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December 14, 2017
Open Thread 2017-46 – UPDATE II

2nd UPDATE – 1:40pm:

Unfortunately my line is not yet up again. But two neighbors and I took the day to jury-rig a chain of WLAN repeaters to deliver a net connection to our places. The signal crosses two gardens and a small forest in between. it feeds from a different trunk than the damaged one in front of this house. Unless some squirrel decides to feed on the repeater power supply cables I am back in business.

UPDATE – 7:00am:

I am currently again without usable Internet access.

The telecom provider decided to replace the whole local trunk that was damaged two days ago (see below). Neither the customer service nor the workers replacing the line could tell me when the service will be back.

Cellphone coverage within my flat is spotty at best and not usable for data connections.

I am currently trying to set up an interim solution. Please bear with me.

b.

End-update – original December 12 post follows.
—

Yesterday an excavator disrupted several building connections here. Repairs are ongoing. Posting will hopefully resume later today.

b.

Posted by b on December 14, 2017 at 12:16 UTC | Permalink
Comments

Hope you get an upgrade b.

Posted by: Forest | Dec 12 2017 7:02 utc | 1

Your site is terribly slow. Does it run from a home server?
Anyway, did that excavator belong to a Bin Laden Group construction firm, by any chance?

Posted by: xaderp | Dec 12 2017 9:33 utc | 2

xaderp, The site is not at all so where I am.

Posted by: Quentin | Dec 12 2017 12:52 utc | 3

Re: #3
Site isn’t slow here either.
How bizarre!! to have my breakfast reading ritual on the U.S. Atlantic coast, interrupted by a random “excavator” in Germany.

Posted by: Glorious Bach | Dec 12 2017 15:12 utc | 4

May all your connection repairs result in better service going forward.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 12 2017 15:48 utc | 5

Trump to Let Assad Stay Until 2021, as Putin Declares Victory in Syria,By Robin Wright
December 11, 2017

Posted by: Virgile | Dec 12 2017 16:36 utc | 6

@6 virgile… pat lang wrote an article on the article you shared here…
these folks are in deep denial.. either that, or that have a hard time with reality… meanwhile the newyorker is happy to print more of the same bullshit that pervades all us media.. it is some kind of insanity inducing articles that the owners or editors of these outlets seem to love…

Posted by: james | Dec 12 2017 17:25 utc | 7

@6 Virgile
That’s an ugly piece of propaganda and innuendo. I couldn’t get past “the beleaguered Assad regime”

Posted by: Grieved | Dec 12 2017 17:26 utc | 8

@6, 7 and 8
Man, that was hard to get through. Ms Wright has gone way down hill. Passing that off as anything but ‘exceptional’ propaganda is a disservice to all…

Posted by: Tom in AZ | Dec 12 2017 17:34 utc | 9

Reporters Without Borders decry “russian agents” after White Helmets gets exposed!
https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/7ihq49/reporters_without_scruples_fails_to_derail/

Posted by: Anon | Dec 12 2017 18:32 utc | 10

Surprisingly good article in LA Times:
“The pundits were wrong about Assad and the Islamic State. As usual, they’re not willing to admit it”
https://goo.gl/q8GdHN

Posted by: Harry | Dec 12 2017 18:53 utc | 11

@all –
There were two incidents with MoA:
1. For some reason the city is digging up the sidewalks in my street even as it snows and yesterday an excavator hit some significant lines. Water was interrupted and electricity and telecommunication cables damaged. Light and net access was off and on and off again several times. It was also the reason why I could not post yesterday. They made a major effort today and everything has now been fixed – at least for the time being.
2. Over the last 12 hours Typepad, which is the technical provider for the blog, has some difficulties with their service. I don’t know the reason. But Typepad is U.S. hosted while I sit in Germany. It wasn’t the same excavator. The blog came back after a few hours but at first I could not edit it. There are still some inaccessible features but most of the service is now back.
I am sorry for the inconvenience.

Posted by: b | Dec 12 2017 19:07 utc | 12

@12 b… thanks for the update… i hope you can get set up to be more independent of all of that…..

Posted by: james | Dec 12 2017 21:11 utc | 13

b, I think we’re probably sorry for YOUR inconvenience rather than needing any apology from you. It always happens this way of course. Right when you have patchy connectivity and power, your hosting platform gets glitchy. In England they call it Sod’s Law.
I think your setup is as good as it can be, by the way – Internet connection from home, hosting platform on a long standing and reliable host in the cloud. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Posted by: Grieved | Dec 12 2017 21:53 utc | 14

ps..although if it were me, I’d download and backup every single post you have here, just in case.

Posted by: Grieved | Dec 12 2017 21:55 utc | 15

I am having no problems from here, Basque Country, Spain, Europe…
On excavators….while my stay through the “alt-media”, my computer was attacked several times ( 3-4 ) in which I went losing information bookmarked until the last tiem the it was necessary to change comepletely the hard driver, after having intended to make a partition of the old one for to try to save something. According ot my brother, the hard driver was perfored for about ten different places…..I lost alomst all the interesting links, articles, videos I kept saving during four years, especially those provided by the “friend senior strategist”, but, the photos of my travels were saved….Almost all taken at Middle East destinatons, some taken at the most holy shrines and places of Islam…May be, it is that, in the end, yes, Allah is great!
P.S: Btw, b, the Russians have left Sana´a….they have evacuated their embassy….

Posted by: elsi | Dec 12 2017 23:33 utc | 16

yes yes indeed looks like the erase dept had a log in glitch words stayed up longer than normal
poor james had a faint fit foaming at the mouth relax now goyim
everything ship shape now just like the calm sounds of the bbc shipping forcast smooth sailing
8 deletion in an hour bravo team your doing molochs work.
limited hangout a go go go
meanwhile scottish gas depot goes bang and a massive gas bang in austria at the russian austrian gas pipeline junction zio gladio a go go.
james will be along soon to make everthing grey again keep calm and carry on

Posted by: murray head | Dec 13 2017 1:27 utc | 17

Is anyone familiar with the accusations that Dershowitz makes in this op-ed in the NYT?
I know that he is totally unhinged when it comes to Iran.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/opinion/argentina-kirchner-iran-nisman.html
1. Claims former Argentinian Pres. Kirchner covered up Iranian role in 1990’s Jewish center bombing.
2. Claims heroic prosecutor found evidence that Iran was involved in foiled bomb plot in U.S. (I totally believe this to be B.S.).
3. Claims Iran is infiltrating and radicalizing South America (again B.S. there are not enough Shiites to radicalize).
Any comments would be welcome.

Posted by: Christian Chuba | Dec 13 2017 1:36 utc | 18

it is slow work deletion you have to edit the chain or it looks like lunatic talking to himselves slow memory hole work needs extra memory slowing down the system.plus with the system travel via magna bsp basement level 66 dimona shirley you can expect glitch
israeli arts groups will soon be working overtime at all the weak links austria hungary etc

Posted by: murray head | Dec 13 2017 1:36 utc | 19

IMO, A. Dershowitz is a complete “sock puppet” for the Israelis.

Posted by: ben | Dec 13 2017 3:33 utc | 20

@Christian Chuba | Dec 12, 2017 8:36 Worth reading: What is Israël’s project in Argentina?

The Argentinian authorities are wondering about the massive purchase of land in Patagonia by a British billionaire, and the « holidays » that tens of thousands of Israëli soldiers are enjoying on his property.
Owner of 175 companies, including restaurant chains and Tottenham Hotspur football club – whose fans call themselves the « Yid Army » – the very discreet billionaire Joe Lewis speculates on the exchange market in partnership with his friend George Soros.
In the 19th century, the British government were undecided as to where they should settle Israël – either in what is now Uganda, in Argentina or in Palestine. In fact, Argentina was at that time controlled by the United Kingdom and, on the initiative of French baron Maurice de Hirsch, had become a land of refuge for Jews who were fleeing the pogroms in central Europe.
In the 20th century, after the military coup d’Etat against democratically elected President General Juan Perón, a current of antisemitism developed within the armed forces. A brochure was distributed accusing the new State of Israël of preparing an invasion of Patagonia, the « Andinia Plan ».
It has become apparent today that even though the Argentinian extreme right had exaggerated the facts in the 1970’s, there was indeed a project for implantation (and not invasion) in Patagonia…

Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 13 2017 3:51 utc | 21

RIP
Predominant doctor who exposed the non-existence of Clinton Foundation-promised medical care in Haiti found dead with knife in chest

Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 13 2017 5:56 utc | 22

How Did Chester Bennington Die? 3 Rumors & Theories He Was Murdered And Connected To John Podesta, Chris Cornell & Pizzagate

Rumors have circulated that Podesta is actually Bennington’s biological father. Whether you believe the rumors or not, it’s hard to deny just how strikingly similar the two men look.
Stay with me — there’s more.
In 2014, Linkin Park band member Mike Shinoda wrote a piece for Huffington Post detailing his band’s nonprofit called Music For Relief. After the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the charity started a sustainable recycling program to help the country but began running out of money. The Clinton Foundation came to the rescue, offering the foundation a grant so they could finish their work.
Yep, that’s right. The same Clintons who are so close to John Podesta gave a grant to the band in which Podesta’s rumored son was a member of.
Furthermore, in 2008 Bennington revealed in an interview with Kerrang! that he had been sexually abused as a child. “It was by a friend who was a few years older than me,” he said. “It escalated from a touchy, curious, ‘what does this thing do’ into full-on, crazy violations.”
Related: How Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington’s Childhood Sexual Abuse Impacted His Mental Health
It’s quite a coincidence that Podesta would be so closely connected to Bennington in looks AND financial support, not to mention the two separate instances of pedophilia.
Do I have your attention now? Here’s where it gets dark.
According to the site Neon Nettle, Cornell worked closely with foundations focused on protecting kids from sexual abuse (which his friend Bennington experienced himself) and trafficking.
Conspiracy theorists think Chester Bennington and Chris Cornell knew about the alleged governmental pedophile ring and were murdered for planning to come forward.
The bizarre connections are there, that’s for sure. Though anyone with internet access and enough spare time can make something out of nothing.
Regardless of the causes, it’s important to remember that two beloved men are dead, and we must respect their families. May they rest in peace.

Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Dec 13 2017 6:09 utc | 23

Russia in RSA 🇷🇺
@EmbassyofRussia
#Russia suspends its diplomatic presence in #Yemen having considered the situation in Sana’a. @RussianEmbYemen’s personnel has left the country. Ambassador Dedushkin and some of the diplomats will continue working from Riyadh goo.gl/Vxo1QR
Why is Russia moving it’s embassy to Riyadh??

Posted by: david | Dec 13 2017 8:32 utc | 24

BTW I agree that Dershowitz is a sock puppet. This is unfortunate because he is a pretty good defense lawyer. I thought he might be able to rise above his personal prejudice but casually tying Iran to the JFK airport bombing as if this is well established and as if this was a near miss is unforgivable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_John_F._Kennedy_International_Airport_attack_plot
1. It was never a feasible plot, 2. there is no evidence that any Iranian official knew about any plan, and 3. the only ties to Iran was one personal association.
The only reason that I would give this article a second look is because of Dershowitz’s reference to the Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Of course, Nisman could be politically motivated but since I am not knowledgeable about Argentinian politics I cannot make that assumption a priori despite my distaste for Dershowitz’s obvious prejudice.

Posted by: Christian Chuba | Dec 13 2017 12:42 utc | 25

LOL!
Russians spent less than a pound on Facebook adverts in Brexit campaign
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/russians-spent-less-than-a-pound-on-facebook-adverts-in-brexit-campaign-a3718911.html

Posted by: Anoynmous | Dec 13 2017 17:09 utc | 26

I’ll throw in that Argentinian prosecutor Alberto Nisman looked like what one would term, an overzealous prosecutor. While I didn’t comb through his materials, his list of Iranian conspirators for the 1990’s bombing looked unrealistic. For one thing he included the Iranian President Rafsanjani. Rafsanjani was a moderate and as President of Iran, he would not be involved in terrorist plots. Even if Iran was behind it, that would most likely involve the IRGC and Supreme Leader and I even doubt this.
Nisman might also have an axe to grind against Kirschner. He charged her with conspiracy, Dershowitz was lionizing Nisman.

Posted by: Christian Chuba | Dec 13 2017 17:53 utc | 27

derka derka dirty dershowitz best travel buddy on the mossad epstein lolita express has to stay with the programme he one mucky fella.
a friend in the foreign office and father of the house tam dyell told me years ago that the argentina hit was standard mossad kidron hit.
the question that should be answered of argentina,russia and iran in these cases why never any disclosure it is a game chatham house hush hush rules apply
masons it would seem tell know tales russian or iranian argentinian
so israel always gets a pass that is the rules

Posted by: murray head | Dec 13 2017 18:21 utc | 28

The Armed Forces Journal “blood borders” map makes a perverse sort of sense if one compares ethnicity with petroleum reserves. The Shia minority in Saudi Arabia lives on top of the oil in that country. The Shia in Iraq are similarly situated on top of oil. And the Arab minority in Iran, in the province of Khuzestan, are where most of Iran’s oil is. There is a method to the madness.
http://www.oilempire.us/new-map.html
The Empire’s new Middle East map
ethnic cleansing to control the oil

Posted by: mark | Dec 13 2017 19:04 utc | 29

@6 Virgil. I was hoping there would be a comments section on that New Yorker piece so I could point out some of the propaganda points. One thing I notice in this article and almost all the articles on Syria in the NYT over the years is that they refuse to name the rebel groups. For instance the author mentions Trump’s attack on a “Syrian base that was used to launch chemical weapons on Khan Sheikhoun, a town under rebel control.” Failing to mention that the rebels who control that town are Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formally known as Al Nusra /Al Qeada. She states that Assad ordered this chemical weapons attack as a fact as if there wasn’t any question. So she’s taking the word of Al Qaeda as trustworthy and beyond question. They can’t even mention who the rebels are because even the most brain dead MSM reader might accidentally put 2 and 2 together and remember that was the same group that supposedly carried out 9/11. This was indeed an ugly piece of propaganda, “journalists” like this verge on being criminal accomplices to war crimes. Shame on the New Yorker.

Posted by: Jason | Dec 13 2017 20:26 utc | 30

I think the WWIII has started but none are publishing casualty numbers.
But I am really here to share something else…first the link
China Regulators Complete Final ‘Drill’ In Preparation For Petro-Yuan Futures Trading
Then the quote I want to discuss
”
……
But “the yuan’s role in global finance will ultimately be determined by the degree of commitment of Xi Jinping’s government to economic and financial market reforms.”
”
The quote is from Eswar Prasad, a former China division chief at the IMF……which gets to why it is not the real truth.
Look around at what is happening in the world. On the West side there is only war as an economic engine and China et al are proposing development/sharing as an alternative growth model. China is also currently representing itself in many regards as inclusive in the structure of the economic tools where the West requires hegemony over the tools of finance and hidden private ownership/control.
Am I wrong about what this war is about? We shall see.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 14 2017 1:14 utc | 31

24 “Why is Russia moving it’s embassy to Riyadh??”
This article at Reuters is interesting. Looks like Russia and China are using both the carrot and stick on KSA.

Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Dec 14 2017 1:16 utc | 32

24 “Why is Russia moving it’s embassy to Riyadh??”
Less chance of getting accidentally bombed?

Posted by: dh | Dec 14 2017 1:32 utc | 33

erdogan leading the islamic cooperation declaration on east jerusalem being the capital of palestine.. a rare moment of unanimity…
the daily usa press/propaganda briefing starts off attacking russia for bombing some coke factory, while donetsk is being attacked by the ukee nazis.. and it goes on from their… interesting reading for anyone wondering why the msm in the usa is so fucked up..
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2017/12/276591.htm
QUESTION: What’s the difference between recognizing – you guys are recognizing Jerusalem, an undefined Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. How is it any different that the OIC is recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine?
MS NAUERT: I think this would be the difference – and I’ve not spoken to OIC about this – but we are not making any calls on borders, we’re not taking – making any calls on sovereignty, we’re not making any calls on boundaries. That is up for both parties to decide in final status negotiations.
QUESTION: Well, then but – so why – then what’s —
MS NAUERT: We’re not drawing any geographic boundaries and we don’t think that that is our position to do that.
QUESTION: Well, then why – so why can’t you say – then why can’t you say that you would regard East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state?
MS NAUERT: I think that that will all be up to final status negotiations —
QUESTION: Well, then why —
MS NAUERT: — and I’m not – I’m certainly not going to get ahead of any of those negotiations.
QUESTION: Well, then why wouldn’t calling – why wouldn’t Jerusalem being the capital of Israel —
MS NAUERT: Matt, I’m not going to have anything more for you on this. That would be subject to final status negotiations —
QUESTION: Well – I get it. I just don’t – I guess —
MS NAUERT: — and our policy is not going to change on that.
QUESTION: I don’t understand how it’s consistent logically if – one, if recognizing East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestine is prejudging something that should be done in final status negotiations, why isn’t also Jerusalem —
MS NAUERT: I think we’re taking a position on —
QUESTION: What’s the administration’s logic on that?
MS NAUERT: — how we view – on how we view Jerusalem. I think it’s up to the Israelis and the Palestinians to decide how they want to view the borders. Again, final status negotiations.
that is matt lee asking those questions and mrs nauert making the usa look like a complete idiot…

Posted by: james | Dec 14 2017 2:19 utc | 34

and also from hurriyet
saudi arabia continues to get a free pass from all the stooges next to trump.. turkey gets slammed because they are moving away from the usa orb, lol.
Ankara has slammed U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster for stating that Turkey and Qatar have become “the main sponsors” of extremist Islamic ideologies targeting the West.
“Claims by National Security Advisor (H.R.) McMaster, who should be well aware on how our country has been fighting terrorism and all sorts of radicalism, are nonfactual, astonishing, baseless and unacceptable,” the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on Dec 13.
The statement came after McMaster accused Turkey and Qatar of funding extremist Islamic ideologies during a panel held at a think tank in Washington on Dec. 12. McMaster serves as the national security advisor of President Donald Trump.
McMaster reportedly referred to Saudi Arabia’s support for some of these organizations “decades ago” but singled out Qatar and Turkey as main supporters at present.

Posted by: james | Dec 14 2017 2:25 utc | 35

they could call think tanks ‘stink tanks’… would be more accurate…

Posted by: james | Dec 14 2017 2:26 utc | 36

who is the terrorist state???
There are no signs to suggest there will be an easing of a Saudi-led military blockade of Yemen’s ports to allow aid to reach communities increasingly at risk of starvation, the head of the US government’s aid agency said on Tuesday.

Posted by: james | Dec 14 2017 2:30 utc | 37

H. R. McMaster (bio here) is totally unqualified to be National Security Advisor. He assumed duties as the Director, Army Capabilities Integration Center and Deputy Commanding General, Futures, US Army Training and Doctrine Command on 15 July 2014. Prior to his arrival at Fort Eustis he served as Commanding General, Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning from June 2012 to July 2014. Previously he served as Commander, Combined Joint Inter-Agency Task Force Shafafiyat (Transparency) in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984. He holds a PhD in military history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The National Security Advisor, officially known as the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, serves as a chief advisor to the President of the United States on national security issues. The National Security Advisor plays a critical role in administration of the National Security Council (NSC), which advises and assists the President on national security and foreign policy issues. The Council also serves as the President’s principal arm for coordinating national security and foreign policies among various government agencies.

Posted by: Don Bacon | Dec 14 2017 3:14 utc | 38

james 34. It is good watching Matt Lee questioning these clowns, though I don’t have the stomach to constantly read the flow of bullshit coming from US officialdom. Appreciate you putting up the occasional snippets.

Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Dec 14 2017 3:17 utc | 39

psychohistorian | Dec 13, 2017 8:14:45 PM | 31
Yes, you’re correct. As I’ve opined, although Putin says there’s no ideological component in play between Russia/China and Outlaw US Empire, there is one indeed–the one you and I have both illuminated: Essentially, who gets to share in the wealth: Win/Win versus Zero Sum. Even more so: Russia sociopolitical philosophical POV reflects its very deep and longstanding Orthodox Christianity plus its tolerance/acceptance of other faiths–particularly Muslim–whereas the Outlaw US Empire is close to Satanic–especially when you look at who gets literally killed by proposed GOP legislation that often finds allies amongst some Ds (the current so-called tax bill is extremely vicious; many will die)–although the general public isn’t quite as extreme. I’d go so far and call the GOP’s attempts to throw millions off the meager healthcare and other benefits they get plus all the crazy crap in the “tax bill” Stalinist, akin to the Harvest of Sorrow.
You bet WW3 is happening. I’m rooting for those promoting Win/Win.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 14 2017 4:02 utc | 40

As I wrote previously, The citizenry never had a chance and still don’t.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 14 2017 5:00 utc | 41

@38 don bacon.. thanks for the wider overview on mcmasters..
@39 peter au.. thanks man!

Posted by: james | Dec 14 2017 5:14 utc | 42

@Jason – 30
“They [the NYT] can’t even mention who the rebels are because even the most brain dead MSM reader might accidentally put 2 and 2 together and remember that was the same group that supposedly carried out 9/11.”

Regarding braindead readers, this reminded me of when a U.S. jet shot down a Syrian aircraft that was bombing ISIS near the Euphrates under the guise ‘self-defense’. Even the Pentagon accounts said that the Syrian was bombing ‘near’ SDF forces but went down ‘in ISIS held territory’ while hooraying about how the U.S. pilot was protecting our allies and this was the first air-to-air combat in decades.
In yahoo, user comments, I could not believe the flag waving morons. You would think that Eddie Rickenbacker just shot down the Red Baron (I know that didn’t happen but does truth matter anymore?).
The U.S. pilot probably just messed up because that was when DT ‘took the gloves off’ and gave discretion to the local commanders but was treated like a hero. No one in the media tried to investigate the situation and just accepted the numerous contradictory accounts as fact like they always do. ‘The early accounts were confused’, the military always gets a free pass.

Posted by: Christian Chuba | Dec 14 2017 14:29 utc | 43

Re Anoynmous | Dec 13, 2017 12:09:18 PM | 26
LOL indeed!

Posted by: spudski | Dec 14 2017 14:45 utc | 44

fascinating long article about weapons being used/made by isis
many isis are college educated engineers and they re manufacture whatever they can get
to make more effective weapons
seems crude, but actually very precise
among their materials, usa help was found
> It is a Romanian rocket marked with lot number 12-14-451; Spleeters has spent the past year tracking this very serial number. In October 2014, Romania sold 9,252 rocket-propelled grenades, known as PG-9s, with lot number 12-14-451 to the US military. When it purchased the weapons, the US signed an end-use certificate, a document stating that the munitions would be used by US forces and not sold to anyone else. The Romanian government confirmed this sale by providing CAR with the end-user certificate and delivery verification document.
>
> In 2016, however, Spleeters came across a video made by ISIS that showed a crate of PG-9s, with what appeared to be the lot number 12-14-451, captured from members of Jaysh Suriyah al-­Jadid, a Syrian militia. Somehow, PG-9s from this very same shipment made their way to Iraq, where ISIS technicians separated the stolen warheads from the original rocket motors before adding new features that made them better suited for urban combat. (Rocket-propelled grenades can’t be fired inside buildings, because of the dangerous back-blast. By attaching ballast to the rocket, ISIS engineers crafted a weapon that could be used in house-to-house fighting.)
>
> So how exactly did American weapons end up with ISIS? Spleeters can’t yet say for sure. According to a July 19, 2017, report in The Washington Post, the US government secretly trained and armed Syrian rebels from 2013 until mid-2017, at which point the Trump administration discontinued the program—in part over fears that US weapons were ending up in the wrong hands. The US government did not reply to multiple requests for comment on how these weapons wound up in the hands of Syrian rebels or in an ISIS munitions factory. The government also declined to comment on whether the US violated the terms of its end-user certificate and, by extension, failed to comply with the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty, of which it is one of 130 signatories.
https://www.wired.com/story/terror-industrial-complex-isis-munitions-supply-chain/

Posted by: mauisurfer | Dec 14 2017 16:11 utc | 45

let’s hope this one never gets off the ground…

The new Space Policy Directive 1 was signed on December 11 and published in the Federal Register today. …it makes modest editorial adjustments to the 2010 National Space Policy that was issued by President Obama and adopted in Presidential Decision Directive 4. … [inserting] the following text:
“Lead an innovative and sustainable program of exploration with commercial and international partners to enable human expansion across the solar system and to bring back to Earth new knowledge and opportunities. Beginning with missions beyond low-Earth orbit, the United States will lead the return of humans to the Moon for long-term exploration and utilization, followed by human missions to Mars and other destinations;”
– Secrecy News: A New Category of Presidential Directives

Posted by: b real | Dec 14 2017 16:55 utc | 46

You can forget about the sabre rattling surrounding DPRK, the Outlaw US Empire is about to cross one of China’s Red Lines regarding Taiwan. But, does Trump even realize what he’s done? That’s unknown at the moment. But it’s clearly the most direct way to threaten BRI and the emerging PetroYuan.
Of course, another topic for today is Putin’s annual marathon press conference. I must admit that I’ve yet to read the entire transcript, but we got lucky as the first question asks Putin about his campaign platform, to which he replied thusly:
“Specifically, this has to do with infrastructure development, healthcare and education. This is also about high technology, as I have already said, and improving labour efficiency.
“There is no doubt that the ultimate goal of all these initiatives should be to increase household incomes in our country. This is what I can say about my programme in the most general terms.”

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 14 2017 17:00 utc | 47

https://journal-neo.org/2017/12/09/the-likelihood-of-war-with-iran/
After Russia sold arms to Saudi, they returned to Yemen, Saleh turned sides and presto he was assassinated, Russia moves its embassy to SA, and SA doubles the bomb densities in Yemen.. Saleh, Sis in Egypt and the “detention” and “house arrest” of Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri an “unprecedented Saudi intervention” in Lebanon’s internal affairs.
and the people behind them https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/apple-google-attend-china-internet-conference-that-promotes-control-and-cen

Posted by: wisdomthimble | Dec 14 2017 18:07 utc | 48

sounds frustrating b… i hope it gets fixed asap… thanks for the update..

Posted by: james | Dec 14 2017 18:21 utc | 49

@18 Christian Chuba, this looks like an attempt to recycle similar claims against Hizbullah in Argentina. I’m on mobile so I can’t provide any links, but this claim has been pretty well debunked. As I recall, one of the common sense / Occasionally Razor arguments was that someone in Argentina’s Nazi expat population was the likely perpetrator.
Looks to me like another Zionist lawfare operation,trying to plant some fake facts,as it is ridiculous on its face that Hizbullah or Iran would decide to pop up in a country halfway around the world. But from a Zionist perspective, it has been one of the great untruths supporting their bogus claims that both are ‘worldwide terrorist organizations.’

Posted by: Roy G | Dec 14 2017 18:23 utc | 50

F’ng autocorrect, that should have read ‘Occam’s Razor.’

Posted by: Roy G | Dec 14 2017 18:25 utc | 51

Christian Chuba @43:
It’s possible that AI (i.e. chatbots) are generating some of those “flag waving morons” comments. Who knows on how sophisticated this technology have become since it’s development in the mid-90s.

Posted by: Ian | Dec 14 2017 19:16 utc | 52

Christian Chuba @ 18, Roy G @ 50:
You both should be interested in reading what Argentine economist Adrian Salbuchi has to say about the 1992 and 1994 bomb attacks on the Israeli embassy and the synagogue respectively in Buenos Aires. Salbuchi states that both incidents were false flag attacks carried out to punish Argentine co-operation with Iran in developing nuclear energy technologies for peaceful purposes.
Adrian Salbuchi, “Israel’s False Flagsover Argentina” (Asalbuchi.com.ar)
Adrian Salbuchi, James Fetzer “False Flag Attacks in Argentina: 1992 and 1994” (Voltairenet.org)

Posted by: Jen | Dec 14 2017 21:21 utc | 53

Reuters runs a story on an arms control group report on US/Saudi arms winding up with IS. We (and others) have been saying this for years. But don’t expect this old news to get anywhere more than it did back then.
Arms supplied by U.S., Saudi ended up with Islamic State, researchers say
They still try to point blame at Russia by “presuming” that the Russian weapons found with IS were ones taken from Syrian forces/stocks.

Posted by: Curtis | Dec 14 2017 23:57 utc | 54

Ironically, b’s situation now defines the same situation
of 350,000,000 USAryans behind new PPV internet firewalls.
Reddit is down, and expect many MMORPGs to go dark as well.
At some point CIA/State will move to restrict bandwidth or
disrupt servers for RT, and MoA

Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 15 2017 0:00 utc | 55

Looks like Canada is acting as a stalking horse for the US, to arm Ukraine:
Canadian Arms Makers Get OK To Sell To Ukraine
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-ukraine-weapons-1.4446891
“The Liberal cabinet has given the green light for Canada defence contractors to sell weapons to Ukraine in a watershed decision which a senior official of that country hopes will influence the Trump administration to follow suit…”

Posted by: John Gilberts | Dec 15 2017 0:21 utc | 56

31
It’s nice to speak in grand features about the ‘petro-yuan’,
but too soon to tell whether Iran’s home-grown industry will
welcome cheap Chinese-manufactured trade goods, or whether
the Iran economy can even absorb the Chinese trade, which
only represents 1/20th of the world’s total petro-trade.
From my experience is SE Asia, Chinese infrastructure and
trade (sic) revolves around massive looting of hardwood
forests, wild animal organ harvests, and China industrial
projects which produce massive pollution, and enrich a few
government shills, as example Hun Sen’s plan to let China
build a hydro dam on the main stem of the Mekong, that will
end the annual flooding and fish production of Ton le Sap,
one of the chief food resources of the Cambodian people,
just as Hun Sen profited off the four Chinese coal plants
that will provide power to Thailand, kickbacks to Hun Sen,
and massive air pollution to Ankor Wat. China is USA is RU:
Hot money chasing real resources, turning the world to shit.
But that’s my opinion of China. They would eat your liver.

Posted by: Chipnik | Dec 15 2017 0:22 utc | 57

Re Internet Access Update 1 & 2.
Glad you found a workaround, b. I can only imagine the frustration of owning a blog to which everyone except the owner has unfettered access.

Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Dec 15 2017 0:57 utc | 58

@ Chipnik with his jaded view of no saviors
So what comes next? If it is “just” slow degradation then my age will be a plus along with not having made any kids to have to make excuses to when that world of shit you refer to hits the proverbial fan.
China may eat livers but private finance eats human spirits.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 15 2017 2:18 utc | 59

DOD shows components proving Iran provided missiles fired at Saudi Arabia – Ars Technica
UGH!!!
Usually, Ars has excellent tech reporting. They wander a bit into the weeds from time to time. But the above is an example of a fairly steady stream of propaganda from them.

Posted by: Dr. Wellington Yueh | Dec 15 2017 2:30 utc | 60

An article here, linked to by Magnier
http://www.newsweek.com/us-secret-deal-isis-fighters-flee-battle-russia-syria-ally-742474
When SAA linked up with Deir Ezzor and started clearing the area, US made a deal to let ISIS fighters leave Raqqa, Shortly after, the US made deals with ISIS to take the Omar oilfields.
Talal Silo’s, a Turkmen, defection to Turkey came at this point, so I would guess the linked article, based on what Talal Silo says is accurate.

Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Dec 15 2017 10:29 utc | 61

Wish b would address this story. A lot of inflammatory claims in here http://www.arabnews.com/node/1209096/middle-east

Posted by: scottindallas | Dec 15 2017 13:09 utc | 62

Read any reports about President Moon’s trip to meet with China’s Xi? I thought not. So, here’s a very good recap. You’ll be very glad you did!

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 15 2017 22:48 utc | 63

@61 peter au.. here is elijah j. m.’s latest… worth a read..

Posted by: james | Dec 16 2017 0:04 utc | 64

A new sheriff’s on the Mad Mullah’s case. She’s sharpened her stilettos, and strapped on her fanciest Western-style, tooled-leather “double rig”. That’d be our “Pistol Packin’ Mama” lookin’ to dispense a little Wild West justice up to the UN!

Posted by: JLewisDickerson | Dec 16 2017 20:43 utc | 65

Just lost my entire post about the $21 Trillion in unauthorized spending. See here and here. Aside from RT, Sputnik and the blogosphere, the only mainstream media outlet that’s informing the public is Forbes, which published its article on Dec.8. Apparently, Big Lie Media doesn’t want the public to know since not a word of this scandal’s been published in the 8 days since Forbes.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 16 2017 21:26 utc | 66

@ karlof1 with the Forbes link to the 21 Trillion dollar govt. spending discrepancy….
Thanks for that. Don’t know what to say except that it is the rest of the world nations that continue to buy US Treasuries that need to read about this perfidy. The US populace is blinded by the Roaring Teens of this era’s pre-cliff time.
And then there are our “(s)elected government officials” who just approved a tax bill that is reportedly going to be the biggest tax breaks for the rich since the Reagan era….let them eat Fake Tax Cuts!
I believe that Trump is doing a consummate job as an Apprentice plutocrat. So, what are the future of plutocrats these days…….same as the old days or will society evolve some through this period?

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 17 2017 2:12 utc | 67

psychohistorian | Dec 16, 2017 9:12:31 PM | 67
So, what are the future of plutocrats these days…….same as the old days or will society evolve some through this period?
It’s evolving rapidly as I type these electrons; it’s evolving into the final stages of a full blown Police State.

Posted by: V. Arnold | Dec 17 2017 9:46 utc | 68

In just this last week the police shot dead an unarmed white guy; cold blooded murder; just as with many times many, people of color.
Open season on the 99%…

Posted by: V. Arnold | Dec 17 2017 9:48 utc | 69

Did you remember that I wondered about Israel´s street pulse in the last thread?
Well, here is the real pulse and the reason for the step on Jerusalem, to prop up a government that is in its lowest, and final hours I would say, due to the widespread corruption that spills the prime minister in multiple cases and the effects of a deep economic crisis.
That Jerusalem does not put food on your table may well be around Israeli working people.
Extensive follow-up of a general strike in Israel

JERUSALEM (Sputnik) – Hundreds of thousands of Israeli workers are following the general strike of half a day that declared for this December 17 the great union of Israel, the Histadrut.
The pharmaceutical multinational Teva will dismiss 14,000 employees around the world
The strike was called by the Histadrut after the announcement made by the generic drug giant Teva Pharmaceutical to lay off thousands of employees in all its factories around the world, including some 1,750 in Israel.
The strike, which takes place between 8 and 12 am in the morning, is having a wide following in the public sector especially.
Many flights were canceled at the Tel Aviv airport and others were postponed until later.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to meet with Teva’s leadership to try to minimize the impact of the Teva crisis in Israel.

P.S: I did not know that Teva was an Israeli firm. Since I have been offered sometimes drugs from this company when going to buy drugs, from now on, I will be rejecting this mark, while the Palestinian territories and Jerusalem are not returned to their legitimate owners.
This is what you also can do from your city, so as to add presure for this far-right warmonger government to fall.

Posted by: elsi | Dec 17 2017 12:04 utc | 70

Two posts of mine on demonstrations againsnt Netanyahu throughout Israel for third consecutive week and on today´s general strike posted on the last thread have been wiped out….I wonder why….

Posted by: elsi | Dec 17 2017 13:05 utc | 71

friggin pathetic people, these people hate freedom of speech
Assange told not to interfere in Catalonia by Ecuadorian president!
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/12/17/assange-told-not-to-interfere-in-catalonia-ecuador-president-.html

Posted by: Anonymous | Dec 17 2017 18:58 utc | 72

@Anonymous | Dec 17, 2017 1:58:06 PM | 72
The only people who have supported Catalonian independence have been the European far-right, especially in Belgium, Assange, and Israel, along with all the so called “Anglo-US alt-media” and supposed “Kremlin trolls” ( LOL ) acording to them themselves ( The Saker, The Duran, Russia Insider,etc…)
To see what common interests all these actors have…..I can see at least one, they all support The Donald….as if there was no tomorrow….

Posted by: elsi | Dec 17 2017 21:35 utc | 73

Maybe not so “far right” when they oppose the Spanish fascists who are also “far right”?
No.
The explanation is that neither of the many groups are actually “far right” except from the point of view which makes “everything else except for us” into “far right”.
That’s the wonder of ideology for you.
Who exactly supports DT (pronounced “ditty” lol now that’s a dotard‘s name if I ever saw one), and who claims to support Ditty to make things harder on purpose? Maybe some of those actually are “far right” whatever that means.
“Alt right”? The Americans don’t even understand what “alternative” means, beyond the dictionary definition it was used to signify a non-dogmatic non-ideological generally rightist point of view. The “stay out of our lives” and “stop making things worse” points of view.
But of course having such opinions make them nazis (sarcasm). Because the nazis were really heavily into personal freedom and independence from the state in general (sarcasm again).
But hey if they really were then that would explain why they’re so vilified so in this world of infinite lies maybe that’s the truth contrary to everything one would surmise. Then again if so then their modern brethren sure make a shit job out of getting that message across but maybe those are all (fake or not) jews like in Ukraine? 😀
This is what happens when there’s nothing but lies everywhere about anything and it’s only going to get worse. Much worse.
Donald Trump performing as Hillary in drag is not an alternative to anything in any direction. Admittedly it is still better than Hillary though, but that is not saying much of anything. And for sure it’s better than Pence and the rest, but again not by much. I hope the dotard is good at slowing them down and such a hope, I suspect, might be why anyone still claims to support him so that he can’t be as easily removed. I don’t thought (the cruise missiles against Syria was enough for me and that’s long ago now), if there’s a hell they’re all going there.
The main lesson: any name anyone anywhere uses they will take and abuse, yours as well if you have one.
If Ditty was honest in his campaign promises then they’ve surely scooped out his brain Egyptian style on election night. Poor fucker. If Ditty was just a parade of lies then who gives a fuck about him.

Posted by: Outsider | Dec 22 2017 4:35 utc | 74

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