization. That is why destroying it is a prime goal of both the anglo Empire and of Israel.
@72/73 mina… although your link was old, the newest article on that site is quite good.. thanks.
Posted by: james | Nov 9 2015 17:29 utc | 96
@jdmckay@90
AFAIC Bradley does nothing more then stitch together his favorite subset of most every “theoretical” possibility, most of which have been put forth here.
Yeah, but the thread to stitch it is venomous slander and innuendo, that is the point of the article.
[…] For does this not prove their argument that Russian intervention only complicates the situation on the ground while increasing the threat of terror attacks? […]
Prove? There is an ongoing investigation, and while the final report is not out, there is nothing to prove.
Posted by: Lone Wolf | Nov 9 2015 17:37 utc | 97
91; As I said on day one, they’re trying to make sure that Putin gets the message…and Putin’s natural style prevents them from knowing whether he did, so they keep ratcheting it up a notch.
Putin did, but his morality is not, how shall we say, as “flexible”. So the logic of Russia disrupting Saudi and other gulf states[who are, oh so vulnerable] with a like act[s] of terrorism, which would benefit Russia twofold would seem to be off the table.
The reality is, regardless of the venal immorality of “west’s” actions in this matter, Putin has to play his hand and not get distracted as he did with MH-17. The west says it will turn Syria into a wasteland as it did in Afghanistan in Soviet times…[they are already there], which leaves Putin the job of nation building a nation [a region really] in which the US led coalition will continue to send arms and train foreign fighters ad nauseum.
Will the Wests willingness to create mayhem until it gets it’s way, force Putin into the Wests desire to “re-map” Syria once again, I don’t know.
But the loss of 244 Russians, while tragic, is a drop in the bucket compared to what the Syrians, Libyans and Iraqis have been forced to put upon the DCers alter of human sacrifice. DCers megalomania knows no bounds, they are sick sociopaths, insulated in every way from the consequences of their actions by the corporate media…Goebbels never had it so good.
If Putin had not anticipated the Wests embrace of terrorism under our Peace Prize Prez, he’d better add it to his calculus…anybody who is willing to murder some 350,000 innocents is not going to stop at anything, or, heavens forbid, revert to civilized behavior. DCers are as debauched as anything Romans were forced to endure…indeed, I think Caligula could learn a trick or two.
Posted by: S Brennan | Nov 9 2015 18:01 utc | 98
Dan Glazebrook has some additional thoughts on how the plane crash fits into british/imperial interests:
If the Sinai Attack was Terrorism, the Timing was Perfect for Western Geopolitical Strategy
Along with Russia, Egypt has played a leading “spoiler role”, as Sukant Chandan puts it, in the West’s regime change operation in Syria – and has not been forgiven for it. In addition, Mubarak’s government had been dragging its feet on the privatization and ‘structural adjustment’ demanded by the IMF: and tourism was and is a major source of income helping to reduce the country’s dependence on the international banksters.
[…]
In a world, then, where Western power is in steep decline, terrorism is fast becoming one of the last few viable options for extending its hegemony and undermining the rising power of the global South. If this attack was conducted by ISIS, then, how kind it was of them to take it upon themselves to act as the vanguard of Western imperial interests. And how obliging of the hundreds of Western agents in the organization not to do anything to stop them.
Posted by: Kraut | Nov 9 2015 18:26 utc | 99
@51 Russia’s doubling down in Syria:
Russia says flew 137 sorties, hit 448 targets in Syria in last three days
Read more at Reutershttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/09/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-strikes-idUSKCN0SY1O220151109#F6eoeMfzshZxoe5W.99
Posted by: okie farmer | Nov 9 2015 18:41 utc | 100