Moon of Alabama Brecht quote
January 13, 2017

"35 Pages" Attack Against Trump Fails - Foreign And Domestic Losses

UPDATED (at end of original)

The tale about the fake accusations about Russian influence on the U.S. presidential election becomes more gripping by each day. The are part of a larger war between various groups of the "elites" but also include infighting between U.S. government organizations.

We know that there was heavy Ukrainian influence on the side of Clinton in the election and in the current smear campaign against Trump and Russia. But it certainly wasn't Ukraine alone that is behind this. There are more international connections.

The "former" desk officer for Russia in the British MI6 Christopher Steele was the one who prepared the 35 pages of obviously false claims about Russian connections with and kompromat against Trump. There are so many inconsistencies in these pages that anyone knowledgeable about the workings in Moscow could immediately identify it as fake. Putin personally started working on Trump five years ago when Trump had no political role or hope whatsoever? A Trump associate met Russian officials in Prague even though he has never been in the Czech Republic?

Steele spread the fakes throughout the press corps in Washington DC but no media published them because these were obviously false accusations.

Steele then decided to hand the papers to the FBI and to talk to its agents hoping they would start an official investigation. He cleared his move (or was ordered to proceed?) at the highest level of the British government:

The Daily Telegraph was told during a meeting with a highly-placed source in Washington DC last October that the FBI had contacted Mr Steele asking if they could discuss his findings with him. The source said that Mr Steele spoke to officials in London to ask for permission to speak to the FBI, which was duly granted, and that Downing Street was informed.
...
Once he had been given the all-clear, he met an FBI agent in another European country, where he discussed the background to the file he had compiled. His contact with the FBI reportedly began in July last year and ended in October, after he became frustrated by the bureau’s slow progress.

When Steele's first move with the FBI in October did note deliver the hoped for results an attempt to stove pipe them through Senator John McCain was launched. A "former" British ambassador to Moscow arranged the hand over:

A former British ambassador to Russia has revealed he played a significant role in bringing the Donald Trump 'dirty dossier' to the attention of the American intelligence services.

Sir Andrew Wood said he spoke to Republican senator John McCain at an international security conference in November about the existence of material that could compromise the president-elect.

Mr McCain subsequently handed the document, which contained allegations of lurid sexual behaviour by Mr Trump in Russian hotels, to the head of the FBI.

The MI6 is well known for launching fakes on behalf of the British government.

Even the second, more official handover to the FBI still did not result in the hoped for publication of the allegations. But by that time Clinton was widely expect to win the election anyway so no further steps were taken.

After Trump unexpectedly won the election a new effort was launched to publish the smears. The Director of National Intelligence decided (or was ordered to) "brief" the President, the President elect and Congress on the obviously dubious accusations.

It was this decision that made sure that the papers would eventually be published. As the NYT noted:

What exactly prompted American intelligence officials to pass on a summary of the unvetted claims to Mr. Obama, Mr. Trump and Congress? Officials have said they felt the president-elect should be aware of the memos, which had circulated widely in Washington. But putting the summary in a report that went to multiple people in Congress and the executive branch made it very likely that it would be leaked. [emphasis in the original!]

Only after Clapper or others leaked to CNN about the briefing of Obama, Trump and Congress, did CNN publish about the 35 pages:

Classified documents presented last week to President Obama and President-elect Trump included allegations that Russian operatives claim to have compromising personal and financial information about Mr. Trump, multiple US officials with direct knowledge of the briefings tell CNN.
...
The classified briefings last week were presented by four of the senior-most US intelligence chiefs -- Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey, CIA Director John Brennan, and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers.
...
CNN has reviewed a 35-page compilation of the memos, from which the two-page synopsis was drawn. The memos have since been published by Buzzfeed. The memos originated as opposition research, first commissioned by anti-Trump Republicans, and later by Democrats. At this point, CNN is not reporting on details of the memos, as it has not independently corroborated the specific allegations.

The last half-sentence is part of the smear campaign. When DNI Clapper recently tried to exculpate himself from the shit-storm he created he used the same obfuscation:

The IC has not made any judgment that the information in this document is reliable ..

That is like saying: "The IC has not made any judgement that information of Barack Obama's Kenyan citizenship is reliable .."

Any media or intelligence agency that claims it could or did not judge the content of 35 papers is obfuscating in an attempt to give them additional weight. The easily verifiable content is so obviously false that the few not immediately verifiable claims in it can not be taken serious. The media and Clapper know this and, if they were truthful, would say so.

The attack on Trump (and Russia) failed. Trump brushed it of with a few tweets and sentences in his press conference. The attack did not hold up any of the procedures in Congress or elsewhere necessary to install the new administration. It did not change policies. The British government and the MI6 have cake on their face. The DNI office and the CIA will bleed.

The attack was a deep state attempt to stage a coup against Trump:

Trump has deliberately rattled the members of the deep state with his brazen criticism of U.S. intelligence findings about Russian hacking. Deep government does not stand idly by, as David Runciman wrote recently in the London Review of Books, and allow itself to be shat upon by newcomers. The president-elect has enemies in profusion on the inside who are practiced at the art of the leak. They may have had no official role in this attempt to stage a coup against Trump before he’s even inaugurated, but they must be cheering BuzzFeed’s naughtiness as they sharpen their knives for his administration.

This blog reported and warned a month ago of such "elite" coup attempts. The fight has since become more intense.

But this attack failed. Trump gained standing against the "fake news" created by the 35 pages. The fakery and smear attempt was just too obvious. One wonders why it was launched at all. Who panicked?

President Obama, major U.S. intelligence heads, neoconservatives, the British government, Ukrainian "nationalist (aka fascist) circles and the Clinton campaign conspire against Trump and try to derail his announced policy changes. Trump has argued for better relations with Russia and for a concentrated fight in Syria and Iraq against ISIS and other Takfiris and Islamists. This endangers Obama's legacies of starting a new cold war with Russia and of pampering al Qaeda and ISIS to overthrow the Syrian government.

Two fights within the U.S. government are being waged within this larger context. One is the fight between the CIA and the U.S. military over spying competence and lethal operations. CIA Director Brennan, who was and is Obama's consigliere and a Saudi operative, has waged a military campaign in Afghanistan, Yemen, Iraq, Syria and several other countries.

The CIA's assassinations by drones is an operational issue which the military believes should be under its exclusive control. On the other side military special forces missions have hindered CIA intelligence gathering. The CIA support for and training of various Takfiri militants in Syria, Iraq and Libya is against the interest of the soldiers who eventually will have to fight these groups. The incoming National Security Advisor Flynn warned against the CIA's policies back in 2012 when he led the Defense Intelligence Agency. U.S. special forces then sabotaged such CIA operations in Syria.

With Flynn coming in as National Security Advisor the CIA is in danger of losing this fight. Flynn will argue for a CIA that only collects and analyzes and will likely try to move all operative businesses to the military Joint Special Operations Command.

Today the CIA used its unofficial spokesperson to (again) warn Flynn off. Writing in Jeff Bezos' blog David Ignatius stenographed the threat:

According to a senior U.S. government official, Flynn phoned Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak several times on Dec. 29, the day the Obama administration announced the expulsion of 35 Russian officials as well as other measures in retaliation for the hacking. What did Flynn say, and did it undercut the U.S. sanctions? The Logan Act (though never enforced) bars U.S. citizens from correspondence intending to influence a foreign government about “disputes” with the United States. Was its spirit violated?

(If Flynn's phone-calls are under FISA surveillance would that not be highly classified? How else would anyone know about them? How many laws were broken by planting this through Ignatius?)

A second area of internal conflict is about the Director of the FBI Comey. He was and is not sufficiently deferential to the Obama cabal and the Clinton campaign. He launched and publicly announced an investigation into Clinton's proven illegal behavior with regard to her private email server, but he refrained from announcing and investigating the obviously fake accusations against Trump which were peddled to him. Such disloyal misdeed demands punishment:

The Justice Department’s inspector general said Thursday that he would open a broad investigation into how the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, handled the case over Hillary Clinton’s emails, ..
...
The inspector general’s office said that it was initiating the investigation in response to complaints from members of Congress and the public about actions by the F.B.I. and the Justice Department during the campaign that could be seen as politically motivated.

The inspector general is serving at the pleasure of the president. He can be fired as soon as Trump is in office. Unless he joins the cabal against Trump Comey has nothing to fear.

But the war against Trump is not over. Trump should and must be fought but that fight should be about important economic and social issues for which people care and of which there are plenty.

Trump has his own cabal, libertarian billionaires like the Koch brothers, several generals in his cabinet and arch Zionists like Adelson. But that cabal's henchmen are not yet installed throughout the government. It is important to hinder such infestation.

The fight as it is waged now is an attempt to redirect Trump's foreign policies and to generally lesson his foreign policy power. That fight was already lost during the campaign. Every attempt to accuse Trump of this or that "Russia" outrage that has nothing to do with the average voter's life simply fails. These pseudo scandals waged within the "elite" media against him just makes him stronger.

But the cabal was unable to understand that during the campaign and is still unable to get a grip on it. It will continue its attempts and will lessen its own power through its failures.

Effort by Obama loyalists against Trump started immediately after election day:

Over the past 10 years, Obama alumni have spread throughout the government, the advocacy world, and influential parts of the private sector, including at Google and Facebook. That means there’s a lot diverse talent to harness.

More attacks on Trump will come even when Trump is in full power and starts to clean house.

But all of those who openly work against him will be endangered. The continued open attacks only lay bare the various actors behind them. Those will be be shunned. Each new open attack against Trump will eliminate another power center installed during the Obama administration. If these hopeless attacks continue few will be left to wage the silent, patient resistance against the Trump administration that will be necessary to lessen the damage it will create.

To now attack Trump, Flynn, Comey or even Putin is hopeless and unproductive. It only hinders achieving their long-term aims. One thereby wonders why this panic reaction from one side of the deep state cabal continues. What dirt have they hidden that they fear will be unearthed?

UPDATE: FBI director Comey pissed on the House Democrats at the end of a classified hearing today. This a day after Obama's Justice Department IG opened a case against him (see above). One might guess that Comey has had enough of it OR has now been assured of Trump's backing. The Hill reports:
A number of House Democrats left Friday's confidential briefing on Russian hacking fuming over the actions of FBI Director James Comey and convinced he's unfit to lead the agency.

"I was nonjudgmental until the last 15 minutes. I no longer have that confidence in him," Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), ranking member of the Veterans Affairs Committee, said as he left the meeting in the Capitol.

"Some of the things that were revealed in this classified briefing — my confidence has been shook." ...

Posted by b on January 13, 2017 at 14:34 UTC | Permalink

Comments
next page »

Fake News, Fake News, Fake News, Fake News.

Oh my I give. It's endless and so many weak minded are true believers.

Posted by: jo6pac | Jan 13 2017 14:53 utc | 1

"Mr Steele spoke to officials in London to ask for permission to speak to the FBI, which was duly granted, and that Downing Street was informed."
Oh well, the first discussion between president-in-office Trump and PM Theresa May will be interesting...

Posted by: Clueless Joe | Jan 13 2017 15:03 utc | 2

So, the political class is divided. Does that mean that the 'Deep State' is split on Trump? If so, will there be a 'civil war' as the oligarchs battle?

Ultimately, no.

Does all this mean that the people who voted for Trump revolt when (not if) he is brought down either by a bullet or impeachment?

Probably not.

And that is sad ... not because I support Trump --- I don't. I do hope for civil war --- one that will break down the oligarchs hold on the masses. Alas, I believe the masses actually like the way things are. Given that there are a lot of people who don't vote because they don't care ... and the dimmoc-rats who actually support the neo-cons along with the repuglican masses.

In short, the peoples of exceptional-istan are mostly in favor of protecting exceptional-istan and that includes 99% of the people (sheeple) who post to this blog.

Is it any wonder that a nuclear holocaust ridding the world of this nasty species actually seems like a good thing?

Posted by: rg the lg | Jan 13 2017 15:10 utc | 3

the last time anybody tried to bring down a major politician
using allegations of a sexual nature was about 50 years ago
(Profumo scandal)

nobody is really interested in such stories nowadays.

(you hear these kinds of stories about Nigel Farage all the time, and
that hasnt seemed to harm his reputation one iota)
(apparently likewise BoJo (aka Boris Johnson)

Who exactly is trying to blackmail whom?
might it not be elements in the British Government (and assorted (nameless) allies
that are trying to blackmail, or just discredit Donald Trump?

(seems Trumps adventures are somewhat minor compared to Farage and Boris Johnson)

Posted by: chris m | Jan 13 2017 15:13 utc | 5

Christ, these warmongering MSM/deep-state just turned into McCarthy-witch hunter's fast. The modern day nazis right here.
Make no mistake this hysteria and hatered is pure racism against Russia(ns).


Trump to CNN: 'You are fake news'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJxxQM7GxJA

^ Truer words have not been uttered.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 15:18 utc | 6

It ain't over till the fat lady sings, and that is still a week away.

As the inauguration approaches and Trump still hasn't been stopped or at least reigned in the cabal will become more desperate. Trump had clearly been approached with these 35 pages, and clearly the blackmail attempt failed, and the blackmailers would have known that the papers were lies already. They went with it anyway.

So what other "rocks" do they have to throw at Putin and Trump. 2500 armored vehicles reinforcing encirclement and soo to be siege of Kalingrad would be a start. Certainly we can expect more "cyber" attacks can be expected.

The real wild card is another "pearl harbor" like event, ala 911 and PNAC. Perhaps that is why Israel was taking out SAA positions west of Damascus yesterday with what appear to be stealth rockets able to avoid SA-300 detection.

Posted by: Kenny | Jan 13 2017 15:19 utc | 7

Civil war in the US has begun, with the Pentagon fighting the CIA and the Justice [sic] Dept fighting the FBI.
The war will move the the streets if they kill Trump.

Posted by: Perimetr | Jan 13 2017 15:19 utc | 8

Re: Posted by: Clueless Joe | Jan 13, 2017 10:03:09 AM | 2

Unfortunately Theresa May is a moron and can't be trusted. Trump would do well to endorse Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn - now that would throw a spanner in the works!

Posted by: Julian | Jan 13 2017 15:20 utc | 9

"But the war against Trump is not over. In my view Trump should and must be fought but that fight should be about important economic and social issues for which people care and of which there are plenty."

This! This is what the most aggravating thing with all of this Fake News Trumps-in-bed-with-Putin crapola. Yet another distraction in an endless series of them brought to you by some faction or another the frickin' useless, worthless USG. Certainly NEVER ever working for the hapless proles who fund this stinking nonsense.

I, too, have very serious concerns about Trump, and I, too, would like to see him fought often, although not always, on his plans, goals and initiatives.

But as his billionaires cabinet is being fast-tracked through the Beauty Contest process, the real meat in the sandwich is being lost in this side-show crap about Boris and Natasha. Of course, to a certain extent, the Reality TV aspect of it plays into Trump's hand (on certain levels), so he can Tweet away - which also deflects attention from the cabal that he's assembling to pillage & plunder the USA and the rest of the planet.

GAH. What. A. Mess.

Thanks for the update and analysis.

Posted by: RUKidding | Jan 13 2017 15:22 utc | 10

So who killed Litvinenko? Mr "Steele" knows. This sheds light on his previous "work". I still remember sitting in a London hotel watching endless BBC reporting how Russia did it. Seemed a bit contrived to me at the time.

Posted by: regor | Jan 13 2017 15:22 utc | 11

you have got to admit that if these stories are as "fake" as you say
then Trump seems to have a good case to make regarding suing this
particular individual, who seems to have gone into hiding.

(i advise Trump not to get too mad about this)
why not just make an extradition request to UK government?

UK government has extradited any number of individuals to US over recent years
(Navinder sarao, and any number of bored computer hackers, to name but a few)

Posted by: chris m | Jan 13 2017 15:23 utc | 12

If you're wondering what the dirt is you must must must watch the Where is Eric Braverman videos that outline completely the depth of corruption, treachery and criminality of the Clinton Foundation and all with their snouts in the Clinton Foundation trough.

A very engaging series of videos.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=x9VyrKB88DM

Posted by: Julian | Jan 13 2017 15:24 utc | 13

there were rumours that this dossier was instigated by the Dems and offered to many news organisations which refused to touch it. Is this true or just rumour?

Posted by: mischi | Jan 13 2017 15:28 utc | 14

Great article.

As a concerned citizen I find myself arguing with my family and friends about the wisdom of warmongering against Russia, due to it's dire consequences, and at the same time wanting to take on the President Elect on his apparent plan to dismantle the EPA by appointing a climate denier as its head, privatizing Medicare and Social Security, etc, etc.

I agree that portions of MIC are at war with other parts, and the elites of the Democratic Party are attempting to reestablish their control of the party, through the use of erroneous and very easily disputable information. My concern mirrors that of Glenn Greenwald that when the current scuffle is over, the opposition will have to credibility by which to tackle the more important fights.

"There is a real danger here that this maneuver could harshly backfire, to the great benefit of Trump and to the great detriment of those who want to oppose him. If any of the significant claims in this “dossier” turn out to be provably false — such as Cohen’s trip to Prague — many people will conclude, with Trump’s encouragement, that large media outlets (CNN and BuzzFeed) and anti-Trump factions inside the government (CIA) are deploying “Fake News” to destroy him. In the eyes of many people, that will forever discredit — render impotent — future journalistic exposés that are based on actual, corroborated wrongdoing."

https://theintercept.com/2017/01/11/the-deep-state-goes-to-war-with-president-elect-using-unverified-claims-as-dems-cheer/

Posted by: Michael | Jan 13 2017 15:31 utc | 15

@Michael 15-
You articulate another grave concern of mine. It's beyond frustrating and aggravating to witness the avalanche of pure unadulterated bs in terms of the Trump-Russia-Putin nexis - all seemingly false and without a shred of real evidence to back it up. Calls on the credibility of those "nooz" organizations who keep harping on this junk.

I, too, have serious concerns about a Trump admin, but like some/many here, am actually in favor (so far) of his stated goals of working more amiably (if that's the term) with Putin on solutions of mutual benefit and concern.

Attempting to destroy all of Trump's legitmacy with this type of bs is going to make it more difficult to really question what he's doing - for real - when his Admin gets into full swing.

My loathing of the Clintons - which I thought had reached the zenith some time ago - has increased tenfold. I think they are, at least, somewhat in the shadows pushing this crap, although with their partners in Deep State.

Posted by: RUKidding | Jan 13 2017 15:40 utc | 16

re #7 "... siege of Kali[in]grad ...":

Kremlin Stooge has reported the U.S. has deployed 1000 troops to Orzysza, north-east Poland. It's in the southern half of former East Prussia that was awarded to Poland after WW2, very close to the border of Kaliningrad Oblast'. The troops are likely a reinforced armored infantry battalion, rotated in and out of an equipment depot for a full armored brigade, which somehow theoretically doesn't seems to break the letter of the NATO-Russia agreement. Able to be quickly brought up to full brigade strength by flying the other two battalions of troops in. Poised for an assault on Kaliningrad. The vultures are gathering.

Posted by: Seward | Jan 13 2017 15:41 utc | 17

What dirt do they have hidden? Pretty much everything Moon has been reporting these last years.

Also, there is a chance that he really is going to drain the swamp for the benefit of the long suffering populace. I'm encouraged by the choice of Sessions and Tillerson. These are decent god fearing first rate men.

Mattis is a good choice for the Pentagon. He knows where the bodies are buried, and the Pentagon and the whole MIC needs a good purge as well.

Flynn is interesting. I think he is the brains behind the throne.

Several people have pointed out that this was not just any election, this was a civil war in the deep state. You will recall that the CIA sent its guys out to stump for Hillary, and that 200 senior officers endorsed Trump. You will recall that the CIA and the army were fighting each other by proxy in Syria. You will recall that the State Dept. was completely ineffective Post Hillary.

It's sort of obvious that the criminal cabal Hillary was leading was taking the country on a course that could only end in nuclear catastrophe. The adults had to reassert control but they are up against a very power faction.

If Trump was a tool of the elite the corporate media would love him because he would keep the party going. Trump is different from any candidate we have seen since Kennedy. That's why he got my support early on, even though I despise Republicans. There were millions like me.

Trump has been horribly maligned by the press, but these last 10 years, whatever they are reporting, pretty much the opposite is true.

Trump is not a greedy corrupt insider. He is the revolution.

The revolution that will save the Republic at the expense of the empire.

These are epic times.

Posted by: Anon | Jan 13 2017 15:45 utc | 18

Re: "Steele spread the fakes throughout the press corps in Washington DC but no media published them because these were obviously false accusations."

You are wrong. The reports in the dossier were published almost verbatim by Kurt Eichenwald of Newsweek. Most of the allegations are included in this article from November 4th.

Why Russia is backing Donald Trump

The Kremlin also has both video and audio recordings of Trump in a kompromat file. Newsweek could not confirm if there is anything compromising in those recordings.

The material was reshuffled into this article on January 11, 2017, without mentioning that Eichenwald had access to the Steele fabrications. Instead, Eichenwald claims the disinformation came from "Western intelligence".

Trump, Putin and the Hidden History of How Russia Interfered in the U.S. Presidential Elections

Prior to the November presidential vote, Newsweek published an article revealing the scope, intent, mechanisms and global impact of Russia’s interference with the American election, based largely on information from European intelligence services. Given the recent release of declassified government documents confirming large portions of the original article, we are combining new reporting with extensive information from the first Newsweek piece that has yet to be declassified and has been described by individuals from and connected to several foreign intelligence services who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Posted by: Petri Krohn | Jan 13 2017 15:46 utc | 19

Should prove to be an interesting week this one. A number of fronts on the boil again right now. If Trump is truly anti-war then we'll all get (and are getting imo) a look at this ugly multi-headed beast.

Posted by: MadMax2 | Jan 13 2017 15:49 utc | 20

Michael & RUKidding

You articulate another grave concern of mine. It's beyond frustrating and aggravating to witness the avalanche of pure unadulterated bs in terms of the Trump-Russia-Putin nexis - all seemingly false and without a shred of real evidence to back it up. Calls on the credibility of those "nooz" organizations who keep harping on this junk.

As a concerned citizen I find myself arguing with my family and friends about the wisdom of warmongering against Russia, due to it's dire consequences, and at the same time wanting to take on the President Elect on his apparent plan to dismantle the EPA by appointing a climate denier as its head, privatizing Medicare and Social Security, etc, etc.

So true, I can relate to this, it feels very lonely and incredibly frustrating that people cant see the obvious political game of the campagain against Trump and Russia. Its like people today, they believe anything MSM tells them. Its a horrible feeling really because you cant argue with these people they are for lack of a better word brainwashed, and fewer and fewer dare to speak out these days thats what these people in the MSM also want to achive. If you speak out - you are a communist or agent etcetera. Its so stupid and dangerous.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 15:50 utc | 21

You ask, What dirt have they hidden that they fear will be unearthed?

In my opinion one thing being protected is the Clinton Foundation doings. I have found the whole discussion of how Trump's business will be handled in his absence as President and the negative press about it, a kind of roadmap for Trump trying to avoid the same kind of revelations that might come forward related to the Clinton Foundation.

There are serious, ongoing investigations by folks related to the Clinton Foundation activities that could blow lids off MANY seriously illegal activities and guilty parties.

Posted by: linda amick | Jan 13 2017 15:52 utc | 22

Anonymous @21
It's getting harder and harder to communicate with citizens, most of whom have been incredibly brainwashed by unceasing - and every effective for the most part - propaganda that's pumped out 24/7/365. IMO, it began on the so-called "right" with the obvious villains of Rush/Fox/"Christian"Broadcasting. But the putative "left" is now every bit as propagandized as what's called the "rightwing."

A lot of it is about ye olde divide and conquer, plus distract 'em to death, so the Oligarchs can just get on with the plunder and pillaging.

I don't really "get" the big giant freak out vis Russia, although I chucked out my tv ages ago and realized long long ago that National Propaganda Radio is full of lies, venality, bs, hype and worse... just like their cousins at Fox/CNN/MSNBC, etc. In fact, several "nooz" reports on NPR also work (or used to work at) Fox.

US citizens have been propagandized forever. Speaking only for myself, I woke up to reality early on when I witnessed Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald "live" on tv. I am ever so grateful that I witnessed that event because, even at a very young age, I became quite cynical and have questioned WTF the PTB are up to ever since.

Long story short is: yes, it's difficult to talk to just about anyone in the USA about what's really going on. Well it's complex to explain, and I benefit from decades of real research and investigation, which are hard (for me) to narrow down into easily digestible talking points. Frankly my so-called "leftie" friends and acquaintances are every bit as angry, narrow-minded and not open to any really serious discussion than people I know on the "rightwing" end of the spectrum. Most citizens remain either impervious to questioning the memes and narratives they are spoon-fed, or they've simply checked out (I have numerous friends in this category) because they just don't want to know about it anymore (somewhat correctly assuming that there's precious little they can do to effect any positive change).

But I do keep trying to speak out where I can. One does have to choose one's words very carefully. And seek ways to express ideas in a pretty simplified fashion. US citizens are pretty stupid when it comes to politics, alas.

Good luck.

Posted by: RUKidding | Jan 13 2017 16:03 utc | 23

@16 RUKidding

I agree with you. My desire for peace with Russia is much more selfish and about survival of the species.

If you follow the climate change issue much you might discover we may very well be sitting on the precipice of extinction. In the linked video by Professor Emeritus Peter Wadhams, Cambridge University, is a statement at about 16:30 minutes of a claim by Russian ice researcher Natalia Shakhova that we are in the midst of a 50 GT methane release. This claim needs to be verified as quickly as possible and if true will be a pivotal event in human history. IMHO everything else will be merely rearranging the deck chairs on a civilization rushing towards extinction.

This would mean if the human species has a chance of survival, Americans and Russians are going to have to work very closely together to address this issue, since most of the reported release is occurring in Russian waters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUsHfkAiWsY

Posted by: Michael | Jan 13 2017 16:05 utc | 24

b, 'If these hopeless attacks continue few will be left to wage the silent, patient resistance against the Trump administration that will be necessary to lessen the damage it will create.'

but that's just the point ... these 'progressives' are not interested in lessening the damage trump's administration will create. they are interested in preserving the damage clinton/bush/obama and the neo-cons have created. they are all on the all-war all-the-time payroll, and ... it's very hard to get someone to understand something when their paycheck depends on their not understanding it, to paraphrase upton sinclair, again.

it's just garden variety corruption on an american scale. the grift which trump and his mob envision threatens to contflict with the graft that the neo-cons and 'progressives' have been collecting for the past 24 years. it will ruin their 'good thing'. it's a gangland war ... and 'even' the europeans are involved ... the british tories and blairites and the french socialists are in up to their eyeballs, as are the german cdu and social democrats and the poles and the people running the baltic states and ukraine. the israeli zionists and the gcc salafist/royalists in the middle east all feel endangered ... because they all have guilty consciences. no matter what they've peddled to the public over the past couple of decades they know what they've done. they're not only terrified of losing their 'good thing', they're afraid of being tried and convicted, in court or out.

i think they have not so much to worry about. they'll find out that the trump gang is willing to close ranks with them against all of us, their common enemy. by march or april they'll all be getting along swimmingly. but for now guilty fear of losing their 'good thing' rules.

if there's going to be patient resistance offered to the continued degradation of life on earth by the neolibraconians it's got to come from 'left field', outside of neolibraconia itself.

Posted by: jfl | Jan 13 2017 16:07 utc | 25

linda amick @22
I believe that both the Clintons and Trump have a ton of skeletons in their respective closets. Neither one wants to reveal anything and are fighting tooth & nail to keep their secrets locked away. It would be interesting to get into the weeds with both the Clinton Foundation and Trump's family businesses. Both look pretty skeevy to me.

Posted by: RUKidding | Jan 13 2017 16:08 utc | 26

b:

Director Brennan, who was and is Obama's consigliere and a Saudi operative
"Operative" is rather strong. Did you mean "Saudi sympathizer"?

I'm sure there are many intel/mil people that anticipate tapping into the Saudi/Qatar gravy train. They are no doubt unhappy with Trump.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 16:08 utc | 27

@RU kidding

The public discourse has moved over to Reddit and other boards. Anyone who still consumes legacy media will never change their thinly.

Posted by: Anon | Jan 13 2017 16:09 utc | 28

@ b
Is your email addy on the 'about this site' page still active ?

Back to OT

There have been multiple independent, corroborated reports that the 'Dossier' was available up to 6 months ago, and widely secretly distributed and discussed by members of Congress and the media prior to October ?

It would seem that secret knowledge was behind all the slanders and denigrating MSM inferences re Trump being Putin's puppydog throughout the Election campaign, and thru to the actual release via Buzzfeed and others. The MSM had read the #Fake dossier, but did not publish through that period, but THEY KNEW, therefore, that he was a traitor to the Evil Russkies, hm ? And fed that into their MSM smears and biased reports ...

A key entity, formerly in the CIA Clandestine Service at the Executive level has publicly championed the credibility, veracity and provenance of the #Fake dossier, and especially specifically the ex(?)-MI6 author ... and also champions publicly the 'insider' view of the objectives re actions against Trumps faction. Was there a third conduit via CIA, from MI6, to CIA and et al, is that how it came to be widely accessed much earlier than October ?

Many questions ...

Posted by: Outraged | Jan 13 2017 16:13 utc | 29

jfl @25
I always said that the Oligarchs - initially on both sides of aisle - were spitting mad that Trump was just horning in on their grift (recall how the "Republicans" ultimately sought various ways to prevent Trump from winning the Primary, and then many jumped on the Clinton train. I assumed the latter happen bc they figured their share of the grift would be better with Clinton than with Trump).

Yeah, it's mostly only about fingers in the pie, keeping the MIC/IC gravy train chugging ever forward.

Greed. That's the beginning and end of it.

Posted by: RUKidding | Jan 13 2017 16:13 utc | 30

@Anon 28

Yes, anyone consuming MSM, which includes some blogs these days, will never change their thinking bc they simply don't want to. They've bought whichever version of the propaganda they want to believe, and they don't want to have to really think about what's going on. That is the situation with most US citizens.

Posted by: RUKidding | Jan 13 2017 16:16 utc | 31

b:

Trump has his own cabal ... [including] arch Zionists like Adelson.
I'm not sure what this statement is based on.

See: Casino Mogul Sheldon Adelson Tells Trump to Dial It Down

Adelson has only contributed $10 million to the Trump campaign [as of Oct 19], and continues to focus his efforts on aiding GOP candidates in Senate and House of Representatives races.

To date, Trump has raised just $200 million, compared to more than $500 million raised by the Clinton campaign.

Trump accepted additional funds from Adelson in the last week or two of the campaign. The race was virtually over by then. Money changed hands only because both Adelson and Trump (by accepting) were merely hedging their bets.

<> <> <> <> <> <>

And, as you mentioned previously, uber-neocon Woosley got so frustrated with being denied access that he publicly ended his support for Trump.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 16:19 utc | 32

@27 jr, john o brennan

wikipedia: 'In 1996 he was CIA station chief in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia when the Khobar Towers bombing killed 19 U.S. servicemen. In 1999 he was appointed chief of staff to George Tenet, then-Director of the CIA.'

whether the cia's trying to destroy the saudis, or just accomplishing that 'inadvertantly', brennan's gotta be instrumental.

Posted by: jfl | Jan 13 2017 16:19 utc | 33

RUkidding

Thanks for your great response,
yes the 24/7 streaming of MSM into the crowd sheep is worrying, and it has become that way because the same MSM shame out alternative media, so alot of people wont explore the alternative media today just because their MSM told them so. So thats a large problem, regular people have no idea what people like us here talk about so its sometimes impossible to even start off the argument with these people because their level is so low.

Good point about chosing your word carefully too, thats extremly important, it has to be sensitive and factual, no emotions, or personal attacks should be involved and any bias oneself may have should be toned down as much as possible - that makes the argument stronger.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 16:26 utc | 34

@32 jr, 'arch Zionists like Adelson'

you don't like adelson? how about his ambassador to israel, friedman? what about his son-in-law? remember chipnik's youtube?

Posted by: jfl | Jan 13 2017 16:31 utc | 35

More endless speculation, ok, so here's my part..

We, in the U$A, have one party. The corporate party of money. With the latest cabal, headed
by Mr. Trump, nothing will change for the working classes. The assault on social programs, and all programs that benefit the working classes will regress. More war, more aggression, meant to enrich the already rich, will excellerate. More endless theater.

We'll see.

Posted by: ben | Jan 13 2017 16:34 utc | 36

b:

The fight as it is waged now is an attempt to redirect Trump's foreign policies and to generally lesson his foreign policy power.
This is how many are characterizing the struggle but I don't buy it. Trump/Flynn will easily undo the roadblocks that Obama Admin neocons put in his way.

That is why I have warned of the likelihood of VP Pence invoking 25th Amendment. Pence is a friend of McCain and hold establishment views. He supports 'no-fly' zones in Syria and TPP.

b:

To now attack Trump, Flynn, Comey or even Putin is hopeless and unproductive.

This episode has not gone well for the anti-Trump side. Only because buzzfeed did the unthinkable and published the dossier. But the effort to unseat Trump has otherwise been well thought-out and well-executed.

The anti-Trump side still has the media and control of the government. Rising tensions with Russia may be next (US troops have just arrived in Poland).

Then there are the protests planned for Trump's inauguration.

:::: Don't unplug your popcorn machine just yet. ::::

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 16:46 utc | 37

This is why Trump surrounded himself with Mattis and Flynn. Both highly respected in the armed forces. Any coup attempted against him by the CIA will be severely hampered by the fact that he has the armed forces completely in his corner.

Posted by: Danny801 | Jan 13 2017 16:53 utc | 38

@Seward | Jan 13, 2017 10:41:20 AM | 17

"Able to be quickly brought up to full brigade strength by flying the other two battalions of troops in. Poised for an assault on Kaliningrad. The vultures are gathering."

I think this is one of the zio-warmongers last "trump" cards. Novorussia would be another, and Georgia is still horny to get into Nato and is a Soros-puppet state.

I find it interesting how the Poles, so easily manipulated into becoming the platform for starting WWII (with devastating consequences for Poland) by Roosevelt and Churchill, are once again such easy dupes for England and the USA. All we need is another Gleiwitz incident on the Kalingrad border and rockets could easily start flying, escalating rapidly to martial law in the US and the inauguration postponed until the "crisis" has subsided.

Posted by: Kenny | Jan 13 2017 16:54 utc | 39

jfl @35

Not saying there isn't reason for concern. But Trump's Zionism is as yet unclear. Trump seems to be a pragmatist, not an ideologue. One can not be both "America First" and "Israel First".

The assumption that Trump is Zionist is similar to the assumption that all Jews are Zionist. But there are many Jews that disagree with the Zionist hardliners.

Reconciling with Russia means giving up the fight for regime change in Syria, which I believe Zionists are strongly against. They want to prevail in Syria.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 16:55 utc | 40

As others have posted, there are many legitimate reasons to oppose Trump, such as his laissez-faire economic policy of deregulation, assault on worker rights, etc. But what shows the intellectual bankruptcy of the neoliberal class is the completely false accusations centering on the one big positive of Trump: reducing the possibility of WWIII through rapprochement with Russia. Further, supposed 'democratic', 'progressive' figures are fully embracing wild accusations from the CIA and deep state based on lies simply because these lies attack someone they dislike and fear. Truly pitiful.

Posted by: WorldBLee | Jan 13 2017 16:58 utc | 41

Addendum to my post @ 36: More paid hacks posting at MoA.

Posted by: ben | Jan 13 2017 16:59 utc | 42

Where is the outrage at British inference in the 2016 election by compiling dirty dossiers on candidates? And the dirty dossier on Trump, unlike the DNC and Podesta emails, seems to be completely fabricated. Where is the MSM outrage at this brazen act of war by the United Kingdom? Isn't it time to pay back the Brits for burning Washington DC in the 1812 War?

Posted by: Syd | Jan 13 2017 17:03 utc | 43

I appreciate this overview, b. Amid the difficulties of understanding the political infighting that dominates current news, we can easily lose sight of the social and economic issues where we will need to resist the Trump Administration.

You use the phrase "attempted coup" to describe events of these past couple of weeks. That's a bit over-dramatic, isn't it? The "intelligence community" has used J. Edgar Hoover's old trick of assembling a dirty dossier and then implicitly threatening Trump with it. Pretty standard MO for the "community," I would assume.

Trump with his bravado and his twitter following has blown it all up, making "intelligence community" look pretty bad. Not a bad start for a President I generally don't support.

Posted by: Berry Friesen | Jan 13 2017 17:06 utc | 44

WorldBLee @41

Anti-Trump forces will attack Trump on every issue that they can. They play us all for fools as they line their pockets.

Their funding sources - Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Israel - want US to prevail in Syria. Even if it means US war with Russia.

Still others want TPP as an anti-China measure (weaponized trade).

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 17:09 utc | 45

What amaze me also is that the MSM that spread fake-news every day now, are the ones claiming their nemesis, Trump and Russia are behind the fake news!
How could we come to understand this sick behavior?

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 17:10 utc | 46

A fantasy Trump-Putin lovefest is being marketed in an attempt to sabotage Trump. Meanwhile, there's an *actual* Trump-Netanyahu lovefest which will be the source of *actual* escalating problems that could have been used to damage Trump. Why did they chose to go with fantasy rather than reality?

Posted by: mijj | Jan 13 2017 17:16 utc | 47

@26
I agree with you but it seems to me on the Clinton Foundation side there is more risk to famous personages and the public sector than with Trump shenanigans. Additionally, there are more geopolitical implications as well via the Clinton Foundation.
There are lots of important people who want to protect secrecy around this organization.

We US citizens are mere observers wondering what in the world is going on due to the extreme, out of the ordinary events taking place around this election and presidency.

Posted by: linda amick | Jan 13 2017 17:17 utc | 48

@ 43

Think the British have been paid back for many misdeeds - precious few of them can afford to live in London anymore. Commuting is a subtle revenge, paid for by the employed who make the city function and becomes a direct cost to employers who need the city to function, not always a cash cost involved but a cost nonetheless.

Posted by: Formerly T-Bear | Jan 13 2017 17:31 utc | 49

excellent article b... thanks!

it seems fairly obvious some fairly strong powers are intent on taking trump down while fueling the fire for a war with russia strong.. they sense a problem getting past the gate post with trump.. thus, the need to take him down.. trump may not be great for the usa, but it would be much worse the fate that was coming down the pike with clinton..

in fact, the usa/uk have been in lockstep for so many years in their warmongering.. it seems their cage is being rattled with the thought of a political 'outsider' being in some position of power.. trump's an insider as far as business shite goes, but he's a political outsider and i think this freaks those pulling the levers inside the halls of power..

Posted by: james | Jan 13 2017 17:35 utc | 50

@43 syd.. lol... yeah, the msm just ain't gonna be down with ganging up on the uk.. god bless the queen, lol..

Posted by: james | Jan 13 2017 17:41 utc | 51

@13, "Where is Braverman". I stopped watching when Webb confessed he was a "moderate" Zionist.

Posted by: ruralito | Jan 13 2017 18:01 utc | 52

So who killed Litvinenko? Mr "Steele" knows. This sheds light on his previous "work". I still remember sitting in a London hotel watching endless BBC reporting how Russia did it. Seemed a bit contrived to me at the time. Posted by: regor | Jan 13, 2017 10:22:56 AM | 11

Indeed. Boris Berezosky's office was one of the sites where polonium was detected by the British police investigating the case and for some time he was a suspect. See Once Upon a Time in Russia, Ben Mezrich. I'd guess it was an MI6 or Israeli operation (both have access to radioactive polonium from their nuclear weapons programs) intended to push the world towards a new Cold War. That's also about the time the whole 'destabilize eastern Europe' programs began in Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, etc. Soon after, GW Bush was lobbying NATO to accept Ukraine and Georgia as members (2008), as per the neocon PNAC plan.

As far as the dirt that the CIA is worried about, it's almost certainly the details of their covert operations in Syria, the kind of assistance and training they ended up giving to Al Qaeda and ISIS. Turkey's Erdogan claims he has proof of this:

The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he has uncovered evidence that US-led coalition forces have helped support terrorists in Syria – including Isis. - Dec 27 2016

It's also telling that it was McCain who passed on this dossier to the FBI, (on Dec 9 2016) since McCain played a central role coordinating support for ISIS and Al Qaeda with the Saudis in 2013:
U.S lawmakers encouraged officials in Riyadh to arm Syrian rebels.

McCain was praising Prince Bandar bin Sultan, then the head of Saudi Arabia’s intelligence services and a former ambassador to the United States, for supporting forces fighting Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham had previously met with Bandar to encourage the Saudis to arm Syrian rebel forces. . . . . As one senior Qatari official stated, “ISIS has been a Saudi project.” ISIS, in fact, may have been a major part of Bandar’s covert-ops strategy in Syria.

McCain is particularly close to the Saudis; his private foundation in Arizona recieved at least $1 million in Saudi donations:
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/04/02/john-mccain-received-money-from-terrorist-regime-saudi-arabia/

So if just about everyone involved in pushing this dossier was also deeply involved in the covert effort to arm anti-Assad groups, regardless of who they were, back in 2012/2013, which everyone admits was a disastrous operation?

Interestingly, the day before McCain delivered that dossier to the FBI, Tulsi Gabbard introduced this act:

"December 8, 2016 Press Release
Washington, DC—Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) introduced the Stop Arming Terrorists Act today. The legislation would prohibit the U.S. government from using American taxpayer dollars to provide funding, weapons, training, and intelligence support to groups like the Levant Front, Fursan al Ha and other allies of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, al-Qaeda and ISIS, or to countries who are providing direct or indirect support to those same groups."

Coincidence?

Posted by: nonsense factory | Jan 13 2017 18:16 utc | 53

@ mijj 47

[..] Meanwhile, there's an *actual* Trump-Netanyahu lovefest which will be the source of *actual* escalating problems that could have been used to damage Trump. Why did they chose to go with fantasy rather than reality?

Waiting for b/s update: Mosaad's role, finally exposed.

After the billions of aid granted, Obama-Clinton administration was perceived no friend of The Masters, Israel. Despite Hillary’s positions during the 2016 campaign, she has clashed with NetanYahoo. In her visits to Israel and elsewhere in statements, Clinton made some faux pas –criticized Israel’s action, embraced Palestine as “A country.” And, she laid the groundwork for the Iran deal.
https://theintercept.com/2016/05/17/hillary-clinton-wasnt-always-this-one-sided-on-israel/

Trump’s MAGA is a grand deception. The “chosen ones” have chosen.
Israel is now emboldened; overnight Syria’s military airport near Damascus was attached.

Next Friday, (20 January) I expect to hear an expanded version of the Oath of Office for the President. Upon taking the oath of office, Trump will add..” so help me God; and I now transfer ALL my responsibilities and duties to my son-in-law, Jared Kushner. “

And for those who thought we escaped HRC to instantly declare WW3 after her win. Trump will announce it on Twitter @ 4:30 am.

Mad dog Mattis and Tillerson have agreed Russia and China are threats. Trump has stated the Iran deal is bad. Will it be war on all three fronts – Iran, Russia and China?

Observe the dismantling the BRIICS alliance;

Brazil: Dilma Rouseff – gone -replaced by a vassal.
Russia: Putin is a threat – move more troops at their border.
India: Modi pressured to ban cash – destroying India’s economy.
Iran: demonized – a bad actor – shots fired.
China: bad actor; we’ll not allow access to islands in South China sea.
South Africa: all your gold are ours…we need it to balance the books.

Enjoy the Fanfiction.
$20 Trillion will not ever be paid. The USA is a balloon floating towards a pin.

Posted by: likklemore | Jan 13 2017 18:23 utc | 54

I like the end of this comment
"...Where is the MSM outrage at this brazen act of war by the United Kingdom? Isn't it time to pay back the Brits for burning Washington DC in the 1812 War?

Posted by: Syd | Jan 13, 2017 12:03:13 PM | 43
"

I totally like this comment
"
A fantasy Trump-Putin lovefest is being marketed in an attempt to sabotage Trump. Meanwhile, there's an *actual* Trump-Netanyahu lovefest which will be the source of *actual* escalating problems that could have been used to damage Trump. Why did they chose to go with fantasy rather than reality?

Posted by: mijj | Jan 13, 2017 12:16:45 PM | 47
"

So, which faction of the overlords that are in conflict on how to maintain world domination own private banking, BIS, etc.? Or is that another group entirely that is staging this grand production that Hollyweed can only dream about? The Deep State being a rogue faction within the plutocratic puppet hierarchy.

Follow the greed. The debts that MUST be collected at usurious rates.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 13 2017 18:27 utc | 55

Hellooo Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson; welcome to Tamarkan camp. My name is Commander Shears and I regret to inform you that I’m here to blow up that fine bridge you just built for the enemy. Actually, there is even greater irony in all this, as I can predict that you’re going to end up blowing it up yourself once you realize what you just did.

Of course people here won’t get my irony unless they’ve seen the film. Just to be clear, when I refer to the enemy, I’m not referring to Russia; therefore that leaves the other subject you’ve done such a masterful job shielding: the Real Donald J. Trump and I emphasize REAL. Trump has a dark sense of humor: you don’t always get what you want; you get what you need and that’s the REAL Trump, IOW, not the one that pretends he’s gonna make things great. The megalomaniac who’s on a mission to impose Zio-nazi law on the domestic servitude and the vassals and resistors of the Empire.

At times reading this; I thought I had entered the twilight zone of Breitbart, and only when I got to this disclaimer, was I relieved to see that there is still a glimmer of hope that you will return to the side fighting the good fight.

But the war against Trump is not over. In my view Trump should and must be fought [no kidding!] but that fight should be about important economic and social issues for which people care and of which there are plenty. Trump has his own cabal, libertarian billionaires like the Koch brothers, several generals in his cabinet and arch Zionists like Adelson. But that cabal's henchmen are not yet installed throughout the government. It is important to hinder such infestation.

Yes, I do recognize a glimmer of hope, understated, but promising. You might yet blow up that bridge you’ve magnificently engineered, but I’d like to make these adjustments: the fight will and should not be restricted to economic and social issues. Do you really believe that the intended repression and exploitation will be limited to the U.S. alone???

And allow me to correct this sentence by adding my two cents in square parenthesis: But that cabal's henchmen are not yet [ALL] installed throughout the government. Have you looked at his cabinet and entourage lately?

Then sadly we’re right back to assisting Trump’s engineering with your genius: The fight as it is waged now is an attempt to redirect Trump's foreign policies and to generally lesson his foreign policy power.

So then his foreign policy power should be enhanced and redirected: to attack Iran instead of Russia? And how exactly does this make us better off and great again and keep the millions in the crosshairs safe from the Empire's designs on Iran?

Why take one side of the cabal over the other? Why not let Typhon and the Hydra destroy each other for power instead of paving the way for Typhon’s absolute tyranny.

Isn’t allowing the Empire to devolve into division and chaos now; a GOOD THING? Why on earth would you want to build the bridge for Typhon’s absolute rule with a Republican-controlled house and Trump doing Ziofascism’s bidding?

But all of those who openly work against him will be endangered. The continued open attacks only lay bare the various actors behind them. Those will be be shunned. Each new open attack against Trump will eliminate another power center installed during the Obama administration. If these hopeless attacks continue few will be left to wage the silent, patient resistance against the Trump administration that will be necessary to lessen the damage it will create.

Isn’t it disingenuous even hypocritical to on the one hand assist the enemy (and yes, Trump IS and represents the enemy) in crushing resistance and then at the same time hope there’s someone left to fight this emerging threat in the guise of a Trump administration?

More attacks on Trump will come even when Trump is in full power and starts to clean house.

I regret to inform that Trump will not clean house; Trump will make a much greater mess than ever before.

You are helping to scorch the earth of all resistance to Trump merely by delaying joining that resistance and in the meantime enabling the REAL enemy with your genius, and I'm not being facetious. To me this conspiracy and fueling it on either side is but a distraction from taking up the fight right now against the draconian policy dragon rearing its ugly head. This is a mistake; you will not succeed in diverting Russia from the crosshairs anyway; and your efforts will only embolden the plan of destruction that has already been set in motion.

You’d better hope that Russia does have something on Trump and Flynn that can be used as leverage later to stop the destroyer Empire from fulfilling its lunatic agenda with its figurehead Trump at its bow.

Oh, and regrettably, I see by some of the comments already that many of the troops are as deluded as ever; if not more so dreaming that this magnificent bridge will augur greatness and lead to something good when instead you are helping Typhon raze resistance ergo cement its absolute power.

Posted by: Circe | Jan 13 2017 19:03 utc | 56

Defending Sovereign Syria - anathema to Yinon Plan.

Stacking cabinet with idiots and warmongers - good for Yinon Plan.

Posted by: fastfreddy | Jan 13 2017 19:10 utc | 57

Excellent report b. You ask - What dirt have they hidden that they fear will be unearthed? 9/11. Trump was an eyewitness to the entirety of this tragedy. As well, it is this infamous day that ALL wars, overt and covert, stem. It is what launched the PNAC plan and all other supporting plans from Brooking's to the CFR to the Rand Corp for U.S. intelligence and military resources to be deployed to the Middle East for one ultimate goal - full dominance. With Israel being the U.S. ally tasked with keeping the puppets in line. Similar to the European hegemony model.

anon @18 very insightful and well stated.

As for Brennan being a Saudi operative, I suggest reading Wayne Madsen's work. He's done the deep dive into all things Brennan.

And finally, what to make of all of this crazy nonsense we're all having to muddle through so as to make sense of it all, after reading so many pieces on the who's and the why's I am of the opinion that the war is between the white hats and the black hats. The white hats have won the WH following decades of being sidelined by the black hats who have ruled the empire. I recall similar outbursts in '08 with the war then being the same but with the black hats winning the day.

I certainly do hope President-Elect Trump not only makes it to the 20th, but serves the people of this country exceedingly well over the next four years. The entirety of the world could certainly use a break from America's self-made drama not to mention self importance.

Oh and I don't know who said it above, but I concur, after the crazy all have been enduring the appointees are going to say what folks need to hear. Their only goal is to secure nomination so they can get to work.

I haven't posted in forever and likely won't again for awhile, but I do so enjoy reading b's posts, linking to them at my blog and certainly reading the many astute comments offered freely by so many smart folk from everywhere. This is one very smart community.

Happy 2017 to All!

Posted by: h | Jan 13 2017 19:14 utc | 58

Added above:
Comey pissed on the House Democrats in a classified briefing today (guess: Trump is now backing him?)

The Hill Dems 'outraged' with Comey after House briefing

Posted by: b | Jan 13 2017 19:25 utc | 59

Hello everybody, a warm embrace to the honest posters here, the true seekers of truth and to b for always sticking to the facts, and giving me and everybody an invaluable site to dig links, news, honest citizen's journalism.

I read this site from around the time of the coup in Kiev; that was a watershed moment for me.
Now I write for a couple of reasons; there's a danger time is up for a free internet as we enjoyed all along these years; so I suggest a site in danger to be shut up to save as a source of facts, antagonist facts; and I have also a couple of news to add to the pool.

And the other is, I've always been afraid of writing anything on this terrible surveillance device the internet turned out to be; finally now lazy me opened a anonymous Email account, and started using Tor. For I am in forced exile in the UK, and with a precarious situation, and the UK is very repressive and Scotland Yard, while being on an average score regarding common criminals, has always been top notch regarding political antagonism, this nation is totally in the hands of globalist criminals, the Zionist financiers, rent-extracting parasites...

People around here (and me too) seems to be a bit confused, uncertain about the going on inside the US power corridors; there seems to be a sort of conflict between different factions, but it's all murky, undefined, as everything that has to do with a secretive, totalitarian power, albeit dressed up as a 'democracy'.

Here maybe I have something to offer to the judgement and critique of everyone; I found this site, ISGP, quite a few years back, thanks to a link from wikipedia, of all the sites;

It was at the time a very deep, very well researched and linked, annotated investigation on the secret societies that have always plagued world's politics at the top.

I was struck and still am by never been able to find any link at all, all over the whole web, to ISGP; strange, and maybe a strong indication of the danger that site represents for quite a lot of people of power.

But I was introducing it related to the war going on at the top of US power, also related to Trump, the hostility he's served with, hostility that does not seems to fade.

So I was reading this new ISGP site, few days back, and this report about Alex Jones and his 'infowar' website, how Jones is, according to ISGP author, Van Der Reijden, just a pawn belonging to the John Birch Society and the old extreme right of the USA, and inside the article I found some lines, about a conflict going on inside the structures of US power from years and years, indeed, with the ultra right of the John Birchers and southern rightists like old Barry Goldwater, he's some kind of father of this type of fascists, and tightly connected with the Christian traditionalists, and finally, opposed to them the Eastern power groups, the liberals, the Clintons, the Neo-Cons, etc.
All in all, it makes for a very interesting reading.

So, what I get out of these narratives, there are two opposite factions in the US and Trump represents the winning attack launched by the old traditionalist, Christian right against the Neocon, liberal, Zionist wing.

As I said, it's very well researched and goes deep, and it's not for the faint of heart: all the pages on his site, ISGP, put together make for some 4 800 pages books...

I leave to the judgement of the poster here how much the site is worth; for the honest posters here, it will be a welcome addition to their cultural baggage, another instrument to understand and criticize our crazy world; for the trolls, it will be a bad depressing surprise, it's not a blog, so they cannot trash it, at least easily; and other types of attack, well, it looks the owner had a few of those in the past, and seems well prepared to fight it.

Very strange that ISGP is never, or very close to never being linked, especially in the alternative media, the independent, antagonist sites, I never found any mention of it.
It looks the site really scares a few people.

Then there's this little nice link to this article about the infamous ProPornoT, that I found on a site called www.usasupreme.com;
have a look at how it absolutely fix & put to rest the ProPornoT algorithm , the one that defines automatic if any given site, or work, or writings, are 'pro-Russian'...

I'll propose it here because I didn't see it linked up here; so, it's a good weapon to shame the childish and fascist attempts at steering public opinion toward a zombified status.

Just beware the site seems to be a ultra right wing one; with a name like that...

Again thank you b. for your work, actually this is maybe the best blog out there in the wild, at the moment; I admire your method of always sticking to the facts, objectively, without any emphasis on any ideological prejudice, and let the facts point the reader to extract his own assessment, unlike almost all the rest of antagonist, conspiracy sites, that always very clearly, if trying to hide it, present the reader with prepared, pre-constituted points of view and conclusions.
Well, almost always, at least.

And thanks to all the honest posters here, with their opinions and links, you are doing a citizen, grass-root journalism that gave me so much, and still enrich me every time I come here.

May all the antagonist people everywhere, all the poor and oppressed stick together and fight back, for the survival of all the planet.

In the end, please take all that I wrote here about ISGP with a pinch of salt, and exercise your critique faculties; for however good and valuable that site can be, still it can be wrong on a few angles; so, always read and accept/refute any proposition with an open mind, and compare, research, listen to your feelings, and to your mind: criticize!

Posted by: Roman rugantine | Jan 13 2017 19:32 utc | 60

Today's 4th Estate cavalcade of "ground for impeachment" coup attempt is all about Flynn allegedly calling "the Kremlin"

wapo: Why did Obama dawdle on Russia’s hacking?. (yes, previously linked here)
Reuters: Trump adviser Flynn held multiple calls with Russian envoy: sources.
Esquire: From Russia, with Love
Michael Flynn joins the drama starring Donald Trump and the Kremlin.
.

They're going for the "treason" / violation of the Logan Act

The Logan Act (1 Stat. 613, 18 U.S.C. § 953, enacted January 30, 1799 ) is a United States federal law that forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments having a dispute with the U.S. It was intended to prevent the undermining of the government's position.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 19:36 utc | 61

@18

Trump is not a greedy corrupt insider. He is the revolution.

Correction: He is as greedy and corrupt as they come and Trump is not the Revolution he will be the accelerant that will finally make it explode.

Posted by: Circe | Jan 13 2017 19:46 utc | 63

@Petri Krohn @19

Yes, Eichenwald published something in Newsweek - "Russia hacked everything you can think about."

But no-one noticed.

Neither is Newsweek nor Eichenwald taken seriously by anyone. Eichenwald was a feverish pro-Clinton writer and flunky and whatever he published was anyway regarded as the bluster and nonsense that it was.

None of the big ones touched the issue. They knew it was just dreck.

Posted by: b | Jan 13 2017 19:52 utc | 64

@58

Bull's-eye fast.

Posted by: Circe | Jan 13 2017 19:55 utc | 65

There is another course of action, psychohistorian@ 56, which Putin appears to have followed in dealing with his oligarchical power lords - that is to require of them that they think of Russia first and foremost. This is different from Obama's refusal to call anyone in the Bush lordship to account, with his 'looking forward not back' and Pelosi taking impeachment off the table. But it's not pro-impeachment either. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth hasn't been Putin's modus operandi.

Putin had the oligarchs either do their deals within Russia and for the benefit of the state, or face exile or imprisonment. Exile, we might remember, is an ancient solution to problems with dissidents though some were more brutal - I have been reading that the late Roman Empire solved its problems with the opposition by blinding its leaders and cutting off their hands.

Trump has already warned of sanctions against those who want to conduct operations overseas in the business world, and he does seem pretty clear on this issue. When we're concerned about international relations, it doesn't seem a big step to take this into the realm of the military as well.

I'd call what Putin did a 'soft landing' for Russia. It wasn't without its problems, as that horrible poisoning in London demonstrated, as well as many mafia-style and terrorism events in Russia. But given the complexities of reversing the course of nations like Russia and the US, mightn't we consider what a task is set before the coming administration and learn lessons from how Russia has handled theirs? As others have pointed out, the cases are somewhat similar.

Posted by: juliania | Jan 13 2017 19:58 utc | 66

Circe @ 57
Rr @ 61


Two very well written and thoughtful posts, thanks. Wish I could compose as well..

RrThanks for the link. Something new for me.

Posted by: ben | Jan 13 2017 20:00 utc | 67

We find out in one week if Trump is for real or just another NWO used soul salesmen.

If Trump is for real we will find out who funds John Kerry and George Soros.

With Ruby Jeweleryani on board I have my doubts. Serous doubts.

Just me opinion

Posted by: ALberto | Jan 13 2017 20:05 utc | 68

The CIA/FBI refusal to deal with Kiev involvement in the election just says it all about this propaganda campaign against Russia/Trump. Tragic is the populations in west will have no idea about this, because MSM never told them about kiev acts.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 20:06 utc | 69

'no media published them because these were obviously false accusations.'

Not strictly speaking true. The Guardian ran a piece by Luke Harding, which in retrospect clearly drew from Steele's reports: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/20/new-special-relationship-what-does-putin-want-from-trump-kgb

Posted by: KMF | Jan 13 2017 20:10 utc | 70

KMF

Weird first post, where is the facts as you claim?

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 20:13 utc | 71

Obama’s petty frock continues on display.

The National Guard chief, Maj. Gen. Errol Schwartz in charge of security for the Inauguration has been fired without explanation, effective Jan. 20 @ 12:01 p.m. in the midst of presidential ceremony, classified as a national special security event — and while thousands of his troops are deployed to help protect the nation’s capital during an inauguration he has spent months helping to plan.

Wapo via ZH
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-01-13/dc-national-guard-chief-fired-days-trump-inauguration-timing-extremely-unusual

WAPO: The Timing is extremely unusual

“The timing is extremely unusual,” Schwartz said in an interview Friday morning, confirming a memo announcing his ouster that was obtained by The Washington Post.

During the inauguration, Schwartz would command not only the members of the D.C. guard but also an additional 5,000 unarmed troops sent in from across the country to help. He also would oversee military air support protecting the nation’s capital during the inauguration.

“My troops will be on the street,” Schwartz, who turned 65 in October, said, “I’ll see them off but I won’t be able to welcome them back to the armory.” He said that he would “never plan to leave a mission in the middle of a battle.”

Schwartz, who was appointed to head the guard by President George W. Bush in 2008, maintained the position through President Obama’s two terms. He said his orders came from the Pentagon but that he doesn’t know who made the decision.[.]

~ ~ ~ ~
Hello Obozo, Ash Carter, Brennan.

Obama erases all semblance of decency. We should not be surprised. Obozo showed he has no class…. From day one, I recall a photo of him standing, 'phone in hand on a call; his left foot, contorted with shoe on on the president's desk. Get your foot off the furniture.

Posted by: likklemore | Jan 13 2017 20:26 utc | 72

Trump seems to be bending to the NWO push for WW3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MITUKVCFujU

Posted by: ron demarco | Jan 13 2017 20:42 utc | 73

@KMF you are liar. Go away.

---

More fire against Comey.

WSJ Editorial calls for his firing: James Comey’s Best Service - The new AG should ask the director to resign for the good of the FBI.

Seems the Hill report above was about a classified briefing to the full House (i.e. one that would certainly be leaked all over the media) in which Comey declined to talk about a possible ongoing counterintelligence investigation.
That was the formally correct way to handle it but the Democrats had expected more dirt on Russia. Comey didn't give them any. They are now pissed.
Angering Congress, James Comey won't address Trump-Russia inquiry privately


Posted by: b | Jan 13 2017 20:42 utc | 74

The Deep State and Clintons are putting up a bigger fight against Trump than Obama is. The major Foreign Policy initiatives he is trying to protect are his relations with Iran and Cuba and Domestic initiative is the ACA. Obama's gone along with the Washington consensus on many other issues -- sometimes enthusiastically, others, dragging his feet. His poor relations with the CIA and Pentagon are reflected in his inability to keep a Secretary in those positions for more than 2 years or so (and State hasn't been much better). He bucked the Israel Lobby, the neocons and the entire fund-raising Democratic establishment in congress to get the Iran deal and in the process, cooperated passive-aggressively with what they wanted on Syria. The Deep State has been wanting a new Cold War with Russia; perhaps curtailing that drive will be the only positive thing to come out of a Trump administration.

Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Jan 13 2017 20:48 utc | 75

People seem to have short memory when it comes to James Comey. The present he gave to Clinton back in July or whenever it was should not be forgotten. The statements he made about "no reasonable prosecutor would bring charges against Clinton," etc. was the work of a paid-off man. He should have had nothing to do with that crap. He should have just passed the information over to Lynch like his job description specifies and let the Justice Dept. worry about it. Taking that job on himself and then doing everything possible to make a prosecution against her fail. That entire thing was orchestrated down to a T. Big Bill meets with Lynch on a goddamned airport runway. "No pictures please ..." why not bring Geraldo Rivera and a camera into the plane with you? The whole point of that was to make sure everyone and their grandma knew he met her. It doesn't matter what they said. It was done to allow her to then eliminate herself, setting the scene for Comey to do what she couldn't.

Comey's announcement in late October was something he was maneuvered into by forces in his dept. In order to view the emails the FBI had to go to court, and so the information was going to be made public ANYHOW. He did what he did to try and get some control over what, for him and his patrons, was a bad situation. It didn't matter much. Not as much as what he did in July, for which Clinton probably owes him until the day she dies.

Posted by: tsi noit | Jan 13 2017 21:00 utc | 76

time magazine smells blood in the water wrt Comey
time: James Comey Cannot Be Trusted With a Trump-Russia Investigation.
(apparently because he refused to sign-off on "the report" which (fatally) compromises him

Never before in the history of the FBI have those two jobs been in conflict. Today, thanks to evidence that Russia intervened in our election to help elect Donald Trump president — and as yet unproven allegations that Trump campaign advisors cooperated with that plot — they are.

This tension was put on display last Friday, when Comey briefed President-elect Trump on claims by a former British intelligence agent that the Russian government engaged in an elaborate effort to secure compromising information about Trump and that members of Trump’s staff repeatedly communicated with the Russian government during the campaign. At least some of those allegations appear to have already been disproven, but according to the Wall Street Journal, the FBI continues to investigate possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia, as it has been for months.

Comey is without a doubt a man of personal integrity, but over the past six months, he has shown repeatedly that his perception of his skill at managing high-profile political investigations vastly exceeds his actual ability. He improperly inserted himself into the 2016 campaign twice, first in July when he violated Department of Justice rules to pass judgment on Hillary Clinton’s conduct, and then again in October when he violated further Justice guidelines to comment on an ongoing case during the waning days of a campaign.

At the same time as Comey was publicly maligning Clinton, he was refusing to answer questions from Congress about whether the FBI was investigating Trump (it was), all while sources within the bureau were repeatedly leaking damaging information about Clinton. Furthermore, Comey in October refused to sign an assessment by other members of the intelligence community finding that the Russian government had intervened in the election — a fact with obvious relevance to the electorate. These issues together had already cast doubt on the FBI’s ability conduct a fair investigation into Donald Trump under the current chain of command. The fact that Comey will now be leading the probe while under investigation himself make it completely untenable.

they've decided he's gotta go ...

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 21:02 utc | 77

just found this winner on arianna's UK blog:

"According to reports published in The Times, Steele is a highly regarded Kremlin expert, who once worked with Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko.

The former KGB spy was poisoned with polonium-210 in London in 2006, with a public inquiry revealing his murder was carried out by the Russian state – most likely on the orders of Vladimir Putin.

Sources told the Guardian it was Steele who quickly and correctly realised Litvinenko's death was a Russian 'hit'."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/who-is-christopher-steele-and-what-do-we-know-about-orbis-business-intelligence_uk_5877684be4b087dc83e84600

and he runs a "private corporate intel firm" with one other guy in a yuppie area of london. makes me wonder if this dossier business was a crowdstrike-ish attempt at "viral marketing" writ large. in both cases the pungent scent of russophobia is unavoidable.

Posted by: the pair | Jan 13 2017 21:17 utc | 78

Let's for a moment assume that the Russians have videos of Trump having (perverted) sex with very underage boys and girls. That is specifically what is NOT in the 35 pages of crap.

One. Such a video would enable Russia to have Trump dance naked in front of the Louvre singing the Ugandan national anthem.

Two. The value of the videos is destroyed if they either leak or are credibly identified. Trump goes bye bye and Russia is left holding worthless videos.

Three. Russia must *protect* the videos. What better way that to have supposedly compromising sexual material "leaked" (is there an in-joke there being made by the Russians?) by a British MI6 agent and universally accepted as trash? I.e. the next time there is a "leak" it will be treated as a joke.

Four. The actual videos have to be kept in a safe in the deepest darkest corner of the Kremlin. Easy.

What is the key word here? "Leaked".

Posted by: Burt | Jan 13 2017 21:21 utc | 79

@57 Circe, obviously if Trump was planning for war with Iran then McCain would not be actively trying to sabotage him by circulating this dossier. McCain is firmly on the side of the Saudi-Israeli axis, which views Iran as a much greater threat than ISIS. Ultimately, the Saudis are worried about being forced to set up a parliamentary democracy, and the Israelis are just paranoid tweakers in their own little world who need constant attention and soothing from the United States (rather like North Korea and China, really).

Clearly, what Tillerson (read: Exxonmobil) wants is a stabilized Middle East that allows them to book as many oil reserves as possible, in Iran, in Qatar, in Saudi Arabia, in Kurdistan. Like it or not, at least that's an argument for stability, not more idiotic regime change games. On the other hand, the arms dealers (who mostly backed Clinton) like the endless conflict in the Middle East because it creates a demand for their product. Along these lines, a fly on the wall of the Trump-Lockheed meeting would have something interesting to report:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-lockheed-ceo-idUSKBN14X25E

And see this, on why the CIA is angry with Trump:CIA restructuring planned by Trump team, Jan 5 2017, FP blog

CIA shakeup. The CIA might be in for a major overhaul if President-elect Donald Trump and his administration get their way. The Wall Street Journal has discovered that Team Trump is working on a plan “to restructure the Central Intelligence Agency, cutting back on staffing at its Virginia headquarters and pushing more people out into field posts around the world,” Damian Paletta and Julian Barnes report.

The proposal sounds quite a bit like what Michael Flynn — Trump’s national security advisor — wanted to do while director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. . .

Where Trump is most likely to be a problem is not on foreign policy, it's on domestic energy policy - going back to coal is economic disaster time. But he might be more open to renewables if they lead to a surge in manufacturing, so that's something to keep an eye on. And his proposed "public-private" infrastructure plan, that could easily turn into Iraq Reconstruction contracts, a huge corrupt cesspit run by banksters with no results. People should stop worrying about Trump's foreign policy agenda and start paying attention to his domestic policies, those are the ones that need watching.

Posted by: nonsense factory | Jan 13 2017 21:24 utc | 80

Does this Steele have a obsession of hate with Russia? Seems like hes dedicated his whole life having some own war against Russia. First working with anti-kreml Litvinenko now working with anti-kreml republicans and democrats. Where do these people come from? What kind of world are these people living in? Very weird people.

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 21:27 utc | 81

That Time magazine article is total bullshit. Comey is no friend of Trump. And I love how the author tries so hard to paint Comey as the naif who might possibly be in over his head. "It was always going to be hard, . . " oh, poor Comey, who's "skill at managing high profile political investigations vastly exceeds his actual ability." So we're supposed to read that and feel, "Wow! Look at how he's insulting him. He must be a schmuck!" But Comey doesn't care what they write about him in TIME magazine. And Comey doesn't need to investigate the stupid 35 page smear. He just had to show it Trump to begin the blackmail (which ultimately failed, but so what? there's always more, and more). Comey is the first guy Trump needs to can. Well, maybe not the first.

Posted by: tsi noit | Jan 13 2017 21:28 utc | 82

nonsense factory @81:

Circe, obviously if Trump was planning for war with Iran then McCain would not be actively trying to sabotage him by circulating this dossier.
Good point. A lot of what Circe says is hyperventilating or just doesn't add up.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 21:42 utc | 83

Posted by: tsi noit | Jan 13, 2017 4:28:03 PM | 83 -- exactly
Comey refuses to testify before congress in a private security setting -- about Russian investigation -- because he believes whatever he says will be leaked ...

This is all predicated on various assumptions that go back to the "impropriety" of his comments critical of Clinton when he announced no-indictments ... and said he would keep congress informed ... to outrage at his "keeping congress informed" when the Weiner computer needed a separate subpoena to deal with state department e-mails ...

Apparently while they believe his announcement of the latter was egregious ... they also believe that his failure to openly discuss ongoing (officially largely secret) investigation the Russian hacking/Putin/Trump investigation is even worse ...

Catskill joke: The food was terrible and the portions were so small ....

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 21:45 utc | 84

Susan Sunflower @78:

they've decided he's gotta go ...
The key question is this: why is it so important that the FBI Director is on board the anti-Trump bandwagon NOW (days before inauguration)???

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 21:47 utc | 85

@86 Perhaps he is being pressured to make a damaging statement about Trump? Comey has a tendency to bend with the wind.

Posted by: dh | Jan 13 2017 21:52 utc | 86

"There's a powerful sense among Democrats that, while their faith in Comey has plummeted, they'd rather have him atop the FBI . . ."

Does that sound like "Outrage" to you? The Democrats talk a mountain of shit about this guy, then admit that they'd like him to stay just where he is? Now why would that be? You guys had better get smarter about knowing when you're being played. And don't think that writing comments on blogs about the lying media makes you immune.

Posted by: tsi noit | Jan 13 2017 22:00 utc | 87

Comey -- as far as I know -- is widely assumed to carried over into the Trump administration (which is darkly viewed as payback for services rendered in obstructing "action" on the Putin/Russian/Trump investigation ...

The "dossier" having failed ... (and Clapper and company's very embarrassing and inconvenient statements about their knowing nothing about it until McCain delivered his copy, although -- laughably -- everyone in DC seems to have heard the rumors or seen a copy) ... I think they want to try to blame Comey (again) for Clinton's loss, possibly even Clapper's ignorance (??) ... they have already tried to insinuate that Comey was 'in the bag' for Trump (though I doubt that, because Comey's sane, sober, and ethical by all reports).

They may just be flailing and throwing everything at the wall in hopes something sticks ... like Flynn's calls to "Moscow"

These guys aren't good at strategy ... They seem to have thought the pussy-grab video was a slam-dunk ... and they may well have "bet the farm" on the dossier seeing the light and forcing Clapper AND Comey to make public statements ... Clapper gave a really disgusting assessement that while we can't verify the allegations, but that doesn't mean that nothing in the dossier is true" ... and they may well want something similar (and hopefully more) from Comey ..

I've seen vague desperate attempts to suggest that the dossier is true ... even if the intelligence community cannot verify any of it ...

tl;dr grasping at straws??

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 22:03 utc | 88

I don't agree with your analysis of the current status of forces in Washington. It seem fairly clear from the recent hearings that the propaganda barrage aimed at the Trumpistas by the "intelligence" community has at least, put Trump on the defensive, obliging his appointees to contradict and/or distance themselves from anything which smacks of "pro-Russia". Obviously an open debate on policy in a public forum cannot take place. We'll see what happens in Syria. Also, it seems the knives are out for Mike Flynn. He's the one who loses most from this. I expect he does not have long in his current post (one of the silver linings to come out of all this)

Posted by: Mark | Jan 13 2017 22:22 utc | 89

strategy gone awry also applies to the MSM -- i.e. CNN -- in breaking this story

They may have thought they'd get major points for harming Trump by "lancing" the festering silence wrt the Putin/Trump connection ...

instead it quickly revealed that the MSM had been sitting on this dossier for months ... duh ... oops. Anti-Trump faction are still trying to weaponize the contents, but CNN and MSM aren't probably getting any credit or enhanced credibility out of this ... too little, too late, the "dossier" is dodgy and Buzzfeed was braver ...

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 22:28 utc | 90

@ Posted by: tsi noit | Jan 13, 2017 5:00:49 PM | 88
not finding where that quote is from ... I think they were hedging because they aren't actually (in real life) calling for Obama to fire Comey ... for a number of reasons.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 22:41 utc | 91

Nobody called for Comey's head. probably due to the theatre that is D vs. R which is played for public consumption/entertainment.

Posted by: fast freddy | Jan 13 2017 22:48 utc | 92

yes, but the Democratic base take it as a proven-true-fact that Comey wrote that letter in-order-to hurt Clinton ... I personally think he was pre-empting an all-but-certain leak (probably by FBI agents already aware of the computer, the e-mails and the subpoena) -- which would have been "as bad" but more likely "worse" for both the FBI and Clinton ... YMMV.

but that "truth" has merged with blaming comey for Clinton's defeat (because of the new e-mail leak) which found more "fodder" in blaming Clinton's defeat on Comey's refusing to make public the Trump/Putin dirt ... (and there's indication Harry Reid knew about the dossier, though conflicting stories about when)
Business Insider (yet another) ticktock.

August 27, 2016: Harry Reid writes to the FBI US Sen. Harry Reid (who retired in December) sends a letter to FBI Director James Comey saying, "The evidence of a direct connection between the Russian government and Donald Trump's presidential campaign continues to mount and has led Michael Morrell, the former Acting Central Intelligence Director, to call Trump an 'unwitting agent' of Russia and the Kremlin." He calls for a full investigation and public disclosure.

No one has wanted to publicly tarnish Obama's legacy ... something I have felt would be a consequence of pushing this demand for inquiry too hard ... because it was so clearly partisan and Obama wasn't going to be pushed into firing Comey to appease Clinton -- IMHO.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Jan 13 2017 23:08 utc | 93

Antirussian hate spreads,
@RT
Danish minister alleges ‘Russia ready to attack hospitals, infrastructure & electrical supply’

Posted by: Anonymous | Jan 13 2017 23:16 utc | 94

fast freddy @93:

Nobody called for Comey's head.
They don't want the disagreement with Comey to appear to be political. Just as the intel agencies wants to appear to be above the fray. They are all just patriots, "doing what's right for the country".

There is already a (seemingly independent) DOJ IG investigation. If Comey is removed it'll be because of a transgression(s) identified by the IG.

Might Comey's removal happen before the inauguration? That seems rather quick - but if something is afoot, then it may be deemed necessary by The (anti-Trump) Powers That Be.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Jan 13 2017 23:17 utc | 95

@ fast freddy | Jan 13, 2017

If Comey's actions caused the Clinton's downfall and he is obstructing outgoing Administration in knowing of any steps in an investigation on Trump-Russia wherever he can, isn't Attorney General in a position to have his scalp like right now or maybe tomorrow?

What is really strange is the fact that he obviously isn't Trump's man in the shadows and a lot less Clinton's.

Posted by: laserlurk | Jan 13 2017 23:19 utc | 96

A couple of comments:
1. If the dimcrats are fuming about comey's presentation, that can only be a good thing-they have lost any credibility on this hacking issue long, long ago-maybe comey is still standing.

2.I am quite concerned as to the quotes coming out of the hearings for secstate and secdef-it is almost as if the neo cons have dictated the answers to the clowns' questions-maybe trump is just playing rope a dope to get the people confermed and then on to more constructive work. The real test for tillerson will be if he fires nuland immediately-if not, game over-trump has been rolled by the deep state/neo cons.

Posted by: Taras77 | Jan 13 2017 23:20 utc | 97

@ 54
Yes a lot has happened since then hasn't it? Being a "confirmed socialist" could Mr. "Steele" have been a Neocon inside MI6?

Posted by: regor | Jan 13 2017 23:26 utc | 98

Re: Tillerson, #98, this makes me feel a little better, altho I doubt it will help ron paul in his criticism:

http://rbth.com/international/2017/01/12/tillerson-to-pass-senate-without-russian-policy-commitment-says-analyst_679831

Posted by: Taras77 | Jan 13 2017 23:28 utc | 99

The most interesting word in the Steele “report”? “golden?” – nope. “shower?” – nope. “prostitute?” – nope.
Try: “Stein.”

The “report” brings up Stein in the context to her trip to Moscow to meet Vlad in Dec|2015, and it brings up that meeting in the context of Ru wanting to destabilize the US election process after Clinton et co. tried the same against Ru in 2011.

OK, pre-election this claim was totally ignored. But after the mess following the election, it’s worth another look.

Stein, Christine Pelosi, that Suprun nut-case, and a dozen or so other nut-cases – all these people trying to crash the Electoral College and bring down the election result after the election. Ru wouldn’t want the results over-turned, which was virtually impossible, but the election process itself took a real beating, which would have pleased Vlad immensely. What better way for Stein to launder the money Vlad paid her to attack the results than to set up a GoFundMe ostensibly to fund the re-count? Theoretically. See how it’s all coming together?

But here’s how we know the “report” was a bag a garbage from the first headline: Who the freak would believe that DTDuck would hire prostitutes when he was in Moscow at his own Miss Universe contest? He had dozens of the most beautiful women in the world all around him, many of whom would gone down on both knees in a flash to win the thing. Who did win it, anyway??? Miss Mexico?

Also, before we all blow-off this “report” entirely, don’t forget that there is a claim that there are videos of DTDuck in the act. Should such a video surface, then it wouldn’t make a bit of difference whether Michael Cohen has ever been to Prague or not. We would know the “report” is valid.

Of course, if Vlad has the vids, then they aren’t going to surface, but the sanctions will be lifted. IOW, if DTDuck lifts the sanctions, then we’ll know Vlad has a vid of DTDuck’s junk and Miss Mexico’s hoo-ha. No doubt Anthony Weiner and Bill Clinton will be jealous. Me, too, theoretically.

Posted by: Denis | Jan 13 2017 23:49 utc | 100

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