Pepe Escobar chimes in on the dispute between China and India, admonishes Modi for being just another pawn of the Outlaw US Empire, http://www.atimes.com/article/china-india-torn-silk-roads-cocked-guns/

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 25 2017 21:33 utc | 4

McCain get up from his death bed, flies to dc in private jet and votes to kill more Amerikans.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/medical/articleComments/GOP-sets-Senate-health-care-vote-buoyed-by-McCain-11362244.php

Posted by: jo6pac | Jul 25 2017 21:59 utc | 6

Julian Assange‏ @JulianAssange 4h4 hours ago
Sad to see “progressives” so debased that they’re more concerned about Trump revealing a murderous CIA program than the program itself.

Posted by: brian | Jul 25 2017 22:05 utc | 8

gepay @7, What really happened to US ambassador in Libya? Here’s one version: http://www.globalresearch.ca/libyas-green-resistance-did-it-
If you’re seriously interested, go to globalresearch.ca and search “killing of Libyan ambassador” & you’ll pull up about 10 articles.
Almost anything you’re researching can benefit from looking at Globalresearch.ca archives. Not that I always agree w them, but they use pretty good journalistic standards.

Posted by: Penelope | Jul 25 2017 22:46 utc | 10

In all the talk about medical care there is powerful little about WHY medical care is so expensive. I’m not informed on the issue, but would like to hazard a guess anyway: Probably the inflated cost of homes, college & medicine is from a common cause/
Michael Hudson notes that the price of a home is what a bank will loan towards its purchase, and the mortgage payment that a family can afford is increased by making those payments tax-deductible– thus subsidizing, ultimately, the FIRE sector (finance, insurance & real estate).
College education was vastly less expensive till it was automatically subsidized by huge loans which made the raising of tuition & other expenses possible. At least some colleges are investing in incredible real estate holdings, while profs are doing less teaching,etc. And we know who’s benefitting from all these noncancellable loans.
Medical care: I think it must be something similar, no? And so many doctors are no longer independent practitioners, but have to follow the dogma of an institution or group practice that they belong to.

Posted by: Penelope | Jul 25 2017 23:02 utc | 12

A little more about medicine. I notice years ago that if you want to read higher quality history you need to seek out books published in the 20s or even earlier. The more currently written the more of the truth is left out or distorted to advance the NWO.
The same thing seems to be true of medicine. So much that doctors knew and used in their practices of the 20s thru the 50s has vanished from the curriculum. For example, Wm Jeffries who did the pioneer work on adrenal hormones, noting the circumstances under which people are benefitted from low-dose cortisol. Today doctors take thje ludicrous position that either your adrenal glands are absolutely normal or you have full-fledged Cushings disease; a relative decrease of the hormone no longer exists.
From the time that thyroid hormone was discovered until the mid-60s doctors successfully treated patients with natural (pig) thyroid. They assessed dosage by the patient’s response and symptoms, also by axial temperature and BMR (basal metabolic rate). They gave much larger doses than are today permitted and got excellent results. But this has all been wiped from the medical slate. The dogma today is that the doctor must follow the patient’s TSH Thyroid Stimulating Hormone out the window, ignoring the patient’s symptoms no matter how blatant.
If you are interested the book is by Mark Starr, MD. Hypothyroidism Type 2. He’s a personal hero of mine, and I think a very brave man. The information in his book gives you a shocking summary of what is being done to us– w/o a hint of conspiracy. The last two prominent integrative (independent) doctors whom I was following ended up killed. They were becoming too influential, publishing books, etc.

Posted by: Penelope | Jul 25 2017 23:26 utc | 14

S.722 has overwhelmingly passed both the House and Senate. The bill, to my mind anyway, clearly is in violation of the Constitutional separation of the powers of Congress and the Executive. On that basis can Trump refuse to even consider it? Given the level of support the bill received can he even veto it (successfully)? Thanks in advance for any insight into this latest horror.

Posted by: frances | Jul 26 2017 1:35 utc | 16

P @ 12: Obviously, you live where healthcare isn’t run by insurance companies. Canada?
Please, take karlof1’s advice..

Posted by: ben | Jul 26 2017 1:42 utc | 18

public health + private big pharma = big $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.. big pharma in cahoots with gov’t = the problem..

Posted by: james | Jul 26 2017 2:41 utc | 20

usa daily press briefing from today
” QUESTION: — on Israel.
MS NAUERT: Yeah.
QUESTION: And this has to do with – I don’t know if you’re aware of this, I’ve pointed it out earlier, but the – a small group of pro-Palestinian activists were prevented from getting on a flight to Israel in – at Dulles because they said that they were – the airline said that they had a letter from the Israeli Government saying that they would not be admitted to the country. This is under their new law, the Israelis’ new law, which allows them to bar supporters of the BDS – Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement – from entering. These people were American citizens. Do you guys have any issue with them being denied the plane ride?
MS NAUERT: We’re certainly familiar with that report. We’re aware of that. We have a strong opposition to the boycotts and sanctions against Israel. I think we’ve made that position very well known. As a matter of general principle, as many of us know as Americans – I know not everybody here in this room is an American – but we value freedom of expression, and that’s something that is very important to us, even in cases where we don’t agree with the political views of others. But for more information on that, I’d ask you to talk to the Israeli Government about that decision.
QUESTION: Well, but is this something that you would raise with the Israeli Government as a – to say, hey, look, we have a problem with this or we don’t have a problem with this?
MS NAUERT: I’m not aware of whether or not we will bring that up with the Israelis. I think our focus right now will be on de-escalating tensions in the Middle East. If this does come up and if it’s something that I can discuss with you, I certainly will.

Posted by: james | Jul 26 2017 3:25 utc | 22

I must let folks here in on my “latest” epiphany about who rules the “Western World”. I have finally discerned that it’s the “CIA”. Of course they used to call it the “Office of Strategic Services” (“OSS”) and, of course, other things going back to at least the Roman Empire. The name can always be changed, just in the fashion “ISIL” became “ISIS” became “IS” became Daesh, and on and on. And they don’t really work for the president or the DHS, or anyone else, except on paper.
Some people think the Bilderberg group, or the Rothschild family, or the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), etc. are the real rulers, and certainly they are plugged in. Nonetheless, I see now that the real power grows out of the barrel of a gun, but not out of just any gun: Only the hidden gun.
Of course there are certain “special groups” who do a Hollywood-worthy job of posing as the real string pullers. But these must only be Potemkin power brokers, since if they were really running things we would never see them for what they truly are at all.
Would we?

Posted by: blues | Jul 26 2017 3:36 utc | 24

That’s William McK Jeffries – The Safe Uses of Cortison. I own a copy of this important work. Go to Stop the Thyroid Madness

Posted by: Robert McMaster | Jul 26 2017 3:38 utc | 26

Jared Kushner’s Testimonial To Stupidity and Unfitness – American and Russian
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2017/07/john-helmer-jared-kushners-testimonial-to-stupidity-and-unfitness-american-and-russian.html
John Helmer’s latest must-read on Russiagate

Posted by: John Gilberts | Jul 26 2017 3:47 utc | 28

@ blues who thinks the CIA is the center of Empire power and control.
While I agree that the CIA is an active agent for those that control empire I would posit that the real power you say comes out of the barrel of a gun comes instead out of the utility of global finance brought to you privately, and owned privately by a cabal of global “families”….IMO, the hidden gun of your comment.
@ others writing about health care
I agree that profit should be removed from the cost equation of health care, which is also the major impediment to medical advances, like nurofeedback which i hope to report on in an Open Thread soon…93 sessions and mooooooving……
What society needs to consider with the provision of health care on a larger scale is how to have an insurance system (maybe similar to the intent of the original Social Security Insurance). In my thoughts the question about who runs the insurance system gets back to the collective definition of government. In my mind, any government is by definition, a form of socialism. How far that socialism extends into society is what I think is important to discuss, design, implement and manage. Profit should not be part of any government provide service.
I say those things within a bigger concept in my mind of a world where society has redefined responsibility to and support from government… beyond the scope of an Open Thread discussion, perhaps…..would that we could get to have open discussions globally about such stuff in forums other than the comment sections of independent journalists…..not to take anything away from the graciousness and excellence of b.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 26 2017 4:06 utc | 30

Re the Healthcare crisis in the West… it’s due entirely to Neolib Middleman-itis. Doctors are subordinate to the (profit) whims of Insurance Companies. Similarly, the privatisation of utilities (gas, electricity, phone etc) merely inserted a (private) invoice-issuing entity between customers and utility service-providers and sold (privatised) the govt-owned service provider for a once-off cash windfall.
But it’s everywhere.
A friend’s daughter is a qualified teacher and took a few years off teaching to care full-time for a young family. When she was ready to return to teaching (in the Final Term of the school year) there was no shortage of qualified teachers and she door-knocked schools in the area to register with each as an Emergency Teacher.
Next year she had an established reputation with enough local schools to receive (her desired) sufficient teaching work (3 or 4 days per week). A few weeks into the year she received a letter, from a new, Centralised Authority, advising her that she would henceforth be notified of temp vacancies by the C.A. and direct communication between schools and Emergency Teachers is now Strictly Verboten.
That little stunt cost her 10% of each and every paycheck, delayed her paychecks, sometimes caused assignment stuff-ups due to red tape.
It was pure, totally unnecessary, inefficient, money-for-nothing, Mr 10%, Middleman-itis.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Jul 26 2017 4:25 utc | 32

As somebody else has used the ‘Peter AU’ username a couple of times in the last week or so, I will now post as Peter AU 1.

Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Jul 26 2017 4:49 utc | 34

@31 karlof1 –
I think I agree with your concluding sentence. But I live by the advice of Heinlein’s fictional Lazarus Long, who said: “Of course the game is rigged. But don’t let that stop you playing. If you don’t play, you can’t win.”
Sometimes, if we play, we win. Because having control of a system doesn’t mean the system always does what you want it to do. That would be a closed system, but instead, we’re in a big universe.
@32 Hoarsewhisperer –
When all that moves is production, then what you want, and all you need, is work. But when all that moves is money itself, then all you can find to do is take a piece of the money. Middleman replaces producer. I agree with your implication that it’s not the people who change the economy, it’s the economy that changes the decisions available to people. Neoliberal, as you say. The theft of real energy using discounted coupons for that real energy.
@30 psychohistorian –
Every time I read a comment by you the same question rings in my mind: “HOW?” I agree with everything you say about money, but the task of fighting the rulers of the world seems impossible – who has power greater than theirs? Not that this means to give up, simply that the effort called for is purely to persist, to continue – precisely to continue, and never to give up until we find a way to organize ourselves, we humans, without individual greed being able to dominate the common table through artifice.
If open threads are all we have, then keep talking. If these are the tablecloths of the cafes for us, sooner or later someone will scribble out a manifesto that is heard round the world.

Posted by: Grieved | Jul 26 2017 4:53 utc | 36

@ Grieved who mentions the commonly held belief that assailing the rulers of our world seems impossible.
I come from the position that many/most do not understand/are ignorant of the structure of the tenets of our form of social organization…..the “hidden gun” of blues comment.
Part of the brainwashing is the TINA aspect of private finance only they have made it more secret that many of the religions totally reliant on faith. I think people need to understand both that these folk are and have been in control for a long time and more importantly that they have been responsible for most of the human suffering over the past few centuries via their rule of empires.
The manifesto you write of will evolve from the breakdown we are witnessing of God of Mammon based society. It will, IMO, reflect a respect the differences attitude that is missing from the current competition based concepts and an end to an inherited elite ruling class. Maybe if “we” stop killing natural leaders our society will evolve to be led by talented negotiators and intermediaries between the various cultural nation/states that survive.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Jul 26 2017 5:53 utc | 38

=>> karlof1 | Jul 26, 2017 12:15:06 AM | 31
Well of course I was giving only a very brief and rough outline in my above comment. It’s actually not quite so simple as “it’s the CIA that runs things”. I guess my point was that the center of control currently resides in a particular “branch” of the CIA. Which organization is of course highly “compartmentalized”. There are “intelligence collection” branches and distinct “paramilitary operations” branches. I suspect that one of the “paramilitary operations” branches harbors the center of the real ruling cabal, although presumably not the entire whole of it.
These individuals comprise a death-dealing “ultra-mafia” seigniory that intersects with clandestine agencies, high finance, the dominant imperial media, etc. And it is this Western Imperial Seigniory that secretly rules the Western Empire. Our unworkable democracy shares no power with these monsters.
Also, I do not think that these individuals are neurotypical. But I do not think they are sociopathic, although they cultivate sociopaths to do their “wet-work”. And this is because sociopaths are in some respects disabled, lacking in self control. However, the Imperial Seigniory are also far from neurotypical: I would call them “arrogapathic”, and they are just as abnormal as their sociopaths.

Posted by: blues | Jul 26 2017 6:24 utc | 40

@gepay Jul 25, 2017 6:04 This may help The appearance of a new alliance in the Greater Middle East, by Thierry Meyssan

The lying insinuations of the Washington Post were adopted by the whole of the Western Press. Perhaps this is due to the gregarious spirit of Western journalists, but perhaps – more probably – it demonstrates that the major medias are owned by the partisans of war in the Middle East and against Russia.
The Bulgarian revelations about the existence of a vast arms trafic set up by General David Petraeus when he was still Director of the CIA, in 2012, and continued by him from his offices at the financial investment fund KKR, leave one stunned at the power of these war-makers.
At least 17 states participated in operation « Timber Sycamore », in which Azerbaïdjan took care of the transport of 28,000 tonnes of weapons and Israël supplied false documents concerning their final destination. In all likelihood, David Petraeus and KKR were helped by the Assistant Secretary General of the UNO, Jeffrey Feltman. Of course, this gigantic traffic, without precedent in History in terms of its volume, will lead to no legal action, neither in the states concerned, nor on the international stage.
Clearly, for the last four years, the People of the Levant have been fighting not only against states, but above all against a consortium of private multinational companies, including the international media and mid-range state powers who give their orders to small states charged with doing the dirty work.
In any case, the difficulties encountered by Donald Trump in imposing his will on the CIA and the Pentagon, as well as the existence of this parallel half-public, half-private network, enable us to note the complexity of his task in a world order subverted by private interests.
So far, the offensive by the Iraqi and Syrian armies aimed at re-opening the Silk Road have not been stopped by the US forces, despite various incidents.

@frances | Jul 25, 2017 9:35:03 Some internet gossip says Russia considers 722 as a declaration of war.
@all Isn’t the Obama-care a Trojan horse imposed on the US people by the Deep State through then-puppet Obama (no longer after Nov 6 2012) in order to give enormous profits to insurance companies under the pretense of helping the poor (mind you AXA is a crucial member of the Bilbererg, many other world largest insurers, e.g. LLoyds, are part of the deep state too).
I believe that health care fake “reform” was one of the main reasons Obama was allowed to become president, or pushed forward, by the Borg, fooling the populace with “Hope and Change”…
Who’s reaped the most profits from that operation?

Posted by: ProPeace | Jul 26 2017 7:01 utc | 42

@Kalen 9
Ah, i dunno. Things in Russia are turning decidedly in one direction as far as I can tell. For the first time in history the Prosecutor General has just ruled against the Russian Central Bank in it’s decision to place Russian Bank Yugra into administration. More to come from this i am very certain. According to many Russian ecmomists, the Central Bank has been responsible in – unfairly – stripping mamy small and medium sized banks of their licences, causing bankruptcies in many small businesses. The Central Bank has, so far, been independent of governance in it’s duty as regulator, but it appears to me that the damage of the 90’s is starting to be addressed properly.

Posted by: MadMax2 | Jul 26 2017 7:47 utc | 44

16 Frances
The Senate still has to agree. And as I understand Trump can veto, he just has to sell it politically.
It will probably pass defanged for US business. It will cut the link to European sanctions as Europe relies on cheap Russian gas and wants to do business with Iran.
I don’t understand US interests behind this bill. There seems to be a plan to create a new US allied Polish-Baltic-Ukrainian entity out of Europe which Trump has subscribed to.
US energy companies are invested in cooperative projects with Russia, so …
It is economic war.

Posted by: somebody | Jul 26 2017 8:57 utc | 46

@Temporarily Sane | 1
Commented on this on the Syrian thread, thanks for linking.
My only criticism of the ‘Russian’ article is that it doesn’t investigate enough the cooperatikn between Russia and YPG (by association Syria and YPG).

Posted by: AtaBrit | Jul 26 2017 9:38 utc | 48

Guidoamm @ 27:
Need to read a bit of history as to why and how most people in Iraq became Shi’ite.
Mesopotamia (the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) was much contested territory between the Ottomans (1453 – 1918) in Turkey and the Safavids (1501 – 1730s) in Iran. The Safavids declared Shi’ism the official religion of Iran and overnight every Muslim in Iran was presumed to be Shi’ite. This was to differentiate the Safavid ruling state from its Ottoman enemy. A large part of Mesopotamia down to the Persian Gulf used to be Safavid real estate. So in many parts of Iraq, Shi’ite belief is historic.
Shi’ism seems to attract poor people, maybe because of its greater emphasis on imams as spiritual and community leaders, on martyrdom (you don’t have to be anyone special or talented to be a martyr and to be remembered and revered) and on pilgrimages to shrines and tombs of martyrs and saints.
End of history lesson.

Posted by: Jen | Jul 26 2017 11:25 utc | 50

Obama’s CIA Director says if Mueller is fired, then coup against Trump must be initiated (Video)
http://theduran.com/obamas-cia-director-says-if-mueller-be-fired-then-coup-against-trump-must-be-initiated-video/

Posted by: Anon | Jul 26 2017 12:55 utc | 52

re 48 Atabrit
Fisk’s mention of the YPG is only bringing back to light what we’ve always known, and has been discussed here on MoA from time to time, but been hidden by the loud imposition of the Americans on the Kurds. That is, that the Kurds have always been ready to deal with Asad, because they’re aware of the future. Just because the Yanks have claimed the obedience of the Rojavan Kurds to current US policy, doesn’t mean that the Kurds have abandoned their previous policy – indeed they would be foolish to do so – and Fisk’s article is just a demonstration that relations are continuing by back-channel.

Posted by: Laguerre | Jul 26 2017 13:02 utc | 54

US Sanctions on Russia.
Should Russia respond? YES – OF COURSE.
The time to respond forcefully has finally arrived with European whinging and whining about the Sanctions.
Now is the time for Russia to actually strike back and strike back hard.
How should Russia respond?
Forcefully I’d suggest. Very forcefully. Targeted strongly against the US.
The first measures that come to mind.
Ban all US overflights of any Russian territory.
And yes, that obviously includes banning any flights to Russia by any American airlines and also banning any flights to Russia that originate in the US (by other airlines perhaps via a 3rd stopover destination).
Not sure how many US overflights of Russia there are – but I’d suggest the most likely place would be for US flights to China, South Korea & Japan.
Expelling a high number of US diplomats
Not sure how many that would be. But definitely more than the US has expelled. Perhaps 50 or 100.? Anyone know how many there are?
Confiscating US Diplomatic Property
An obvious one given the actions of the US. Go back twice as hard on this.
Expelling US NGOs
Are there any in Russia? Expel any US NGOs.
Banning imports of various US goods or slapping very punitive tariffs on these goods – 1000%?
What goods do Russia import from the US?
Maybe banning imports of Cars (if there are any, Teslas? GM-owned cars? For instance from factories in Europe/ Asia that may be owned by US companies – Ford, GM etc.),
Confiscating Oil & Gas assets
What Oil & Gas assets do the US own in Russia? There should be some confiscation here.
You know what – Russia could also target UK in this action with the same measures.
Lump the US/UK together with the hit and by doing that it ties the UK to the hip of the US and separates the EU and Europeans out.
Whatever measures Russia takes, they should take care not to target European businesses, and in particular European OWNED businesses.
It may be unfortunate, but targeting US owned car companies that may operate in Europe and export European made cars to Russia may be something worth doing to make the point to the Europeans.
If Trump signs up to these sanctions, or even if Trump is over-ridden on his veto (if he makes it), it doesn’t actually matter.
If Trump is so powerless as to prove himself unable to enforce his will on the Congress then he is effectively useless – so why worry about hurting his feelings?
Definitely Russia must respond forcefully and with careful targeting against those driving these sanctions – who in particular reside in the US & UK (As we saw at the G7 meeting earlier this year).
It’s time Putin. It’s time.

Posted by: Julian | Jul 26 2017 13:45 utc | 56

Re: Posted by: AtaBrit | Jul 26, 2017 9:58:17 AM | 57
I did say targeted – which I’m sure they will do.
They need the Germans/EU to actually start a serious pushback – and a pushback now in the midst of a German (& Austrian & Italian I might add) election campaigns can’t hurt can it.
They are just off the top of my head without a moment’s thought.
I’d expect those doing the counter-sanctions to have put a lot more thought in than I have and to properly target these sanctions.
Hitting the UK is something they may not have considered so closely. But they should.
An added bonus would be having the off-side Brits whinging to the EU during their Brexit negotiations about this and having the Brits telling the EU how to deal with Russia would surely drive the EU further away from the US/UK position would it not?
It also allows extreme targeting of BP does it not? Not sure if that’s relevant currently, but it might be for instance.

Posted by: Julian | Jul 26 2017 14:40 utc | 58

CNN – Coddles McCain The Lion (MSM wonders why it is a laughing-stock).
Washington (CNN)In a Washington moment for the ages, Sen. John McCain claimed the role of an aging lion to try to save the Senate, composing a moving political aria for the chamber and the country that he loves.
With a deep-red scar etched from his eyebrow to his temple, the legacy of brain surgery less than two weeks ago, McCain beseeched his colleagues to forsake political tribalism and restore the chamber to a spirit of compromise that had helped forge national greatness.

Posted by: fastfreddy | Jul 26 2017 16:19 utc | 60

Anyone want to comment on the strategic implications of this development?
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960431000665
Native Iranian mass production of 120 km range S-200 air defense missiles.

Posted by: Nuff Sed | Jul 26 2017 17:18 utc | 62

How pathetic to see the ‘serious’ posters here using the phrase “conspiracy theory” as a form of dismissal.
Russia continues to play weird games. An article at Sputnik suggests that Russia is getting ready to turn on Iran in favor of Putin’s best friend, Netanyahu. Putin has some really weird friendships – eg. Erdogan. For sure one has to be capable of handling contradictions to engage in realpolitik at all, but a sense of decency should still be operable.

Posted by: paul | Jul 26 2017 17:41 utc | 64

DNC Used Barricades To Keep Out Nina Turner From Delivering Petition
On July 25, Our Revolution President and popular Bernie Sanders surrogate, former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner, went to DNC headquarters in Washington DC to deliver a petition compiled by Our Revolution with over 115,000 signatures in support of a people’s platform.
Full story from TRNN:
http://therealnews.com/t2/story:19640:DNC-Used-Barricades-To-Keep-Out-Nina-Turner-From-Delivering-Petition

Posted by: ben | Jul 26 2017 18:28 utc | 66

On the New Sanctions Bill, RT has several articles, this one focuses on EU reaction, https://www.rt.com/news/397566-europe-oppose-us-russia-sanctions/ Excerpt:
“Some experts, however, doubted the EU’s readiness to go against its transatlantic ally. “I’m not sure if the European Union has courage to take actions against this,” Dan Kovalik, an American labor rights lawyer, told RT. “I’m worried that the US is able to impose the sanctions notwithstanding the EU opposition to it.”
“”I’m sure this is not about protecting democracy, either the US democracy or someone else’s. This is more about the US wanting more of a share of markets in Europe for its natural gas,” Kovalik added. “These sanctions, which would be made permanent … are really tantamount to a declaration of war against these countries, particularly Russia.””
Reaction from German Business Lobby, https://www.rt.com/business/397560-germany-eu-us-sanctions-russia/
Finnian Cunningham says bring on the sanctions; they only serve as further proof of the Rogue State nature of the Outlaw US Empire, https://sputniknews.com/columnists/201707261055902033-us-russia-sanctions-absurd/
Of course, the driving force continues to be the 100% unproven allegations of Russian interference in the past US election, which are clearly bipartisan as the House bill garnered only 3 no votes.

Posted by: karlof1 | Jul 26 2017 18:39 utc | 68

Some interesting headlines:
CIA Director admits to working with Mexico and Colombia to overthrow Maduro government in Venezuela
Paul Craig Roberts On “The Conspiracy To Remove Trump From The Presidency”
Migrant crisis: Migrant men pose for photos with underage ‘girlfriends’ in Finland
Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s IT specialist, accused of hacking congressional computers, busted trying to flee US

Posted by: ProPeace | Jul 26 2017 19:27 utc | 70

Excellent read, ProPeace @ 70.

Posted by: spudski | Jul 26 2017 21:00 utc | 72

Nuff Sed@62 Re: “Native Iranian mass production of 120 km range S-200 air defense missiles”
The four S-300 systems Russia delivered last year gave Iran modern air defense capability. Not impenetrable by U.S./Israel aircraft/cruise missiles, but difficult. You can’t just flip a switch in the cockpit for ‘Jammer’ anymore and hope to make it through. The S-300 is very capable, but expensive – Iran only has so many cans of them to throw at an attack. They would prefer to use them to protect military facilities in central Iran instead of just stringing them along the border.
Iran’s production of a modern missile for their existing S-200 systems gives them more options for how they arrange and layer their air defenses and far more iron to throw at anyone attacking. The Saayad-2 missile in 2012 was kind of the initial rushed replacement for the old S-200 SA-5 Gammon SAM after Russia cancelled delivery of the S-300s back in 2010. The Saayad-3 is thought to be substantially better (bugs fixed, etc.) and fairly capable. It may not match the performance of their S-300s, but Iran can churn out thousands of Saayad-3s to augment their whole air defense network. Most worrisome (for the U.S. and Israel) is that they don’t know the exact specs, are not sure of the actual capabilities and may not have effective counter-measures.
This probably kills any U.S./Israeli schemes for a quick hit-and-run on the supposed nuclear facilities. Unfortunately, it will do little for preserving Iran’s military capability when they are provoked into a NATO/GCC war. ‘We’ have more cruise missiles than they have SAMs. Iran will eventually run out. That doesn’t mean they will be defeated, but they may not be able to protect their airspace. That just complicates everything else in a military sense.

Posted by: PavewayIV | Jul 26 2017 22:34 utc | 74

Robert McMaster @ 26 “That’s William McK Jeffries – The Safe Uses of Cortison. I own a copy of this important work. Go to Stop the Thyroid Madness”
Thanks. Mark Starr’s Hypothyroidism Type 2 is much broader than Stop the Thyroid Madness. He did his internship under a very great man– Broda Barnes. Doctor Barnes backed up his work with many, many autopsy records, dating from WWII in Austria. These findings overturn the saturated fat lipid hypothesis about cardiovascular health. It’s an absolutely thrilling read, and I regard this ONE book by Dr. Starr, wherein he cites Jeffries & Barnes, as the most revealing medical book I’ve come across. It allows you to see the political context in which doctors practice.

Posted by: Penelope | Jul 26 2017 23:23 utc | 76

oops wrong thread sorry about that

Posted by: Curtis | Jul 26 2017 23:29 utc | 78

nmb & Ben: “We are now witnessing a fierce battle in all levels globally, where big corporations are trying to build greater monopolies, eliminate competitors, establish the oncoming Feudalism 2.0 against labor and ordinary citizens.”
Yes, that’s it, but so far I see no one on our side. Neither China nor Russia are in any way nations that empower individuals. I’ve the greatest respect for the Chinese and Russian people, but their oligarchs appear to be entirely in league w ours. Opposition by either of their govts wd include the presentation of an alternate future for mankind and a degree of democracy at home.
So far as I can determine we continue on-track for a global govt w regional administration. Asia to be headed up by China and eastern Europe by Russia.
The best way to control an outcome is usually to control the opposition, and I think the “opposition” we see is merely theater. I wish w all my heart that it were not so.

Posted by: Penelope | Jul 26 2017 23:36 utc | 80

@PavewayIV 73
Thanks excellent insight on Iran’s defenses capabilities. BTW only China has Russian’s S400 and soon India too, that’s where the next hot spot.
Himalayan Border Dispute: Doklam Plateau
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IXlLdtKIxQ
AMERICAN MEDIA ON INDIA-CHINA BORDER TENSION CGTN (1 of 3 parts)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udADHfiDR80

Posted by: OJS | Jul 27 2017 0:02 utc | 82

@80 Penelope
I always gathered that the principal distinction between the right/left thing was ownership of capital – whether it’s privately or socially owned. Sometimes I see the rise of revolutions as ways to nationalize property into government ownership, with an eventual privatization to new or existing oligarchs – and this in the same kind of rhythm that we see the stock market take, transferring wealth into the hands of those who control the boom and its necessary crash that marks the signature pulse of the capitalist system.
It’s the system of ownership itself that gives rise to the mechanics of theft. And in parallel, as rich men have said (can’t remember who), ownership is unimportant compared with control, because with control one can always change ownership but ownership without control is not long for this world. Look at currency creation for examples of this – the ownership of the principal really doesn’t matter to those who take the interest as income. The principal need never be repaid, and in fact nowadays doesn’t even exist.
If there is a third way, the example of the Commons is probably closest to it. In this, ownership remains vested in the people, and government exists to guarantee that ownership. The ownership of the Commons is I think the only form we know of a total ownership that is at the same time no ownership, both together with no contradiction. The guarantee of this kind of ownership – trusteeship and stewardship are better words perhaps – is what also safeguards the control of the Commons by its participants in mutual negotiation and agreement. And despite the complete lies of the “tragedy”, the simple fact is that the Commons runs incredibly well to manage resources and livelihoods inside the limits of the carrying capacity of the environment.
There’s good work done on the Commons, but it gets little press. No surprise. I used to be pretty wired into this but seem not to have any bookmarks or even books anymore. To study more, one might start here: The Wealth of the Commons – A world beyond market & state

Posted by: Grieved | Jul 27 2017 0:45 utc | 84

And the Russians have also electronic countermeasures that caused that two US missiles fired from the Western Med area towards Damascus to fall into the sea back in 2013, I believe. No problem to protect Iran in the same way…

Posted by: ProPeace | Jul 27 2017 1:51 utc | 86

Paul @ 64
An excellent point re conspiracy theory.
A marriage is a conspiracy. Forming any kind of partnership is a conspiracy. Uniting into any corporate entity is a conspiracy.
Conspiracy is a normal part of being human. The attempt to dissuade people from that idea is ridiculous. If I were a squillionaire I’d be mortified not to be invited to Davos by my peers to organise the world. The pejorative use of conspiracy theory needs to be tackled head on.

Posted by: Cortes | Jul 27 2017 3:06 utc | 88

karlof1 | Jul 26, 2017 10:46:47 PM | 86
I think it’s important to remember Russia is using Iranian airbases for action in Syria.
China is also a big player.
Still, I do find it very concerning the U.S. crazies are beating the war drums towards Iran.
I can’t see a limited conflict between Russia and the U.S.; I think it would go full tilt crazy…

Posted by: V. Arnold | Jul 27 2017 3:16 utc | 90

ProPeace@84 – “Well, not if the ships carrying those tomahawks are hit by Yakhonts first”
I agree, but you’re assuming a US Navy ship in the Persian Gulf would be launching the Tomahawks. Block IV TLAMs have a range of between 1300 and 1800 km depending on the model. They could be launched at Iran from the Mediterranean, Red Sea or Arabian Sea – well outside the 300 km range of an anti-ship Yakhont, Onyx or BrahMos. I’m guessing the US Navy would take that into consideration when they attack Iran.
“…And the Russians have also electronic countermeasures that caused that two US missiles fired from the Western Med area towards Damascus to fall into the sea back in 2013, I believe. No problem to protect Iran in the same way…”
Russia will be angry, but it will not start WW III with the US over Iran. They won’t have to. An attack on Iran will push China over the edge and THEY will be perfectly willing to start WW III with the US in retaliation. Nobody talks much about that, but Iran is China’s red line. They will jump in as soon as we attack Iran, guaranteed. They know they’re very close to the top of the US Imaginary Enemies list and they’ll be next.
Russia will voice its objections to the US/Israeli/GCC/NATO actions and indicate support for Iran and China, but won’t jump in at the start. They will just say that they are perfectly willing to do so. The US will back down because we can’t win either a conventional or nuclear war with China and Russia at the same time. NATO will fold because their capitals are maybe six minutes from Russia’s RS-26 ICBMs. The Germans and French will not die for US hegemony schemes if it comes to that. The Brits might because they’re kind of nuts about Russia – toss up, I guess.
Sadly, despite the consequences, the US will invent an excuse to attack Iran and do so. This short interview in June with James Mattis, our Defense Secretary, illustrates why. The interview was conducted in response to a request from a student (Teddy) at some random high school newspaper in Washington state. Mattis responded on a whim and talked with them for a while, taking questions. The interesting thing about this interview (to me) was that Mattis actually sounds like a pretty rational person in the first half of the interview, especially in regards to Russia. Then Iran and Syria comes up and he just goes off the rails. Poor Teddy…
Full transcript: Defense Secretary James Mattis’ interview with The Islander

Posted by: PavewayIV | Jul 27 2017 5:26 utc | 92

Posted by: PavewayIV | Jul 27, 2017 1:26:55 AM | 91
Thanks for that interview, Mattis is quite clear: they will keep trying regime change, nothing else. Russia is a competitor not an enemy and they are ‘deconflicting’,
His optimism that the American Way is the solution is quite funny.

Posted by: somebody | Jul 27 2017 6:12 utc | 94

OJS 81
WOW I dont know you’re an Indian apologist,
So ‘India protecting tiny BHutan against China the
bully’ eh ?
gimme a break,
http://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/07/world/india-based-groups-seek-to-disrupt-bhutan.html

Posted by: denk | Jul 27 2017 9:10 utc | 96

straight lines – near straight lines, they do turn when they need to dodge a mountain or similar. Otherwise, not as much.
Or kill the GPS satellite and all the Tomahawks become as useless as c*** flavor lollipops. These worthless Raytheon pieces of shite probably don’t even have an inertial mode.

Posted by: Quadriad | Jul 27 2017 9:40 utc | 98

@denk 95
Nope! I’m not an Indian nor China apologist but primarily to show a new war brewing between India and China and both with Russian S-400. Russia just recently signed agreement to sell S-400 to India. You should watch this vid first (three parts)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udADHfiDR80
Here another viewpoints from Pepe Escobar
China and India torn between silk roads and cocked guns (OpEdNews Op Eds 7/26/2017 at 19:32:31 )
https://www.opednews.com/articles/China-and-India-torn-betwe-by-Pepe-Escobar-Brics_China-Investment-Corp_China-Politics_Indian-Prime-Minister-Modi-170726-632.html

Posted by: OJS | Jul 27 2017 11:02 utc | 100