It's 2002 Again - New York Times Makes Bogus WMD Claims
New York Times, September 8 2002
U.S. Says Hussein Intensifies Quest For A-Bomb Parts
Iraq has stepped up its quest for nuclear weapons and has embarked on a worldwide hunt for materials to make an atomic bomb, Bush administration officials said today.In the last 14 months, Iraq has sought to buy thousands of specially designed aluminum tubes, which American officials believe were intended as components of centrifuges to enrich uranium. American officials said several efforts to arrange the shipment of the aluminum tubes were blocked or intercepted but declined to say, citing the sensitivity of the intelligence, where they came from or how they were stopped.
The infamous aluminum tubes Iraq sought to buy from Italy were for short range rockets, not for uranium enrichment centrifuges as the Bush administration claimed. That was a fact well known to several U.S. agencies like the Energy and State Departments. But the claim, first propagandized by the NY Times, was repeated by then President Bush in a speech to the UN and became a main basis for the war on Iraq. The Knight-Ridder (now McClatchy) Washington Bureau, but not the NY Times, reported about the many doubts experts had about such Weapon of Mass Destruction claims.
New York Times, February 27 2018
U.N. Links North Korea to Syria’s Chemical Weapons Program
North Korea has been shipping supplies to the Syrian government that could be used in the production of chemical weapons, United Nations experts contend.
...
The supplies from North Korea include acid-resistant tiles, valves and thermometers, according to a report by United Nations investigators.
...
The possible chemical weapons components were part of at least 40 previously unreported shipments by North Korea to Syria between 2012 and 2017 of prohibited ballistic missile parts and materials that could be used for both military and civilian purposes, according to the report, which has not been publicly released but which was reviewed by The New York Times.
The valves, thermometers and acid resistance tiles Syria may have sought to acquire could be used for medical facilities, the production of candy or for dozens of other civilian purposes. They could be used to produce something for the military with chemical weapons probably being the most unlikely.
But like the discredited aluminum tube story, the current NYT piece, written by its UN reporter Michael Schwirtz, obfuscates the doubts about WMD connections of the issue. It makes false claims and is full of war-mongering assertions by hawkish figures. It is a scare story constructed to vilify various opponents to U.S. hegemony on meager factual grounds.
The reporter does not understand the issue he writes about. The "possible chemical weapons components" are not such. Chemical weapons obviously do not contain valves, thermometers or acid resistance tiles. To increase the "be afraid" effect of his piece the author mentions an alleged 2007 accident "in which several Syrian technicians, along with North Korean and Iranian advisers, were killed in the explosion of a warhead filled with sarin gas and the extremely toxic nerve agent VX." No weapon designer ever thought of "a warhead" that was filled with both - Sarin and VX. That would be lunacy and reports thereof are obviously bogus.
The "United Nations investigators" are a bunch of spooks selected by individual Security Council members who collect claims of North Korean breaches of sanctions. The group was set up in 2006 under the UN Security Council resolution 1718 as a "Committee of the Security Council consisting of all the members of the Council". The Committee is not part of the UN bureaucracy and they are not "UN experts" or "UN investigators". The reports of the committee list various claims made by single UN member countries without judging their veracity.The Associated Press report on the issue makes this clear:
[The report] said, a visit by a technical delegation from North Korea in August 2016 “involved the transfer to Syria of special resistance valves and thermometers known for use in chemical weapons programmes”.That information came from another member state, which also reported that North Korean technicians “continue to operate at chemical weapons and missile facilities at Barzeh, Adra and Hama”, the report said.
The valve and thermometer point in the Committee report are based on the claims of one country alone. But the NY Times lists those claims as "the [UN] report says" giving them a false aura of neutrality. That one country also claims that Syria still has chemical weapons facility. In 2013 the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) verified (pdf) that all Syrian production facilities for chemical weapons and under control of the government were rendered unusable or destroyed. The OPCW can request to inspect additional facilities it deems suspicious. It has not done so. The AP, but not the New York Times, notes that the Syrian government officially denied that any North Korean technicians are working there.
The New York Times discredited itself over its support for the false Bush administration claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. It later issued a lame mea culpa and fired one reporter while the responsible editors and managers stayed on.
The paper has obviously not changed. It is again creating false pretexts for wars by publishing unobjective, one sided and intended-to-scare pieces about alleged weapons of mass destruction.
Posted by b on February 28, 2018 at 13:36 UTC | Permalink
Did they bring Judith Miller back to write this latest Langley Gazette war-mongering op?
Posted by: JC | Feb 28 2018 14:17 utc | 2
It's amazing that these diplomats could get copies of key documents.
NYTimes -- The report, which is more than 200 pages long, includes copies of contracts between North Korean and Syrian companies as well as bills of lading indicating the types of materials shipped. Much information was provided by unidentified United Nations member states.
But hey, why release the details when the US
The UN declined to comment on the report, which was written by a panel of eight experts tasked with checking North Korea’s compliance with sanctions. It may never be publicly released, but a spokesperson stressed that the “overarching message is that all member states have a duty and responsibility to abide by the sanctions that are in place.”
Posted by: Don Bacon | Feb 28 2018 14:26 utc | 3
"The valves, thermometers and acid resistance tiles Syria may have sought to acquire could be used for medical facilities, the production of candy or for dozens of other civilian purposes. They could be used to produce something for the military with chemical weapons probably being the most unlikely"
Funny how their is no mention of the simple fact that most 'western' homes have numerous devices which could be identified as 'suspect' if TPTB needed an excuse. Where I'm from there is a big push for households to obtain pressure cookers, as 'a roast from frozen in two hours' fit's a hyper active stressful cancer causing lifestyle and eating out is becoming prohibitively expensive even for those of us on the west side of town. How many households have old cell phones? Got a pool/hot tub? Bromine/chlorine anyone? Like to garden, oops might be some NPK fertilizers around. Like to hunt? Gunpowder, I wont even go into the over the counter kinetic explosives that are the target shooter rage ATM. Got kids' then you probably have electronic kits and RC vehicles, likely in doubles.
Western society bows to authority regardless how illegitimate it shows itself to be. How else can you explain a belief that fires at the top of three buildings caused them to free fall into their own footprints against the laws of gravity taught in grade school and still practiced and verified daily in universities and regular life.
Posted by: Tannenhouser | Feb 28 2018 14:27 utc | 4
@3
You quoted: "Much information was provided by unidentified United Nations member states"
The NYT has given everyone on this planet permission to identify themselves as from a UN member state.
This post came to you courtesy of a UN Member state.
Posted by: librul | Feb 28 2018 14:32 utc | 5
All these lies based and hidden under the auspices of a UN Panel of Experts which consists of 8 members: P5 + Japan , South Korea and South Africa , sitting on their a---s @ Turtle Bay.
Did they visit Syria or North Korea or any port to check on those shipments ?
http://www.un.org/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2017/377
Nikki Haley orgasmic (sorry for unladylike language)thirst for Muslim/Arab blood is growing.
Posted by: Yul | Feb 28 2018 14:45 utc | 6
Thanks b!
For obvious reasons, I stopped reading at "...the current NYT piece, written by its UN reporter (((Michael Schwirtz)))..."
Posted by: LXV | Feb 28 2018 14:46 utc | 7
This "report" coincides with US charges on chemical use in Ghouta.
Diplomatic sources have said the chemical weapons watchdog, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, opened an investigation into attacks in eastern Ghouta to determine whether banned munitions were used. U.S. disarmament ambassador Robert Wood said on Wednesday that Russia has violated its duty to guarantee the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile and prevent the Assad government from using poison gas. . .here
"Russia has..." -- In a larger sense this is part of an updated US diplomatic offensive against Russia. From recent testimony of General Votel, CENTCOM Commander:
>On the diplomatic front, Moscow is playing the role of arsonist and firefighter–fueling the conflict in Syria between the Syrian Regime, YPG, and Turkey, then claiming to serve as an arbiter to resolve the dispute. Moscow continues to advocate for alternate diplomatic initiatives to Western-led political negotiations in Syria and Afghan-led peace processes in Afghanistan, attempting to thwart the UN’s role and limit the advance of American influence.
>Russia is also trying to cultivate multi-dimensional ties to Iran. Though historic rivals, Moscow and Tehran share interests across the region, including an overarching desire to sideline, if not expel, the U.S. from the region.
>Russia also maintains significant influence in Central Asia,where the countries of the former-Soviet Union rely on Russia to varying degrees for their economic and security needs. This is problematic as Russia’s efforts could limit U.S. engagement options and provide Moscow additional levers of influence, particularly as NATO forces deployed in Afghanistan are dependent on Central Asian partners for logistical support. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Feb 28 2018 14:55 utc | 8
Meanwhile, the sanctions on North Korea shipping are a joke. More than 50 ships and shipping companies were cited by the Treasury Department for evading existing U.S. and international sanctions. While most of those named were based in North Korea, companies and ships from China, Singapore, Taiwan, Panama, Tanzania, the Marshall Islands and the Comoros were also included.
Bloomberg reports on the "name game":
The Jin Teng, sanctioned by the U.S. in March 2016, became the Shen Da 8 and then the Hang Yu 1 last November, according to Kharon, a Los Angeles-based firm that identifies sanctions risks for banks and companies. The Jin Tai 7, also sanctioned by the U.S. in March 2016, changed its name to Sheng Da 6 two months later and then to Bothwin 7 last November, Kharon said. That was before a new round of UN sanctions was agreed on in December. Both ships remain on the U.S.’s sanctions list despite the name changes.The Bothwin 7 visited the port of Lianyungang, China, in January, the same month that the Hang Yu 1 stopped at the Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, also in China. Both ships, once part of a fleet owned by Ocean Maritime Management Co., based in Pyongyang and sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department and the UN, changed their names to evade detection, according to Kharon, whose researchers drill down into company releases as well as court and corporate filings to establish links between front companies and sanctioned entities.“Sanctions against North Korea are largely symbolic gestures of disapproval that do not demonstrate any capability to change the political behavior of the Kims,” said Robert Huish, an associate professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, who has been monitoring the country’s shipping traffic. . .here
Posted by: Don Bacon | Feb 28 2018 15:21 utc | 9
And we have the recent striking news that the Pentagon doesn't believe Syria used Sarin last year.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis made it very clear recently that “aid groups and others” had provided the U.S. with evidence that was insufficient to conclude that President Bashar Assad had recently used the chemical weapon Sarin against Syrian civilians. In other words, the Pentagon does not believe what has been presented to it as evidence, chiefly because of the dubious provenance of the providers. . .here
Remember that almost a year ago a UN commission concluded that the Syrian government was responsible for a widely discussed incident in Khan Sheikhoun. An alleged gas attack by air happened in April in an al-Qaeda controlled area in Syria. It was used by the White House to justify its bombing of a Syrian airbase.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Feb 28 2018 15:58 utc | 10
The Guardian link has one of the most comical requests that the U.N. tends to make on the accused in the vein of 'prove you are not a witch' ...
"The UN experts added that they had not yet received a reply with documents supporting this claim and a list of all North Koreans who had travelled to Syria."
Syria, 'there were no Korean technicians, military, or official visits'.
U.N. - 'Prove it, give us a list of the Koreans'
The Syrians should give the U.N. an empty list.
They did this to Syria before when they were accused of a WMD bombing of civilians. The Syrians said that they didn't have any military flights that day, 'give us a list of flights, what, no list? GUILTY!'
Posted by: Christian Chuba | Feb 28 2018 16:24 utc | 11
Same old, same old.
Warmongering US morons marching to war.
They always lie us into their wars.
Posted by: AriusArmenian | Feb 28 2018 16:58 utc | 12
Never underestimate the ability of the NYT or WaPo to fabricate incredible lies in conjunction with the US security state.
Posted by: WorldBLee | Feb 28 2018 17:04 utc | 13
thanks b... i think what you are doing here, if i could be so bold, is that you are tearing apart of merits of this reporter michael schwirtz's talking points... this is very important to do, as no one is doing it! in looking at what the dolt has written for the nyt the past few months, it becomes very clear the agenda is to carry water for the neo con crowd, facts be dammed... this is his job... he does need to be taken to the woodshed and given a beating! and why is it these ambiguous types are always given clearance in such papers as the nyt, wapo or wsj? it would be hard not to conclude the folks who own these papers are very intent on doing the same - carrying water for the military and financial industry in a move towards war, or a desire for war..
your story is not going to get the coverage the nyt story gets... how do we change that?
@don bacon - reading the usa daily press propaganda briefings is always informative... why it was just yesterday that the quote you gave from today, was served up yesterday thanks heather nauert.. this from yesterday "MS NAUERT: Russia signed on to this. That’s first of all. Russia signed on to this as an entity that agreed to this UN Security Council resolution. Let me remind you also that Russia had agreed to help, years ago, Syria with getting rid of its chemical weapons. Russia has failed to do that. I want to point that out as well." who needs facts, when you can lie, make shit up and etc. etc.?? https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2018/02/278913.htm
@1 librel.. i agree with you - change the word, again to still... the nyt is 'still' shilling for the war machine...
Posted by: james | Feb 28 2018 17:40 utc | 14
Is it some surprise that US sanctioned countries trade with other US sanctioned countries (for benign, commercial reasons)? It apparently is to some.
(Warning: sweeping statement alert...) This GLOBAL US sanctions regime only hastens the formation of a non-US/alternative commercial trade collective, the end of the dollar as "world trade currency," and the subsequent end of the US ability to fund global war (as US T-Bill interest rates jack up - currently at ZERO - correspondingly, US sovereign debt becomes unsupportable by the economy, and the end of economic life as we in the US know it). Perpetual war, as a function of the end of empire, do have that effect.
Posted by: ritzl | Feb 28 2018 17:47 utc | 15
I just stumbled across a Feb 26, Vanity Fair article written by Joe Pompeo about disagreements at the NYT
Posted by: psychohistorian | Feb 28 2018 17:59 utc | 16
The Syrian attempt to end militants in Ghouta has elicited an incredibly strong, and for me, unexpected response. Why are the NATO/zionist/neocon crowd going crazy over a small plot of land that was obviously going to be recaptured? Are they concerned that the inability of the jihadists to shell Damascus will be too beneficial to Assad? Is this just an attempt by Bibi to save his skin? Maybe the jihadist backers have finally come to realize that this little game is coming to a close?
Posted by: alaric | Feb 28 2018 18:02 utc | 17
@17 alaric - "Reading media reports of the fighting in east Ghouta over the last few days has triggered an eery sense of déjà vu.
It is like taking a time machine back to the autumn of 2016 and listening to all the arguments over the fighting in Aleppo all over again." the article is here
Posted by: james | Feb 28 2018 18:20 utc | 18
Thanks b and also Yul | 6 for shedding light on that matter.
Those "UN experts" are being cited on German state media again and again, with some new report on this or that, establishing Syria as guilty party. But whenever that happens and I go on the UN's website to find s.th. on said report, like a press statement, just anything official, there's nothing to be found. So clearly they're misusing the official 'UN' tag, and no-one's stopping them.
As for the latest expert ruse, it's eye-opening to have a look at the people from the document which Yul posted. On the face of it, it might look like a pretty diverse crew, ppl from all regions of the world with names no-one has ever heard of, so why not trust them?
It gets bad when you take a closer look. The French boy (born '84) is from law and has dealt with nothing but law so far, yet poses as an expert on "missile issues and other technologies". Would you believe it?
This just goes on, the Britisher ("air transport") has a background in political science (or "science" rather).
Rounding things off, there's this American lady with her no doubt common English name Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt. If you're confused as to her actual nationality you can at least be sure that she's a deep-state outgrowth. Council on Foreign Relations, Council of Europe, council here, council there. Political science by training too, probably's never done a day's work in her life. But quite the expert on "finance and economics", I hear.
PS: Those tiles, I remember we had tables clad with those in the chemistry labs, back in high school. So maybe they were justmeant for one of the schools they're rebuilding in Aleppo, another thought.
Have a nice day, everybody!
Posted by: Scotch Bingeington | Feb 28 2018 18:21 utc | 19
These reports (allegations) are part of a psychological war waged by the US and its allies on Syria et al. There may be a military attack in the works, maybe not, but one thibg's for sure -- serious allegations like these serve to keep the Syrians and their allies on their tippy toes, and intended to make them think twice before they make moves contrary to US interests. So yes the reports are for domestic consumption but also part of a warning to foreign foes.
Posted by: Ninel | Feb 28 2018 18:24 utc | 20
@ 19 Scotch
Don't forget who has got the permanent post for the USG of Political Affairs at the UN . A US citizen- currently Jeffrey Feltman who is leaving soon to be replaced by another ilk - a woman this time around. Ban Ki-Moon couldn't sneeze w/o the approval of Jeffrey. Looks like Antonio is in the same boat - guess that's how and why he got elected - another US puppet as UNSG.
Posted by: Yul | Feb 28 2018 18:34 utc | 21
The NYT piece so obviously contradicts itself internally to boil down to a leaked document without official imprimatur, containing unverified information from unnamed UN member states, information which may or may not appear sinister, should it ever be confirmed, depending on one's point of view. That's very thin gruel, and yet the story has been amplified by other outlets and presented to the public as representing some sort of established fact. Yes, that is exactly the Iraqi WMD propaganda playbook.
Jonathan Cook on the "authoritarian courtiers" who write, amplify, and excuse such nonsense:
https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/02/28/the-authoritarians-who-silence-syria-questions/
Posted by: jayc | Feb 28 2018 19:11 utc | 22
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/syrias-ghouta-rescuers-keep-finding-bodies-164128495.html
How about fake news from AFP?
In Syria's Ghouta, rescuers keep finding bodies
.... Abdulmonam Eassa AFP News February 28, 2018
Syrian civil defence volunteers pray over the body of a victim who died in a building collapse following reported regime bombardment in Haza, in the besieged Eastern Ghouta region on February 26, 2018 More In Syria's rebel-held Eastern Ghouta enclave, the bombs have stopped falling from the sky but the dead are still being raised from the rubble.
In the town of Hazeh, volunteers from the Syrian Civil Defence known as the "White Helmets" pull one body from the basement of a collapsed home. And minutes later, a second one.
"It's carnage down there," says Ali Bakr, a young man looking on with other residents. "People hide underground to shelter from the strikes but even that doesn't guarantee you're safe."
Syrian regime forces, backed by Russia's military, intensified their bombardment of Eastern Ghouta on February 18, carrying out one of the bloodiest assaults of the country's seven-year war.
More than 600 civilians have been killed in 10 days of air strikes, barrel bombs dropped from helicopters and rocket fire on the area, which is controlled by Islamist and jihadist groups....
Posted by: OJS | Feb 28 2018 19:19 utc | 23
The „churnalists“ live up to their real name. They did the same stunt in 2017 – even more brazenly rehashing what the press agency „said“ (in turn relying on what anonymous „officials“ and reports „said“):
The „sources“:
1 a „confidential“ (read: secret) report by ANONYMOUS authors (called: „independent experts“ in manipulative press jargon):
„The report by a panel of independent U.N. experts, which was submitted to the U.N. Security Council earlier this month and seen by Reuters on Monday, gave no details on WHEN or WHERE the interdictions occurred or WHAT the shipments contained“.
(Give me a break… )
2 the allegations of 3 UNIDENTIFIED „(UN) member states“: 2 „interdicted shipments…“ and 1 „HAD REASONS TO BELIEVE“ …:
(REUTERS) “…Two MEMBER STATES interdicted shipments destined for Syria. Another Member state informed the panel that it HAD REASONS TO BELIEVE that the goods were part of a KOMID contract with Syria,” according to the report.
„KOMID is the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation. It was blacklisted by the Security Council in 2009 and DESCRIBED AS Pyongyang’s key arms dealer and exporter of equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons. In March 2016 the council also blacklisted two KOMID representatives in Syria.“
The consignees were Syrian entities DESIGNATED by the European Union and the United States as front companies for Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Centre (SSRC), a Syrian entity identified by the Panel as cooperating with KOMID in previous prohibited item transfers,” the U.N. experts wrote. SSRC has overseen the country’s chemical weapons program since the 1970s.“
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-syria-un/north-korea-shipments-to-syria-chemical-arms-agency-intercepted-u-n-report-idUSKCN1B12G2 (this piece was dutifully distributed by the „mass producers of ignorance“
An excellent commentary / critique of this „journalism for imbeciles“ can be found here:
https://www.mintpressnews.com/un-asserts-link-north-korea-syria-chemical-weapons-program/231262/
The latest „reporting“ is using the same methods: secret sources, innuendo, conjecture, confirmation bias, framing, etc.
The report is UNPUBLISHED, the authors („experts on what?) are NOT KNOWN but the insinuation is that it contains „new evidence“ for criminal activities between the DPRK and Syria (criminal only because of the unwarranted sanctions)
So the „multiplicators“ write about what Reuters says is in the report (as if it were true) although no journalist has tried to verify the claims … but when the Syrian government refutes the allegations they dutifully point out that
„The UN panel said Syrian officials had not responded to a request for documents that would support this assertion …“
http://www.dw.com/en/north-korea-is-supplying-chemical-weapons-to-syria-un-experts/a-42764642
Posted by: Cassandra | Feb 28 2018 19:57 utc | 24
Meanwhile .. the real axis of evil has been doing its dirty work unhindered …
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/war-gains-bulgarian-arms-add-fuel-to-middle-east-conflicts-12-16-2015
http://21stcenturywire.com/2018/01/21/wmd-america-inside-pentagons-global-bioweapons-industry/ ….
Some information on the UN„experts“ (DPRK-sanctions panel)
https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1718/panel_experts/appointment-experts
BENOIT CAMGUILHEM (F) – missile issues
a French university lecturer in public / administrative law - an expert on missiles?
HUGH GRIFFITHS (UK) - air transport
leads the panel… this guy is a dangerous fraud ... infiltrating SIPRI and earlier involved in the black "human rights" propaganda about Serbia and Kosovo (director of field mission, medecins du monde (1999-2001)- as "authentic" as the White Helmets...)
https://www.sipri.org/about/bios/hugh-griffiths
(„he worked for governments“ (!) and the „Institute for War & Peace“:
„Institute for War & Peace Reporting (or IWPR for short) is an international media development charity, established in 1991. It runs major programmes in Afghanistan, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Iran, Iraq, the Philippines, Southeastern Europe, Syria, Uganda and Southern Africa. (nice choice of countries…!)
"IWPR builds democracy at the frontlines of conflict and change through the power of professional journalism. IWPR programs provide intensive hands-on training, extensive reporting and publishing, and ambitious initiatives to build the capacity of local media….“ (haven’t we heard this crap before…?)
„Also we are managing a special reporting project on war crimes tribunals“ …. „managing“ indeed:
https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Institute_for_War_and_Peace_Reporting
Edward Herman’s great analysis about the Milosevic trial (Marlise Simons: A Study in Total Propaganda Service) contains this reference:
Marlise Simons, “Prosecutors SAY Documents Link Milosevic to Genocide,” New York Times, June 20, 2003
„Simons swallowed the Office of the Prosecutor’s bait, its revelation of a document that “MAY PROVE TO BE crucial evidence in support of their case that the former Yugoslav president is guilty of genocide.” (First published on the webpage of the highly-compromised Institute for War & Peace Reporting..)" Sound familiar?
The Simonses of this world have multiplied like cancer cells …and as Herman remarked:
„Framing and sourcing are closely linked, as the use of a particular source allows that source to define the issues and to fix the frames of reference, presumably those acceptable to or preferred by the journalist“
By the way, the IWPR (their "democracy-loving" directors) seem to be very unpopular in Iraq .. I wonder why:
http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2015/05/05/iwpr-iraq-director-killed-in-baghdad/
http://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2015/10/20/iwpr-director-found-dead/
The newly-appointed Iraq Director for the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) has been found dead in suspicious circumstances at an Istanbul airport. („hanged herself with shoelaces“) The ex-BBC journalist had been returning from a memorial service in London for the former IWPR Iraq director, Ammar Al Shahbander, who was killed in a car bomb attack in Baghdad in May.
Posted by: Cassandra | Feb 28 2018 20:07 utc | 25
I hate to admit it, but clearly the AZ Empire is not “finished” with Syria yet. The division of this ancient society with the storied Euphrates River serving as one border (as “Promised” in Genesis 15:18) is enforced by thousands of US troops, artillery pieces, warplanes and at least a dozen US military bases. That gives about 1/3 of Syria’s land and 1/2 of its oil to the proposed Kurdistan (with Kurdish people making up 6% of Syria’s population).
I sincerely hope that Syria’s allies, Russia and Iran, are themselves sincere in their commitment to preserve Syria’s sovereignty and the integrity of its borders.
Another story came out of this devastated land and people.
Syria conflict: Women 'sexually exploited in return for aid'
It’s been going on since “revolution” began. The first UN report on it was 3 years ago, but nothing has been done. And of course, it is the Sharia Councils we pay for that set the terms for trading food for women and girls (and no doubt boys).
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-43206297
Posted by: Daniel | Feb 28 2018 20:18 utc | 26
Things are not looking good:
Lindsey Graham Warns Iran Is Testing Trump and Israel Is Preparing for War
Senator Lindsey Graham said Iran is testing President Donald Trump and warned Israel was preparing to start a war in southern Lebanon over an Iranian-backed Hezbollah rocket factory.
Posted by: Tobin Paz | Feb 28 2018 20:29 utc | 27
James @14
You write: "the folks who own these papers are very intent on doing the same - carrying water for the military and financial industry in a move towards war, or a desire for war.. "
Have you considered that the owners of the media also own large parts of the military industrial complex, as well as controlling interest in the financial institutions?
The media is not a separate fourth estate seeking objectivity, it is a useful tool to create popular support for policies that go against the interest of the majority. They are not separate.
Perhaps that was your point.
Posted by: Castellio | Feb 28 2018 20:31 utc | 28
Castellio @28--
Excellent points! I shun most "traditional" media of all types as most are corrupted in some manner, with some more than others. I'm reminded of the closed door meeting FDR had with the major media CEOs just prior to 7 Dec and the resulting lock-step they all displayed afterwards--a lock-step continuing as we breathe.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 28 2018 21:07 utc | 29
@28 castellio.. thanks for articulating that.. i didn't say that, but it does beg the question who owns the media and i do believe it is as you say..
Posted by: james | Feb 28 2018 21:07 utc | 30
Max Blumenthal slams Democracy Now & guest for supporting 'neocon project of regime change in Syria'
https://www.sott.net/article/378447-Max-Blumenthal-slams-Democracy-Now-guest-slammed-for-supporting-neocon-project-of-regime-change-in-Syria
Posted by: test | Feb 28 2018 21:21 utc | 31
This is a black propaganda two-fer, casting aspersions upon both Syria and North Korea. Let us now forget it was the U.S. that enabled sales of chemical weapons to Saddam Hussein. It was the U.S. that most likely used Sarin gas during the Vietnam War. And it was the U.S. that amnestied the worst biological warfare criminals from Japan's Unit 731 complex and then used their expertise to conduct a large-scale experimental campaign of germ warfare against both China and North Korea during the Korean War. Regarding the latter, readers are referred to https://medium.com/insurge-intelligence/the-long-suppressed-korean-war-report-on-u-s-use-of-biological-weapons-released-at-last-20d83f5cee54
Posted by: Jeffrey Kaye | Feb 28 2018 21:47 utc | 32
NY Times now spreading All Propaganda report that Russia hacked German database extensively & for very long period of time.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 28 2018 22:08 utc | 33
Jeffrey Kaye @ 32 - the link doesn't work - no information at Medium Search nor in Google search - could you help?
Posted by: Quentin | Feb 28 2018 22:20 utc | 34
Here are white helmeted angels in Syria.
It is true. They live.
https://pp.userapi.com/c834404/v834404425/cda58/8COyhYqrb8I.jpg
Posted by: Kalen | Feb 28 2018 22:25 utc | 35
Castellio @ 28, James and Karlof1: In the case of Rupert Murdoch, who through News Corporation owns newspapers, journals, magazines, TV and online news channels, at least one major film studio (20th Century Fox), publishing company HarperCollins Publishers and other media outlets, the link between the media and the military industrial complex is between the two hemispheres of his brain. Murdoch is on the Board of Directors of Genie Energy (along with ex-US President of Vice Dick Cheney) which owns a company that has a licence (granted by an Israeli court) to explore and drill for oil and natural gas in Syria's Golan Heights.
How much more incestuous can the media be with the military industrial complex?
Wait while I hunt out the connection between The Guardian newspaper's management and investment bank NM Rothschild & Sons Ltd ...
https://www.theguardian.com/the-scott-trust/2015/jul/26/the-scott-trust-board
Posted by: Jen | Feb 28 2018 22:36 utc | 36
@ quentin 34
see if this works at his medium site (though they look the same):
on his twitter thing: https://twitter.com/Anony_Mia/status/968892377065754625
Posted by: wendy davis | Feb 28 2018 22:36 utc | 37
Quentin @ 34
delete the formatting characters that appear at the end of the url in your web browser. If you hover over the link you can see them.
Posted by: ted01 | Feb 28 2018 22:59 utc | 38
What is up here? Apart from the horror of the NYT story, why are so many commenters in this thread too damn lazy to use the html tags provided. It is 2018 and I find it impossible to accept that so many are still incapable of posting to a blog.
The only reason I can deduce is that far too many still sit at ancient desktops and don't comprehend the disaster their laziness causes for those who use tablets & phones.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Feb 28 2018 23:39 utc | 39
A new movie "Revolution Man" directed by Syrian director Najdat Aznour. Deals with rebel propaganda ie. #WhiteHelmets fakery, child soldiers & the role of western media in demonizing the government.
Check out the trailer at their F**kBook site:
https://www.facebook.com/Revolution-Man-Movie-فيلم-رجل-الثورة-993146510832449
Posted by: Daniel | Feb 28 2018 23:42 utc | 40
For Debs and b:
A new movie "Revolution Man" directed by Syrian director Najdat Aznour. Deals with rebel propaganda ,#WhiteHelmets fakery, child soldiers & the role of western media in demonizing the government
Check out the trailer at their F**kBook site:
Posted by: Daniel | Feb 28 2018 23:46 utc | 41
Jen @36--
Such incestuousness was uncovered during the Merchants of Death Congressional hearings during the 1930s and helped enact the Neutrality Acts. Prominent US Historians Charles and Mary Beard were decrying the evils of media consolidation soon after WW1, a message that only increased in volume as time moved forward. Imagine what we might have if anti-trust legislation were enforced as rigorously as Taft(!) did 100+ years ago.
Posted by: karlof1 | Feb 28 2018 23:50 utc | 42
Posted by: Daniel | Feb 28, 2018 6:46:04 PM | 41
heh thanks for the link but my pedantic insistance about links is not about my ability to access the site, upthread someone asks how we can get b's opinions out to others? I share links to many of the better posts when I can but I get the same feedback from people - that the site is too difficult to read because someone has dropped a great steaming URL into the middle of a page and screwed up the format. Not just millennials either, old journos in particular do everything on their phone and they refuse to waste time on "badly formatted shit" as one recently described a MoA page.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Mar 1 2018 1:15 utc | 43
@debs... maybe if b wanted to he could make it where moa doesn't accept links unless they are formatted properly using the html..
unfortunately the use of cell phones for everything is a byproduct of the times and is not a great way to read.. i wouldn't try it!
@36 jen.. murdoch is a good example of the type of sleaze-balls that have control over too much of the media.. i am reminded of canada's conrad black as another example who used to have some control on the canuck media.. he's out of prison now and living in the uk which is a country that seem to like people like him!!
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 1:33 utc | 44
@Jen 36
Norman Solomon wrote about the media, and how "journalists" must toe the line or become ex-journalists. His book is "War Made Easy, How Presidents and Pundits Keep Spinning Us to Death"
War Made Easy cuts through the dense web of spin to probe and scrutinize the key ""perception management"" techniques that have played huge roles in the promotion of American wars in recent decades. This guide to disinformation analyzes American military adventures past and present to reveal striking similarities in the efforts of various administrations to justify, and retain, public support for war. War Made Easy is essential reading. It documents a long series of deliberate misdeeds at the highest levels of power and lays out important guidelines to help readers distinguish a propaganda campaign from actual news reporting. With War Made Easy, every reader can become a savvy media critic and, perhaps, help the nation avoid costly and unnecessary wars.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Mar 1 2018 1:42 utc | 45
The outlook is not so bad, though: Russian Army in Damascus, by Thierry Meyssan
Over the last four years, all commentators have underlined the impossibility for Russia to deploy ground troops against the jihadists in Syria at the risk of reliving their defeat in Afghanistan. But what is true if Moscow confronts Washington by proxy is false if the two great powers agree not only on the future of Syria, but the whole region. Thierry Meyssan was the first journalist in the world to announce the arrival of the Russian army in Syria in 2015. He is today the first to announce the deployment of its infantry.
Posted by: PeacefulProsperity | Mar 1 2018 2:33 utc | 46
@18 james
Happened to see your link. It seems to be an exact reprint of Alexander Mercouris's original article at the Duran 2 days ago: East Ghouta: the last great battle of the Syrian war?
Even down to the same British spelling of "Eery" - deja vu indeed. So Asif Aziz may not be a person at all. What a wicked world.
;)
Posted by: Grieved | Mar 1 2018 2:37 utc | 47
@46 grieved.. that is fascinating in itself!
astute news.. that is the name of the website and asif aziz seems to be the author of all the articles..
maybe it is just another way to disseminate but that sounds like a corruption if he has his name of it, but doesn't acknowledge the author of the article...
here is what i get off the astute news website on aziz. i have just asked him on his site and i have sent a note to the duran to ask what is going on here.. will let you know what i find out.. thanks..
"
Author: Asif Aziz
A Technologist, Blogger, Internet trailblazer, Web aficionado, Analyst, Certified internet geek, Passionate thinker, Introvert. Aims to spread news and information, bypassing the gatekeepers of traditional, mainstream media (MSM), with focus on Pakistan, Middle East, Russia, China and the events effecting the Muslim World in particular, covering security, military, intelligence, technology and thought provoking issues."
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 2:50 utc | 48
Posted by: james | Feb 28, 2018 8:33:44 PM | 44
I'm not keen on it myself my eyes are shot and even though I wear specs I still hafta closely sub posts for misspellings & typos I haven't noticed in the grey blur. I've got a close relative a coupla years older who is a senior TV journo (I no longer bother him with links because those guys are indoctrinated with a capital i). Anyway not only does he do all his mail and reading by phone, he refuses to wear specs - always left em in another jacket, but I strongly suspect vanity is at work and he doesn't wanna been seen looking like the old fella he is.
The reality is most working people do use phones rather than desktops or even laptops and that means we should try to go along with that reality if we are interested in disseminating our views.
Sure b could probably find a snap on to block all unformatted links, but my experience of blog progs is every time you alter em. it creates a bug somewhere else, so b would hafta sweat all that boring shit out and then be accused of being a zionist/facist cos some loony toon was 'being censored'.
Another thread filled with specious claptrap and name calling - for what? because some people appear to be more interested in spewing their view on something out before anyone else and they are too lazy/couldn't give a fuck that many people won't be able to read it.
I refuse to accept it is any individual's responsibility to make MoA work, that is down to all of us, those too lazy or who are trolls bent on sabotage should stick out like the fat slobby arses they are.
The rest can extend themselves for another two seconds to copy & paste the html code in.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Mar 1 2018 2:51 utc | 49
apparently the duran contact info has bounced back to me.. will try one of the other ones to see if it makes it...
"Sorry, we were unable to deliver your message to the following address.
:
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 2:52 utc | 50
Ziad Fadel is best known for his insider news and perspective on Syria and status on the ground - but in his latest piece today he seems to tap the root cause of all the western media nonsense happening right now, at least with regard to Syria and the Zionist dream - which we must remember, drives the western press: Tangled Web In The East Ghouta; Ghouta Has Got The Neocon Goat
It's a short piece, only 9 paragraphs, but here's a slice:
Zionists are united in pursuing a policy of complete hopelessness in order to assuage their own hurt feelings. They simply will not accept their own failures and are determined to bully the CIA into another miserable foreign adventure.Unable to stir the passions of the American public into supporting another foreign war, they have resolved to use the media as a substitute for the noisy demonstrations of which they fantasized in order to urge military action to stop the inevitable rise of the new alliance.
The key here is that the US public is not being roused into caring about the Middle East. So this war must continue to take place in the media.
It's the only place there will be a win of any kind for the Zionists. But this will not manifest tangible facts.
And it will have nothing to do with reality on the ground.
Posted by: Grieved | Mar 1 2018 2:53 utc | 51
@48 debs.. i hear you.. i get a laugh out of the many young folks i interact with who are using their phone as an all purpose device.. it seems painful, but i guess if one is young they can do it.. your relative sounds like he is afraid of acknowledging he is over the hill... oh well.. that's not a problem for me!
@50 grieved.. i like ziads writing.. i didn't know his site was still up and happening.. thanks for the link.. at this point i think it is true - ordinary people are not following what is happening in syria.. no amount of fiction on what is going on in ghouta seems to matter either...
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 3:10 utc | 52
@ james and debs about user facing tech
I am seeing more with a combo of phone and tablet of some sort. I have been programming those little screens since the 80's but can't stand using them for anything serious....we are just getting old, lazy and can afford to pay for alternatives.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 1 2018 4:00 utc | 53
We're there, for all practical circumstances:
Ray McGovern on Watching the Hawks: Bill Casey (CIA Head) said: “We'll know when our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”
Posted by: V. Arnold | Mar 1 2018 4:50 utc | 54
What Bush Cheney discovered was that if you could dupe 30 percent of the population you can drag the rest along.
The survival of Syria is not an option. It must be eradicated as a society and replaced with takifiri looney statelets that can be played off against each other as per the oded Union plan.
Israel has waited long enough for its hegemony. The time is right fucking now.
Posted by: Anon | Mar 1 2018 5:23 utc | 55
Grieved 50
There was an article, I think in Sputnik in the last 24 hours, on the F35 very soon becoming pilotless.
US is quickly moving to robotic type warfare so they don't have to bother about what the public thinks.
US and other countries will only come out on the streets if white people from their own country are getting killed. Close 100% drone warfare with pilots sitting safely in the US or at safe US bases around the world is the future for the hegemon. Plus ''contractors' or a few special forces types for the odd job that cannot be accomplished simply bey blowing the shit out of all in sight.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Mar 1 2018 5:40 utc | 56
@46 grieved, @18 James
I'm Asif from astutenews, the name of author and source link to each and every article is given at the end of article. The confusion is created by author name at top of article, which is the name of person posting the post. I had tried to remove that but the theme doesn't allow it. I'll try to search for theme which doesn't have author name on top it.
I think it should be obvious to almost all of us now that the powers-that-be are not going to stop until they have created what they feel is a cassus belli for war, a war in which they will finally take down the secular government of Syria.
Posted by: Qualtrough | Mar 1 2018 9:29 utc | 58
@Debs et al
I added some code to the CSS Style Sheet of this site. Please reload the page and tell me if the long links now wrap around (as they should) or still break or extend the margins.
Putin is just now announcing 4 new unheard of absolutely ground breaking strategic missile systems - well one is a new submarine cruising torpedo - and all of it are absolutely way ahead of anything the west could not only deploy, but even think of!
for example, one is a missile with unlimited range, a cruise missile with the ability to intelligent avoidance of any radar, capable to remain in flight apparently indefinitely; Putin said it's using a completely new nuclear energy propulsion sytem...
I strongly suggest all to listen or read to his speech right now; is nothing less than epochal
Posted by: rr | Mar 1 2018 10:56 utc | 60
French MSM are 24/7 on Ghouta. Just a couple of months ago, Macron was saying that Asad can stay and that Putin must be talked to. Then came a visit in Paris of the HRW guy, followed by the WH one. And here we go. Got threatened with a Greek treatment? What exactly can the Brits bargain now that they are deep into exit formulas? Or is it just bank deals?
Posted by: Mina | Mar 1 2018 11:48 utc | 61
Grieved,
True of Zionists and even more true of their Gulf buddies. Ever heard of male competition in a patriarchal environment such as Arab societies?
Posted by: Mina | Mar 1 2018 11:51 utc | 62
rr | Mar 1, 2018 5:56:33 AM | 60
So, no links or any other supporting evidense?
Troll much...
Posted by: V. Arnold | Mar 1 2018 12:08 utc | 63
This is one of those you could see this coming from hundreds of miles away.
The UK and French press, it seems, are leading the propaganda campaign NYTimes coming in later. Started with one paragraph in an article about dead kids, the usual guilt trip article, 'Look what we have done by doing nothing.' I looked for the obligatory chemical weapons accusations and there they were in the 3rd paragraph in. This was day one so the article suggested that an 'alleged' chlorine attack was carried out. The comments were opened on that one and quickly closed. Everyone, absolutely everyone called bullshit on it. Damascus even told everyone they are prepping a false flag, those White helmets guys! Then as the days went on the claim became fact, then bolstered by the 'fact' that the 'Assad regime has always used chemical weapons and there is no doubt about that. Now 1 1/2 weeks later and after the UN ceasefire resolution, voila! Now we have Haley singing the old tune at the UN showing dead kids and whining on about NK missile parts and Syrian WMD.
There will be no making sense of this, no investigations, time is too limited, Russia and Syria have nearly got the battle won.
It goes like this in MSM, we told you so and that is it. WE don't care if you believe it or disagree or need concrete evidence, that's it. WE TOLD YOU SO. We will act and escalate our efforts in Syria and if you disagree you're Russian troll. Go USA. Now shut up and get back to other distractions we've concocted for you.
Posted by: Gravatomic | Mar 1 2018 12:11 utc | 64
Posted by: V. Arnold | Mar 1, 2018 7:08:27 AM | 63
Putin is wrapping up his state of the Union address, he unveiled that 4 new nuclear capable weapons have begun or have already completed testing. This is due he states to the USA dropping the 1972 ABM treaty altogether. The Russian hypersonic missiles are what will threaten any US ABM system. That and new space weapons, space is definitely where part of the next war will be fought.
Posted by: Gravatomic | Mar 1 2018 12:16 utc | 65
@v. arnold
sorry for the lack of links; it was the 'State of the Nation' annual speech, I was watching it live on RT; anyway you can find the first reactions and summary on rt.com. Putin spoke with the usual wisdom and once again asking for serious, balanced talks; but stressed the foolishness of even dreaming of attacking Russia. I just wish Russia could be a bit more assertive, without being arrogant.
regards
Posted by: rr | Mar 1 2018 12:17 utc | 66
@66 @63
The first part of the speech is at http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/56957. It does not include the defence newa (at the moment) but says "to be continued." Presumably, later today the rest of the text will be added.
Posted by: spudski | Mar 1 2018 12:40 utc | 67
Correction: "It does not include the defence news ,,,"
Posted by: spudski | Mar 1 2018 12:41 utc | 68
spudski | Mar 1, 2018 7:40:21 AM | 67
Thanks, that's helpful.
Posted by: V. Arnold | Mar 1 2018 12:46 utc | 69
MSM Sources
Western MSM can barely bring themselves to quote either the Russian or the Syrian 'regimes' without spitting afterward as if it somehow defiles them. Yet they casually report how 'NGO's report that 600 people have been killed by through saturation bombing by the Russians and Syrian barrel bombs in the past 10 days.'
So now they are equating the 'White Helmets' with the Red Crescent'. How can these people live with themselves?
There is an old joke about the difference between heaven and hell.
Heaven is where the Italians run the police and the Germans run the trains. Hell is where the Germans run the police and the Italians run the trains.
I wish that the U.S. MSM would get to live along side of these heroic White Helmets in Idlib for a month, and oh yes, without any bombing. I mean to enjoy the pleasant company of these moderate rebels without any fear of attack from the Syrian regime.
Posted by: Christian Chuba | Mar 1 2018 13:48 utc | 70
@47 grieved... here is mercouris's response -
Wow!
Thank you very much for letting us know.
Best Wishes,
Alexander Mercouris
Editor in Chief
The Duran
@57 asif - fair enough, but that is confusing the way it is set!! cheers!
@b 59 - the posts @ 25, 31, 32 and 37 still long like long urls to me..
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 17:18 utc | 72
@53 psychohistorian.. yes, there is a lot of tablet use as well.. i know a few - women- who are going to for the tablets.. they like to scroll!
@ v. arnold, here's a link this morning from rt on it..///
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 17:25 utc | 73
i love the opening lines of the article - " Russia has developed a number of advanced weapons systems, including a nuclear-powered cruise missile, which make all US capabilities aimed at undermining the Russian nuclear deterrent obsolete, President Vladimir Putin announced.
The latest advances in Russian strategic deterrence have made America’s anti-missile systems obsolete, so Washington should stop trying to diminish Russia’s security and start talking to Moscow as an equal partner, not the dominant military power it seeks to be, Putin said."
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 17:26 utc | 74
@71 and others re Putin speech - thanks!
Just at a glance it does indeed seem epochal.
I always heard that Russia was aiming for 2020 to be invulnerable to any missile attack - which would mean that MAD suddenly turns into USAD (US Assured Destruction).
Russia doesn't bluff. She doesn't threaten. She gives one warning. And as Putin said, if you know a fight is coming, you get the first punch in.
2020 is getting closer, and all Russian military timetables seem to be beating their deadlines. Russia's tone of address to the west has been changing ever so gradually in the last year or so, and one would expect it to continue. So, for all that the neocons and Zionists would love to see some action, they're not going to get it. WWIII will only happen in the media, because the US is caught in its own narrative that it must continually feed to its population or lose domestic control. Meanwhile outside, plenty of nations are shaping up to be able to kick its ass, and none of the others will shed a tear.
Posted by: Grieved | Mar 1 2018 17:29 utc | 75
The biggest part of Putin's speech I think is publicly guaranteeing smaller allies protection against US nuclear attacks no matter how small. The US, because their public are no longer interested in going away to war for empire, have been talking using tactical nukes along with robotic or drone warfare.
Along with the over the top saturation propaganda on Ghouta, US have apparently moved an extra six hundred special forces types to their base at Tanf. Also the number of US bases in Syria has increased from thirteen or so about six months ago to twenty now.
https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-deploys-600-additional-troops-syrias-tanf-reports/
looks like US has definate plans for a directly attacking Syria now that it is clear their takfiri proxies have failed
Russia in turn has moved the SU-57 to Syria, and Putin has stated bluntly that any nuke attack, no how matter small, on any US ally, will be responded to with an all out nuclear attack by Russia on the US.
All this makes me think the current saturation propaganda by the US is preparation for an all out attack on Syria by the US rather than just sore loser type crap, or trying to gain sympathy/support for their proxies.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Mar 1 2018 17:43 utc | 76
The Hurdy Gurdy machine is spinning at break neck speed and all the pieces are flying off........it couldn't happen to a nicer empire.
It is interesting to be in the cusp of geo-political events like this. I hope someone is taking good notes...grin
Will this empire go out with a whimper or a bang? We can only hope it is the whimper route with some adults taking over the decaying rot.
I want China now to stand up beside Russia and say somewhat the same thing. It is tie to get all the cards on the table, IMO.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 1 2018 17:48 utc | 77
this part i also really like..
"“To those who for the last 15 years have been trying to fan an arms race, achieve unilateral advantage against Russia, impose sanctions, which are illegal from the standpoint of international law and are aimed at holding back the development of our country, including in the military area, I have this to say: All the things you were trying to prevent through your policies have already happened. You have failed to hold Russia back,” Putin said.
“You now have to acknowledge this reality, confirm that everything I said is no bluff – which it isn’t – think for some time, send into retirement the people stuck in the past and incapable of looking into the future, [and] stop rocking the boat that we all ride in and which is called planet Earth,” he said. Russia would be responsive if talked to as an equal partner, Putin added."
Posted by: james | Mar 1 2018 18:07 utc | 78
which would mean that MAD suddenly turns into USAD (US Assured Destruction).
Posted by: Grieved | Mar 1, 2018 12:29:06 PM | 75
Not really. USA pursued the removal of M from MAD by increasing the accuracy of missiles, so they can destroy missile silos of the adversaries, and anti-missile system that would presumably deal with the "few survivors of the first strike". Russia has more limited resources so they pick an anti-technology. A very simple anti-first-strike technology is to replicate the silos, connect them with roads, and play "nuclear three-card-monte", but this is a huge construction effort. Cruise missiles would require a similar shell game, but because they are much smaller, this would be orders of magnitude cheaper: smaller silos/bunkers, cheaper roads for much smaller all-terrain trucks etc. Plus, they would have "warmer welcome" in the target country.
So Russia wants to reinforce the position of M in MAD. And they may recoup the costs by selling to China.
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Mar 1 2018 18:12 utc | 79
"Listen to us now," Putin says.
Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 1, 2018 11:50:48 AM | 71
Thanks for the RT link.
All those deterrent toys sound quite feasible to me - except the Nuclear-powered rocket. Assuming VVP was talking about missiles which travel through the air, not water, then the Russians have found a way to instantly raise the temperature of a fast-moving air stream. If it's true then one presumes it's an updated model of a Scramjet and would require conventional rockets to launch and accelerate to ~ Mach 2+.
Scramjet Basics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scramjet
Scramjet Programs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scramjet_programs
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Mar 1 2018 19:07 utc | 80
The full English transcript of Putin's speech in now up at the Kremlin.ru site.
http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/56957
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Mar 1 2018 19:14 utc | 82
@69 V. Arnold @75 Grieved
Complete text of VVP's speech is now up at the link provided @67. Cheers.
Posted by: spudski | Mar 1 2018 19:16 utc | 83
Posted by: karlof1 | Mar 1, 2018 11:50:48 AM | 71
(#80 Continued)
Actually the US-occupied & NATO (Christian Colonial) MSM are trying really hard not to believe Vlad's claims. I can hardly wait for the 'experts' to start hand-balling it to each other tomorrow...
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Mar 1 2018 19:24 utc | 84
@82
Sorry Peter AU1, didn't see your post when I sent mine.
Posted by: spudski | Mar 1 2018 19:37 utc | 85
Apologies in advance for the self-indulgence but...
I've always liked Bob Seger's song, You're Still The Same because it reminded me of a woman I met in the '90s (great fun but you wouldn't want to own one).
Anyway, the lyrics could, with a bit of a stretch, apply to Vlad's New Image.
Still The Same
You always won, everytime you placed a bet.
You're still damn good, no one's gotten to you yet.
Everytime they were sure they had you caught,
You were quicker than they thought,
You'd just turn your back and walk.
You always said, the cards would never do you wrong.
The trick you said was never play the game too long.
A gambler's share, the only risk that you would take.
The only loss you could forsake,
The only bluff you couldn't fake.
And you're still the same.
I caught up with you yesterday.
Moving game to game,
No one standing in your way,
Turning on the charm,
Long enough to get you by
You're still the same
You still aim high
There you stood, everybody watched you play.
I just turned and walked away.
I had nothing left to say.
'Cause you're still the same...
etc, etc.
Posted by: Hoarsewhisperer | Mar 1 2018 19:57 utc | 86
Wikipedia, SLAM >>On May 14, 1961, the world's first nuclear ramjet engine, "Tory-IIA", mounted on a railroad car, roared to life for a few seconds. Three years later, "Tory-IIC" was run for five minutes at full power. Despite these and other successful tests the Pentagon, sponsor of the "Pluto project", had second thoughts. The weapon was considered "too provocative",[2] and it was believed that it would compel the Soviets to construct a similar device, against which there was no known defense.<<
That would be typical Russian approach: search for the most reliable known technology. In the last 40 years there were huge improvements in many technologies needed for SLAM, like special ceramics for very hot engines needed for turbojet engines in civilian and military planes, making smaller and lighter nuclear reactors, making highly maneouverable missiles -- Russian anti-ship missiles etc. Moreover, some remote Arctic areas of Russia are given up for "normal human use" and are used for dumping nuclear waste, after being used for nuclear tests, so one can test potentially polluting prototypes there. Don't drink "Glacier water from Novaya Zemlya".
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Mar 1 2018 20:13 utc | 87
@ Piotr Berman with the SLAM background...thanks
If you want to go up against the perverted financial empire that has been in control for centuries, it is best to not under estimate the opponent.
Posted by: psychohistorian | Mar 1 2018 21:15 utc | 88
Debs, et al. I usually go through the process to create links.... at least since psychohistorian kindly took the time to teach me how to do it. b's instructions are so obvious to anyone who has done any html writing... which is NOT a bunch of us. I taught teachers for many years, and one of the things I tried to convey is never to say "Obviously..." Because everything is obvious... ONCE someone knows it. That's what teachers are for.
Anyway, I do occasionally copy-pasta a URL if it's short, or if my brain fails to get a hyperlink to work, but I think it a valuable source.
b has deleted posts that have formatting problems. Sometimes, a post goes into a holding pattern automatically, so b can determine if it's OK. I agree that I'm glad he doesn't set that to automatically deny any post with a URL in it. But I also agree that once people know the problems, it's rude to post huge URLs.
Posted by: Daniel | Mar 1 2018 22:40 utc | 89
Peter AU @56. Back in 1999 or 2000, I was at an air museum and struck up a conversation with an Air Force officer. At one point, I said that I’d noticed that technology can make aircraft that can maneuver, accelerate, etc. at greater loads than the human body can handle (well beyond G-Suits capabilities). The human body was the limiting factor, so it seemed to me we should be building pilotless craft and have pilots operating them from AIWACs like a video game. If one “player dies,” then have the pilot pull another one out of a swarm dawdling on autopilot and get back into the fight.
The officer gave me a plausibly deniable non-answer that informed me such things were either well in development, or already deployed. Two decades ago!
Posted by: Daniel | Mar 1 2018 22:50 utc | 90
Most of these weapon systems Putin highlighted have been "leaked" by Russian sources for a couple of years now. I agree that the whole point is to RESTORE MAD. When Bush II pulled out of treaties so as to develop new weapons systems that had been barred, Putin really tried to make it clear that was a terrible idea because it would end MAD, and cause a whole new arms race.
Then when Obama started planting ABM systems in Poland and Romania, Putin and Lavrov loudly protested that such forced Russia's hand to deploy weapons systems that override them.
Now, I'm not so sure that Russia and the US would not have developed these weapons systems (and far more not yet revealed) regardless. And yes, space weapons are no doubt in play. The US announced a new SPACECOM, which is the first new such organization since AFRICOM if I remember correctly.
But this is clearly a warning to the West NOT to escalate their wars, and since I am not a proponent of "The Grand Coincidence Theory," I think Putin is talking about Syria, Iran, North Korea as well as ultimately, Russia/China.
Posted by: Daniel | Mar 1 2018 23:26 utc | 91
So much for National Security Advisor McMaster messaging a military attack against the Syrian military.
Mattis is planning on removing McMaster.
Posted by: Les | Mar 1 2018 23:30 utc | 92
Hiya b. I've been out all morning and only saw your post when I came in for lunch. The thread works well now in Firefox on my 7" screen and when I have a moment I will test it on dolphin as well, altho there is no reason that dolphin shouldn't see it better now as well.
Thanks for that.
Posted by: Debsisdead | Mar 1 2018 23:52 utc | 93
@Debs
Thanks for letting me know of the problem in the first place. I could see neither the problem nor the effect of the CSS addition on my machine.
Ray McGovern says:
> During the U.S.-Soviet negotiations on the ABM treaty, a third of the CIA Soviet Foreign Policy Branch, which I led at the time, was involved in various supporting roles. I was in Moscow on May 26, 1972 for the treaty signing by President Richard Nixon and Soviet Communist Party General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev. I recall not being able to suppress an audible sigh of relief. MAD, I believed, would surely be preferable to the highly precarious strategic situation that preceded it. It was.
> In his speech on March 1, President Putin included an accurate tutorial on what happened after three decades, noting that Moscow was “categorically against” the U.S. decision in 2002 to withdraw from the ABM treaty. He described the treaty as “the cornerstone of the international security system.”
> Russians, like all proud and gifted people, resent attempts to demean or marginalize them. Putin may have seen his speech, in part, as a blistering response to former President Barack Obama’s dismissive comments that “Russia doesn’t make anything” and is no more than “a regional power.”
> It is to be hoped that the Marine generals running U.S. defense policy, rather than calling Putin’s bluff, will now encourage President Donald Trump to take up Putin’s latest offer to “sit down at the negotiating table” and “work together … to ensure global security” — taking into account that “strategic parity” is now a reality.
>
> During the mid-80s, I had a front-row seat watching President Ronald Reagan blow what appeared to be a golden chance for a comprehensive peace. I had spent most of my CIA career focusing on Soviet foreign policy and was able to tell the senior U.S. officials I was briefing that Mikhail Gorbachev, in my view, was the real deal. Even so, I was hardly prepared for how far Gorbachev was willing to go toward disarmament. At the 1986 summit with President Ronald Reagan in Reykjavik, Iceland, Gorbachev proposed that all nuclear weapons be eliminated within ten years.
>
> Reagan reportedly almost rose to the occasion, but was counseled to reject Gorbachev’s condition that any research on anti-ballistic missiles be confined to laboratories for that decade. “Star Wars,” the largest and most wasteful defense-industry program in recent memory, won the day.
> By all appearances, President Putin is as interested in stemming the strategic arms race as was Gorbachev. On Thursday, Putin talked about this particular moment being liminal — he called it “a turning point for the entire world.” Will there be anyone in Washington at the other end of the phone, if Moscow calls? If, in effect, the military-industrial-congressional-intelligence-media complex answers, ABM developers will continue to fatten their purses and squander our children’s future
there's a lot more here:
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/03/03/putin-claims-strategic-parity-respect/
Posted by: mauisurfer | Mar 3 2018 17:01 utc | 95
The New Yorker will no longer publish Sy Hersh and now this. A wholly owned subsidiary of the CIA?
Posted by: CD Waller | Mar 6 2018 20:19 utc | 96
Oops Comment was meant for today's column on the Steele dossier.
Posted by: CD Waller | Mar 6 2018 20:21 utc | 97
The comments to this entry are closed.
Great b,
One small issue. You conclude with, "It is again creating false pretexts for wars..."
Obviously the word "again" should be "still".
"It is still creating false pretexts for wars..."
The NYT did not take a decade long hiatus in it's relationship with the CIA, etal.
Posted by: librul | Feb 28 2018 14:16 utc | 1