Open Thread 2020-04
News & views ...
Posted by b on January 16, 2020 at 17:08 UTC | Permalink
« previous page | next page »Sarah @ 58
There is an "Arab" lobby in Washington but it's bought and paid for by the various despots who are members of the GCC. It's often claimed that the views of these despots (such as support for Israel) are diametrically opposed by their subjects, which is probably true except when they've been bought off.
There is a pro-Iran lobby according to the "swamp" in Washington. It's called the National Council of Iran and was founded and led at one time by Reza Pahlavi.
BTW, I do hope Reza Pahlavi doesn't have any pretensions to being the commander-in-chief of the Iranian military, with the recent change in "international law" that could be a dangerous position to take.
Posted by: Ghost Ship | Jan 17 2020 11:42 utc | 102
when you talk about BIS you have to consider the deep connection to germany from begin till 45, but actually far beyond that time till today. you have to consider the deep relation of germans with their money system. its not just that the dollar does have its linguistic origin from the taler, the leading german money for centuries, wich was silver based. the BIS was the tool of germany to balance their financials during war, a war also described as the best financed war in history. actually no debt burden was created out of that for germany. it was the first modern attempt of germany to create a currency bigger than their own economy. the Euro was the second.
Also the the reunification in 90 was almost all about the money. "kommt die d mark nicht zu mir, gehen wir zu ihr". What you can see by all of this, germany engineer since a long time, to create an money system independently of anglo-jewish system. my personal guess, it is still like that. their is a german promise to the world, you can have sound money and this will sort out all other issues.
as a german i can tell you, it is all about to be rule based and to obey to them, even when you know better. the structure is the thing, not your compared to that tiny wishes.
when i see on world stage putin with his brilliant german knowledge and xi jinpins scientific work about german thinking of 19th century adopted to china in the 21st, i get a feeling, where this all heads to...
Posted by: rico rose | Jan 17 2020 11:45 utc | 103
@murgen23
Patriot missiles couldn't have stopped the Houthi launched drone strikes against the Abquaiq oil facility in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia understands this. The attacks prompted Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Iran -- which was actually the reason why Soleimani was in Iraq, to broker a peace negotiation with the Saudis. Saudis have first hand knowledge of the failure rate of the Patriot system, as their war in Yemen makes clear.
Patriots are a scam. It's more like extortion money that US clients have to pay for US security, except that security is not secure at all.
Posted by: Harrison | Jan 17 2020 11:47 utc | 104
Re vk 66.
In his book "Fighting Back" (Columbia University Press. 1992) Harold Werner who fought as a Jewish partisan against the Nazis in occupied Poland gives accounts of attacks on Jewish partisans by the Army Krajowa, the army supported by London; even after his group had saved some of them who were encircled by the German Army.
"Even though we we fought the same common enemy, the Army Krajowa took every opportunity to kill Jews. It even sometimes seemed that they were more interested in killing Jews than fighting the Germans." p196.
After liberation he was made a policeman in Warsaw, he encountered so much antisemitism he emigrated to Canada.
Posted by: John | Jan 17 2020 12:19 utc | 105
it will be interesting to see how cnn deals with all the recent criticism, maybe by throwing warren under the bus, pretending they were deceived by her.
Posted by: pretzelattack | Jan 17 2020 12:52 utc | 107
@ Posted by: Russ | Jan 17 2020 11:40 utc | 108
We should be careful with simplifications made for movie production purposes.
The paintings of the Chauvet Cave were most likely done for religious/artistic purposes. But we'll never be sure for the simple fact the evidence is not there (and will never be).
In fact, it is also very likely humans from the prehistoric times didn't even have the necessity to separate their activities in concepts related to technical division of labor. They were hunter-gatherers, so they lived as nature allowed them to, so the same man who hunted at day possibly painted at night and so on.
The concept of art as a completely separated social function ("autonomous") is very recent, from the Modern Age. Up until the Middle Ages, what we call today "artist" actually was considered an normal artisan (i.e. there was no separation between art and manual labor).
Posted by: vk | Jan 17 2020 12:54 utc | 108
@ murgen23 | Jan 17 2020 11:30 utc | 107 (your Reuters / did not have )
Naturally we must accept whatever Reuters says? On what planet?
I did not say that the US had "patriots", simply AD of some sort. As to what that is, whether it's a soldier with a rifle or a battery of missiles, the Imperial Forces and the Satrap Force, did not prevent anything. I have spoken with, by the way, US soldiers (now, alas, gone) who saw small arms fire destroy a V1 robot flyer over England. Rifles are the small end of AD. Almost always futile of course, these days. Nevertheless they are AD instruments, as the example shows.
One of the things they did not prevent is that a seed of fear was planted among the Imperial Armies... Is one thing to rule by force. Is another when the mud-people shoot back and one discovers, ears ringing, his own pants filled with brown matter, and that he's entirely vulnerable and disposable - when all the Fodder Units really wanted was "free" education and money. Murder is ok with them, so long as they do it. Is another thing when the "enemy" votes.
This "seed" will send out runners. Recall Pete Seeger and The Big Muddy...
As Empires deteriorate it is normal for the Imperial Legions to mutiny. They did in the matter of Vietnam - that's why the draft ended. But mercenary armies also mutiny... They did also mutiny in the matter of The Donald Cook in the Black Sea. And this will continue until it does not. I myself have seen and heard sentiments of mutiny from veterans in the last few years, including among Reserve Officers.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 13:04 utc | 109
If that's true, then postmodernism is their ideological weapon of choice nowadays.
Posted by: vk | Jan 16 2020 18:16 utc | 9
trying to understand. Postmodernism = Cultural Marxism/Anything Goes? Of course I could read it again.
Posted by: moon | Jan 17 2020 13:38 utc | 110
>Patriots are a scam. It's more like extortion money
>that US clients have to pay for US security, except
>that security is not secure at all.
>Posted by: Harrison | Jan 17 2020 11:47 utc | 111
Uncle Sam is running a classic protection racket:
"Sure is a nice little country you got there, Iraq. Be a shame should something happen to it."
Posted by: Trailer Trash | Jan 17 2020 13:50 utc | 111
US are in the habit of creating problems to be able to solve them .... US in the meantime is a mix of top of the first world and bottom of the third world.
Posted by: somebody | Jan 17 2020 14:02 utc | 112
@ Posted by: moon | Jan 17 2020 13:38 utc | 117
"Cultural marxism" is a pejorative name the (mainly American) far-right and libertarians call the postmodern left. The name, however, is not historically precise, since none of those postmodern leftists call or consider themselves marxists, and their ideology in fact has nothing to do with Marxism.
The origin of today's postmodern left doesn't come from Communism, but from the NCL (Non-Communist Left), i.e. the post-war Center-Left. We can clearly attest that by the fact that, when they use the word "socialism", they are evidently using it to mean social-democracy.
Another clear evidence they come from the tree of the NCL is the fact that they perceive pluralism (be it partidary, gender, racial etc.) as an end in itself - which is identical to the concept of "vital center" of Arthur Meyer Schlesinger Jr., who wrote the manifesto of the NCL in the USA for the post-war period.
It is important to state that being a social-democrat in the 21st Century in America doesn't necessarily makes you a postmodern leftist. Bernie Sanders is a declared social-democrat, but he calls himself a "democratic socialist". "Democratic socialist" was how the right-wing of the post-war Labour Party called themselves, but they are known by modern historians as "Gaitskellites". Bernie Sanders, therefore, is a Gaitskellite. Indeed, many of the policies he defends now he admittedly states come from Eisenhower (who was a Republican).
Postmodernism can be both from the right and from the left. In fact, the far-rightists who call the postmodern left "cultural marxists" are themselves the postmodern right. The left call the postmodern right (i.e. the far-right) simply "fascists", "nazis" or "neofascists". In the USA, the term "libertarian" was also used for some time in the beginning of the 2010s, but libertarianism is much older than postmodernism. White supremacists are also postmodern rightists.
Posted by: vk | Jan 17 2020 14:05 utc | 113
Yes "Patriot" is pretty ineffective, especially when there's terminal guidance of an object with radar cross section of those unfair Persian "payloads). (Walter can imagine ceramic radar absorbing friction material on nose...and assumes that this has been done. Is typical to underestimate opponent if they are seen as mud-peoples.
CNN (aka cryptonazinews) > "US troops sheltered in Saddam-era bunkers during Iran missile attack"
"When troops had all emerged from the bunkers, many went to work, repairing the damage. They described feeling a mixture of relief and shell-shocked. "It was 'normalish' afterwards," said Coleman. "But we were all looking each other in the eye as if to say 'are you ok?'"
Several troops CNN spoke to said the event had shifted their view of warcraft: the US military is rarely on the receiving end of sophisticated weaponry, despite launching the most advanced attacks in the world.
"You looked around at each other and you think: Where are we going to run? How are you going to get away from that?" said Ferguson.
"I don't wish anyone to have that level of fear," he said. "No one in the world should ever have to feel something like that."
Seeds of Fear. Let's not forget that the lesser gods of war are fear and panic.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 14:06 utc | 114
vk:115:
"They were hunter-gatherers, so they lived as nature allowed them to, so the same man who hunted at day possibly painted at night and so on."
And criticised after dinner? #chuckle
Posted by: Ash Naz | Jan 17 2020 14:48 utc | 115
Posted by: vk | Jan 17 2020 12:54 utc | 115
The paintings of the Chauvet Cave were most likely done for religious/artistic purposes. But we'll never be sure for the simple fact the evidence is not there (and will never be).
That's what I said in my #95: "We can't know to what extent cave painters were "self-conscious" or "unconscious" artists, except that here too there must have been a mutually reinforcing development."
But like I said to John, if there's real evidence one way or another I'd be glad to learn it. My position so far is similar to what you say here, except that I wouldn't say "completely separated" under any circumstance.
In fact, it is also very likely humans from the prehistoric times didn't even have the necessity to separate their activities in concepts related to technical division of labor...
The concept of art as a completely separated social function ("autonomous") is very recent, from the Modern Age. Up until the Middle Ages, what we call today "artist" actually was considered an normal artisan (i.e. there was no separation between art and manual labor).
Ash Naz 122
Mel Brooks captured documentary footage of both the first artist and the first art critic.
It is obvious the US is in serious economic trouble. But having the US/ZATO/IMF/BIS/Swift/World Bank system completely and suddenly collapse is bad for the entire world economy. I think Putin and Xi are trying to give the US/etc. as soft a landing as possible that still neuters the US$ as the sole reserve currency to the world. Bretton Woods is dead, but it will zombie-walk for a good while yet.
The power-shuffle Putin has just instigated shows how to make significant, positive changes without a lot of internecine conflict. Hopefully at some point the US/ZATO crowd will realize working with Russia, China (and the rest of the world for that matter) is the only workable solution.
Meanwhile Israel is trying to outdo Argentina for the record of most elections/gov'ts in a year. That's not the sign of a strong popular support for Bibi and his cabal.
So some good possibilities hidden inside the international Deep State chaos machinations. Can't fool all the people all the time.
Posted by: A P | Jan 17 2020 15:00 utc | 118
It’s so tedious when righties bang on about ‘cultural Marxism’, when what they are describing has nothing to do with Marxism at all.
‘Fake Left’ is how to describe these postmodern lefties IMO, who favour identitarian divide-and-rule over universality, equality and solidarity.
Posted by: Ash Naz | Jan 17 2020 15:02 utc | 119
The commies weigh in at WSWS with this gem>
"...At the same time, however, the Pentagon is actively preparing for the escalation of a war that has already been initiated with the murder of Suleimani together with nine other Iranians and Iraqis at Baghdad’s international airport, a killing spree that constituted both an act of war and a war crime.
It has since been revealed that the killing of Suleimani had been adopted as US policy last June, following the Iranian downing of an American spy drone over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s order to execute this policy following the storming of the US embassy in Baghdad by Iraqi protesters, however, caught the US military unprepared for an uncontrolled spiral of retaliations and counter-retaliations. The latest deployments indicate that preparations for all-out conflict are now well underway..." @"Washington continues war buildup against Iran"
It's just starting...the Clown caught his own Army off guard, not ready.
As Fear spreads like the disease it is one does speculate about the rate of re-enlistments and the rate of officers deciding they'd rather be in graduate school someplace else. If they elect to "stoploss" or reintroduce the draft it will indicate real desperation. Well, using girls as "soldiers" already illustrated moral bankruptcy...and desperation. It can get worse...
It is in the UCMJ prohibited to sign a petition or "round-robin", yet I have seen this happen in GW2 when they went after Saddam.
Anyway, the article gives some numbers...airplanes and soldiers...semper fi - what a mockery...
And the reorganization in RU looks to my eye like, inter alia, the creation of a War Cabinet.
Against the background of domestic US in chaos and crises...gee. What kinna bangers can "defeat" Persia?
Yes, those kind.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 15:23 utc | 120
@ Walter
Patriots (PAC-1, 2 and 3) are all totally ineffective in real combat conditions (aside from demostration with drones to sell the product to the MIC paid politicians)
There are serious doubts the Patriot System EVER destroy ANY single missile in real combat:
In a deep House Committee about the performance of the Patriot System against the Iraqi Scud in 1991 they said:
http://www.turnerhome.org/jct/patriot.html
"Summary.-The Patriot missile system was not the spectacular success in the Persian Gulf War that the American public was led to believe. There is little evidence to prove that the Patriot hit more than a few Scud missiles launched by Iraq during the Gulf War, and there are some doubts about even these engagements."
Nobody, never and ever has ANY proof ANY Patriot interceptor has knocked-down ANY hostile ballistic missile EVER, nor in 1991, nor in any other year, nor recently in the ballistic missiles used by the Houthies against KSA recently:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/03/28/patriot-missiles-are-made-in-america-and-fail-everywhere/
It seems that the performance of the Patriot Systems is the military equivalent of the Boeing 737Max, they do not work well, and all the USA troops are un-protected from ballistic missiles if they trust in the Patriot System (ballistic missiles have an speed of around 3 - 4 Mach, some of them 6 - 7 Mach).
The corruption of the US MIC seems to be stratospheric, and as USA routinely only fight COIN and very weak adversaries, they do not need to prove their AA in combat with nearly peer adversaries, and as American Army has fought all the wars with overwhelming air superiority, they think they do not need to prepare to any onslaught from the air, but that is the weak point Iran will exploit
US Army does not have a mobile multilayered air defense, as Russia, China or even Iran have, they are totally confident they will not suffer strong air attacks with enough precision, but that has changed with the improved technology of short and medium range the ballistic missiles, and with the hundreds thousands rockets (all sizes) Iran and PMU have (US did not learned the lessons of the 2006 Lebanon war).
On the other hand, as could be seen in the war on Serbia (Kosovo) in 1999, the NATO forces (mainly USAF) after 78 days of continuous bombing campaign only destroyed a few tens of Serbian armored vehicles, because the threat of SAM and the mobility and camouflage of the Serbian forces, even if the Serbians did not have mobile multi-layered AA systems (that Iran has), made very difficult for the USAF to crush them, because they will move after a shoot to avoid be hit by Tomahawk or planes. But without crushing the Iranian Air Defenses they cannot attack deep inside Iran in the control centers with enough fire power, and (try) to hunt the ballistic missiles, and in this case is even more difficult because the platforms of the ballistic missiles are also mobile and they use mainly solid propellant, so the time required to shot and flight is very short.
This is a short review about what NATO achieve against a very inferior army (Serbian) in Kosovo:
"According to a suppressed US air force report obtained by Newsweek, the number of targets verifiably destroyed was a fraction of those claimed: 14 tanks, not 120; 18 armoured personnel carriers, not 220; 20 artillery pieces, not 450. Out of the 744 "confirmed" strikes by NATO pilots during the war, " air Force investigators, who spent weeks combing Kosovo by helicopter and by foot, found evidence of just 58".
"Air power was effective in the Kosovo war, not against military targets, but against civilian ones," Newsweek reports. The Pentagon buried the negative report in its files."
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/report-claims-nato-lost-war-in-kosovo-1.270581
After USAF saw they could not hit Serbian military targets in Kosovo, they choose the easy way: bomb civilian targets to destroy the economy, in this case they succeed (killing around 500 Serbian civilians), The civilians installations of Serbia was helpless to air attacks.
But this time, in Iran, things are very very different, probably will be the US bases that could be crushed in the firsts hours of the conflict
Posted by: DFC | Jan 17 2020 15:25 utc | 121
Montreal@96
Reuters (Yeah, I know) report an estimated $32 trillion, and although I can't find the link at the moment, I have read a figure (somewhere) where it was estimated to be in the quadrillions.
The Reuters article says: "research was carried out for pressure group Tax Justice Network, which campaigns against tax havens, by James Henry, former chief economist at consultants McKinsey & Co.
He used data from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations and central banks."
Well, what we know of the behavior of those four, the data will likely be skewed to create a desired picture, a la: "Big bad problem, not that bad though, and anyways we are the good guys, and we're just here to help".
I will post if I can find the source of the higher figure.
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 17 2020 15:27 utc | 122
You have to look at the source and evaluate its credibility. by: S @ 27 <=Well not really, you have to get sufficient independent facts
to verify the story.. General Powell farted on the world with his WMDs deception. .yet no source could have been more creditable at the time. Source creditability is misleading.. often used as a rug to pull over the eyes of doubt, concern or out right disbelief. Could be the Mexican sleep with Epstein and learned it from one of his girls. The theory that a "swap of “codes” between Israel and Russia took place" <==stands until it is disproven.. produce some proof it did not take place.. if you cannot then the theory stands.. <= quality of the source does not prove/disprove a damn thing..
my question to all from an occasional reader is about the reputation of http://www.informationclearinghouse.info - I refer to 16 migueljose | Jan 16 2020 18:56 utc You will understand that in today's environment the first defense line of people who do not like the message will be the question: isn't that a further conspiracy theory? by: Hausmeister @ 29 <= I for one have found information clearing house. info to be very creditable.. at times they have climbed out on thin limbs but in each such instance they made it clear; the story may change as new facts appear ..
Pft @ 54 responds to S @ 37 says source being statfor does not make it true that the codes of any Russian or US piece of equipment are in Israeli hands " it true but without knowing who the military analyst (ex-cop) was working for and his access how can it be dismissed as BS. If it was disinfo planted by Stratfor for subsequent wiki leaks one would assume they could invent a source people might find more credible. And why would Jerusalem post write a story on it calling it obvious BS if thats what it was?"
Russ @ 95 describes the human trap as self destructive and says there is no way out, I believe the way out is to insist that all discourse adopt for its reporting format in null hypothesis form, then present the facts that prove the hypothesis wrong. failing such a proof the hypothesis stands as mostly likely the case.
Harrison @ 111 theorizes that "the defensive effectiveness of Patriot missiles is a scam" .. who can disprove that theory?
I think we often miss the point of a theory. It is formed from the array of ideas about how something came about..
Early on there was a theory =>"the Earth is flat.." This type of statement is called the null hypothesis, the researcher sets out to prove the hypothesis wrong. It took Columbus and thousands cartographers to prove the theory wrong.
But what is developing here is that every claim should be stated as hypothesis to be disproven.. I would suggest the hypothesis should be numbered as well the posts can identify the facts with the theory. example hypothesis: the world is round.. no 1.
Theory 1.fact # 9 [1.9]
The cartographers meet with Columbus; the group drew a complete line around the map of the earth from start to finish of the
voyage Columbus made to the West. It appears from the map of the voyage, and the fact that Columbus did not need to
turn around to come home, that the earth is round.
so there were 8 other facts offered not shown here but the last one, number 9 is strong enough that no one now believes the theory that the earth is flat. One cannot draw a line from start to a return to start finish on a flat surface without changing direction.
I believe if alternative media would journalize its theories (so all of the independent media can deal with the same theory); alternative media would soon be the MSM .. instead of trying to mimic journalistic method of colorful lying like the MSM alternative media should adopt the scientific method of reporting. in that method facts are reported that either inspire new theories or prove old ones wrong.
Theory vs facts that null the hypothesis eliminates name calling, it puts all of us on the look out for facts that deny a hypothesis, and it does not allow creditability of the source to be the determinate of whether or not something should be considered true until proven wrong. Allowing all theories to stand as fact until proven wrong means little will be overlooked.
Posted by: snake | Jan 17 2020 15:35 utc | 123
So US usually lies, about the effectiveness of the Patriot anti-missiles system, about the destruction of enemy armored units, and now about their own casualties of the Iranian missile attacks on the air bases, the MIC is a propaganda machine that always lies
It will take much more time to know all the truth about the US casualties of the Iranian attacks, because as the commander of the IRGC said in his presentation in the aftermath of the Iranian attack he said something like: "there were many casualties despite this was not our objective" (they have spies inside all the Iraqi army units, so they perfectly knew that there were many US casualties from the very begining)
Posted by: DFC | Jan 17 2020 15:35 utc | 124
Not following the narrative:
"Killing Soleimani broke international law" "The public is entitled to know the truth. The United Nations Charter, the International Crimincal Court and the International Court of Justice in The Hague are all being bypassed. In this cyberspace world, young people everywhere are in mortal danger unless we change the hearts and minds of those who seem to prefer war to law," he added.
NEW YORK, January 17. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump's order to "take out" head of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force Major General Qassem Soleimani on the territory of Iraq was immoral and constituted a violation of international law, American lawyer and former Nuremberg war crimes prosecutor Benjamin Ferencz wrote in a letter to The New York Times.
Ferencz, aged 99, was an investigator of Nazi war crimes after World War II and the Chief Prosecutor for the United States Army at the Einsatzgruppen Trial. one of the 12 military trials held by the US authorities in Nuremberg, Germany.
"The [US] administration recently announced that, on orders of the president, the United States had 'taken out' (which really means 'murdered') an important military leader of a country with which we were not at war. As a Harvard Law School graduate who has written extensively on the subject, I view such immoral action as a clear violation of national and international law," Ferencz wrote.[.]
At age 99 he was compelled to speak out. Unfortunately, Justice will be denied.
Posted by: Likklemore | Jan 17 2020 15:43 utc | 125
@ DFC | Jan 17 2020 15:25 utc | 128
I agree, so far as I know you're 100% accurate.
But Newsweek also has an article about the plan to use atomic explosive from submarine...see "With a New Weapon in Donald Trump's Hands, The Iran Crisis Risks Going Nuclear" (ARKIN) @ newsweek.
Is article that is worth thinking about.
"... retired Air Force officer told me this week that what worries him is that a "package" of American options in response to the most extreme Iranian actions will automatically include the nuclear option, even if it is one option out of a hundred. Having a "prompt low collateral damage W76," the officer says, connotes a usable nuclear weapon.
That's what the nuclear war planners created, based upon presidential guidance.
As the current nuclear war plans are written, the use of such a weapon could also be justified, almost Hiroshima-like, as a shocking thunderclap to forestall a wider and theoretically more destructive all-out war...."
Now then, assume the Clown uses "his" toy...
And after that? Did they run this past the Russians?
Zion gets plastered with RDX (or whatever) and...does what?
Then the party's gets wild...
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 16:22 utc | 126
As the news cycle moves on from one spreading Freedom and Democracy project to the next, then the next, then to another, those that dominated headlines only a short while ago tend to fall from limelight as is the case with Venezuela. If it weren't for dedicated alt news outlets the facts surrounding recent incidents would receive little to no attention as happened recently when the US inserted interim President of a shadow gov't was ousted from his position as head of Venezuela's Opposition dominated National Assembly.
Brief mention of the incident was made at some MSM sites, but the circumstances were distorted badly often via lying by omission. So much so, readers would have come away with a completely incorrect view of what took place and why.
MSM versions I read stated Guaido and some of his supporters were blocked by Government forces from entering the Assembly Chamber before the vote was conducted and a new leader of the Assembly was chosen. The source then said a funny happened afterwards as an hour later the vote was reversed and Guaido was re elected head of the Assembly. The article spun the circumstances as somewhat amusing; like, oh those crazy Venezuelan's eh?
And now for the rest of the story:
Latest Episode in Juan Guaidó’s Venezuela Regime-Change Reality Show
"Leonardo Flores reports on a farcical scene that was just the latest chapter in an absurdly bungled coup attempt. "
In summary, Yuan Guaido is now head of a parallel government and a parallel National Assembly, neither of which has any power within the country.
Referencing a link in the above article about Trump backer Eric Prince meeting with Maduro's Vice President, the MSM article below provides more facts on that subject. Guaranteed eye rolling facts. Naked Capitalism in all it's glory.
"(Bloomberg) — When Erik Prince, a major Trump donor and private security mogul, traveled to Caracas in November for secret talks with Venezuela’s vice president, he was not, it turns out, the central figure orchestrating the meetings.
That person was a controversial British deal-maker by the name of Ian Hannam, according to people familiar with the situation. Hannam, a former JPMorgan banker, arranged the trip as part of his yearlong scouting effort for possible gold investments in the crisis-battered nation, the people said. "
Posted by: Bubbles | Jan 17 2020 16:55 utc | 127
@chu teh #41
The "trap" is social dominance (aka power dynamics) - something that seems to be hardwired in nearly every human being. There have been various attempts to escape this "trap" over time. A very old and well-known one is the concept of the lex talionis, which was meant to prevent any retaliation greater than the original offense. However, like with anything else, this idea is only as powerful as those who believe in it.
History suggests that the present world order will not last. The period that follows it will likely be a new "Dark Ages" by comparison. Perhaps the best that one can realistically hope for is that the next world order will be a global polity founded on genuine equality of all peoples. Such a world order would largely remove the threat of war.
Posted by: Cynica | Jan 17 2020 17:06 utc | 128
Rolling Stone, the Intercept and Caitlin Johnstone amongst many were extremely critical of the hit job CNN did on Bernie in last Tuesday's debate.
Now they're ignoring that Bernie is the only candidate to get a bump from that debate moving ahead of Biden by a point.
While the trash media trash and ignore him, Sanders is running away with the Nomination.
Here's just one of the reasons why.:
(Watch People for Bernie MoveOn video right under tweet.)
AMEN! AMEN! AMEN🔥🔥🔥
Posted by: Circe | Jan 17 2020 17:13 utc | 129
@Maximums #99
It's very strange that the image you linked to has a watermark with Arabic lettering. People at the US DoD (including the alleged signer of the letter) are also claiming that it's a hoax, for whatever that's worth. In all likelihood, the actual damage incurred by the Iranian attack has been classified, in which case it would not be released pursuant to an FOIA request.
Posted by: Cynica | Jan 17 2020 17:13 utc | 130
Apologies for the misspelling of Maximus in the previous comment.
Posted by: Cynica | Jan 17 2020 17:15 utc | 131
@ Walter
We can "wargame" the event that US, after mounting casualties in his forces and losing the war with Iran, resort to use a tactical nuke on a military targets and then threat to use many more in the future if Iran do not surrender. I guess the following consequences:
a) Of course Iran will not surrender after the blast and under the threat of more destruction, as Germany did no surrender after the Allies carpet bombing ALL the German cities, with or without military importance, or the Americans carpet bombing ALL the North Koreans cities. This atrocity only would unite more the Iranian people and the rest of Shia AND Sunni people against US. They have used the worst WMD against a Muslim country. The Iranian will be much more resolute and united to kill Americans than before
b) After the destruction of Iraq (twice), Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen using nukes against a Muslim non-nuclear armed country, will be too much for the Islamic people, when the photos of the "collateral" babies and woman smoked black and also affected by the fall-out, it is possible that for MANY MANY millions Muslims the US soldiers AND US civilians would be considered legitimate targets, and many of them could think that Bin Laden was right to consider US the Enemy of Humanity...I would not like to be an American citizen (soldier or civilian) in any Muslim country after that.
c) If there are many civilians casualties, as expected by the blast and the fall-out, it is probable that the Iranian soldiers, after knowing this barbaric act, do not feel obliged to follow the Geneva Convention or any civilized rule of modern wars, and proceed not take any prisoner in the future, so it is not good news for the US garrison in Iraq or Kuwait at all. Also they have all now the right to use WMD against the Americans, as gas attacks against all the US bases in the ME
d) The risks of terrorist attacks inside US will increase by x1000, from the hundreds of thousands Muslim people living there, and US has around 100 nuclear reactors, probably in the coming years some of them could suffer a melt-down...
e) From the first nuke blast, every country in the world will learn that US can wage a nuclear war against any of them in any moment if they contradict the US policy, so the rational choice for every single country that want to be independent and not subject to American nuclear threats, will be to develop a nuclear weapons program and a delivery systems (ICBM), of course all of them pointing to the US mainland. The world will be a much more dangerous place.
f) Many people in Iran would think that was Israel who press the Americans to wage the war against Iran in such an inhuman way, and then Iran could decide to retaliate sending hundreds of missiles against the Dimona nuclear power plant, and converting Israel in a radioactive waste for the following 100.000 years.
g) The rest of countries in the world stop to work with the US military and politically, simply it is too dangerous to work with such a country, all the military alliance US has with many countries will crumble, because the population will not tolerate it in the future, except, of course UK and the ANZAC that always under any conditions even if US anhilate all the men, woman and children of Iran, will continue to be the lapdog of USA, and they would pay for that
h) The US $ will cease to be the world currency, the US economy will collapse
i) After the first nuke, of course the nuclear strategic forces of Russian and Chinese armies would be put in state of high alert, and then the Russian will threat US, that if they use more nuke Russia they will side with the Iranians "Up To The End of the World". From this moment the flow of weapons and "military advisers" from Russia and China in Iran will be constant, if USA continue attacking with nukes Iran and many Russian soldiers die, the US will be doomed.
j) After this the USA only could "win" if it defeat in a all-out nuclear war Russia, China and Iran at the same time, so even Trump could seems it is suicidal, but if not, unde the threat of a total anihilation of the USA population, it is possible that a military or political coup could end his presidency, and that could ignite a Civil War inside the US. USA will be destroyed by itself and many new countries will emerge; some of them nuclear armed.
I think that if the US would start using nukes the more likely scenario is the complete defeat of the US Army and probably the dissolution of US as a united country.
Many times in history, mainly in Korea and Vietnam, after thousands and thousands of US casualties, the leadership of US was seriously considering the use of nukes, but they always arrive to the conclusion that the effect will be much much worse than if they escalate using only conventional weapons, and that it is what always they did, even if at the end, they lost the war (as in Vietnam). That thing happens (the soviets also lost in Afghanistan)….
The nukes are extremely well defensive (deterrence) weapons of the own country, but very poor offensive weapons.
I think this time will not be different, and USA will lose the war, because USA never has fought alone a war against an industrialized, not completely sanctions-destroyed country with more than 80 million people and with a well equipped, with proven doctrine, and motivated army, “Hezbollah style”.
The US-Iran war would not be Desert Storm 2.0 or Iraqi Freedom 2.0, but more similar Lebanon 2006 but with an enemy x100 more powerful than Hezbollah.
Posted by: DFC | Jan 17 2020 17:44 utc | 132
@ DFC | Jan 17 2020 17:44 utc | 139 Those are well-thought out ideas worth reading several times. Thanks
I agree, appropriately. But I think they, according to the systemic logic of their circumstances and perception (itself also limited by inadequate education and understanding) - I think they must use nukes. They're in a zuswang, the can only "double-down". They always have done that. And they're naked against Iranian rockets, they have no option of defense.
And so I wrote this>
Because History rhymes and I am a man of certain memories - and because we are waiting for the Clown to (quite reasonably be expected to) nuke Iran...because I see Comrade P making a war cabinet...because of the History of Empires and because of the immoral idiots and pederasts...and so forth...because of these things Walter thinks back to the Caribbean Crises, such jolly times.
Now then, recall that Brother Commandante's boys got themselves a U2.
Didn't you know?
And recalling that Kennedy was the only reason the US didn't attack with a massive invasion..all ready to go, engines spun up, choppers waiting...massive. You didn't know?
Anyway on YT a cool Cuban story of a small piece of the true history. The Red Army in Cuba had about 100 nukes, US did not know..and it's even worse than that.
see> "Derribo U2 Crisis de los misiles, Cuba" has sub-titles too.
But what about now. Precisely. The "enemy" shot down a reconnaissance flyer. A robot, so far...but it's the principle you see..and the limited barrage on the Imperial Pied a Terr in Iraq is not to be tolerated! (lest satraps refuse dollars!)
So, where's Kennedy now? Arkin @ Newsweek says things really unpleasant to think about...like the nifty new superdooper W76-2 that's every so inviting to use... and the War Game where they did use it...and that this "mini nuke" is sorta humane...gee whiz "it will save a million lives" was what the little azwipe Truman said...I love rhymes, don't you?
Que the Clown "I saved a million American boys when I nuked Terrorist Iranians to save them and us..."
repeat until the sheep believe it.
Given that this is liable to impoverish Americans and drastically shorten life-spans...some may doubt that the sheep will give a damn.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 18:24 utc | 133
I want to share another observation Hudson made in his "Democratizing Money" talk:
"But Trump is following the Democratic Party policy. And even Democratic National Committee members have said that if either Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren wins, they will back Donald Trump for president. He’s guaranteed to have another term and we’re going to have a continuation of the current policy, which is really just like the 3rd and 4th Obama administration, which was right-wing. Obama was like Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher wrapped into one – basically right-wing, pushing Wall Street and delivering his voters to the donor class....
"But the big money – almost all the money that is coming into the Democratic Party Campaign – is going to Mayor Buttigieg who says that we’ve got to balance the budget. The only way to balance the budget in America while spending more money on war is to cut back Social Security and other social spending. So Buttigieg is like Margaret Thatcher with an exclamation point." [My Emphasis]
IMO, numerous barflies share similar assessments of Obama, Trump, DNC, and D-Party candidates other than Sanders and Gabbard. For Canadian barflies, Hudson also talks about the situation in your nation, that it too is run by the banks. Some may know the saga, but many don't.
I'll likely be back to share some more as I'm barely 1/3 of the way through this very long discussion.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 17 2020 18:26 utc | 134
PJB @ 98
Many thanks for sharing that deeply depressing link. The writer’s assessment that via a number of African countries are - or would be, if the profits for oil, minerals etc weren’t stolen and hidden off-shore - creditors of the West, I hadn’t come across before.
Partaking of these riches, or hoping to partake, surely explains the behaviour of so many of our politicians.
Posted by: Montreal | Jan 17 2020 18:34 utc | 135
Many have asked about how banking, interest, debt, etc., treated in Islam. Here's Hudson from the above linked discussion:
"Islam, for instance, says that the only kind of debt should take the form of equity, so that if the debtor is unable to pay, the creditor has to share in the client’s misfortune and write down his claim proportionally, not as a debt that still has to be paid in full. If it’s an equity obligation, then if the ability to pay goes down, the debt service will also go down."
So now we can see why the bankers want to subjugate Islam as Islam won't play the bankers game.
Posted by: karlof1 | Jan 17 2020 18:54 utc | 136
@ Walter
No the "mininukes" do not "solve" nothing, of course they can kill some thousands Iranians, civilians and soldiers, as they do with conventional carpet-bombing in Germany, N.Korea and N.Vietnam, and the war only accelarate much more and with more resolution from the Iranian side and withe more and more allieds in his side (from the muslim population and armies)
Another consquences I forget to mention:
k) After the first nuclear blasts, will be that some brigades of "friendly" armies in the ME (Jordanians, Saudis, Qataris, Turks, etc...), deeply outraged by the nuclear atrocities, start to shoot the US garrisons in the ME in these countries. Probably the US garrisons will be murdered if they do not leave quickly
l) The state of Irael will disappear if not immediately shortly after the US collapses
I cannot understand why the US warmongers think they can scare with nuclear threats a country, as it is Iran, with so deep martyrdom believing if they have not scare through nuclear anihilation threats the "dialectic materialists" in North Korea and North Vietnam.
And...why stop threatening with nukes, why do not threat also with chemical or biological attacks?, why do not use them?, it is only a matter of scare and kill the "mullahs" with the total anihilation? Well, in fact they supplied Saddam with the gases that killed 150.000 soldiers and civilians in the Iraq-Iran war, and also the satellite coordinates to use them ( and then they expect the Iranian people "love" America....)
The best way to start a war, that could mean more US casualties than the Vietnam war and could be the end of US as united country, the best thing is to de-escalate and leave Iraq and Syria as soon as possible.
The US military (Pentagon) has hidden the casualties in the Iranian missile attack because they understand the escalation and the consequent all-out war would be a disaster.
The PMU will continue the attacks on the US garrison in Iraq, and they have to leave soon, there are no other good choice.
No, the US establishment is not suicidal, because the end of the US Empire is the end of their rule in the world, and Iran is not worth the price, because above the military objectives are the political objectives.
Posted by: DFC | Jan 17 2020 18:58 utc | 137
Walter @ 140
It looks to me that Northern Iran is closer to Southern Russia than Minsk is to Belarus.
I’m sure you know of the tragic spate of cancers in children and young people in Belarus, including Minsk, which arose from the Chernobyl disaster.
If I were Russia, I would tell America that if America were seriously thinking of nuking Iran, Russia couldn’t and wouldn’t tolerate it. Pure self-protection. It wouldn’t surprise me if they haven’t already warned them.
Posted by: Montreal | Jan 17 2020 19:00 utc | 138
snake@130 - Re: migueljose | Jan 16 2020 18:56 utc | 16 link to Russel Bentley's Information Clearinghouse article Iranian Flight Crash Facts Not Adding Up, and opinion piece he originally published on FRN Fort Russ News as TEXAS: Iranian Flight Crash Facts Not Adding Up (His nickname/callsign is TEXAS).
The article is full of technical mistakes. I don't know if it's just translation problems or if Bently is just confused about how this all works. A few examples:
The first thing to understand about the SA-15 system is that it DOES have an IFF interrogator built into its radar system. The interrogator sends out a pulse that detects and interprets the IFF civilian airliner transponder signal automatically, every few seconds.
IFFs do not emit a pulse every few seconds, they send one encrypted interrogation string meant for a single target - whatever they're pointing at, i.e., whatever is in front of the TORs rotating acquisition radar dish.
Civilian airliners do not have IFF decoders. They can neither understand, nor reply to an IFF interrogation. The only aircraft that could possibly respond to this TOR is an Iranian military aircraft. Maybe a Russian military aircraft too - depends how Russia configured them before export.
Boeing 737 aircraft are equipped with two IFF transponders, which are set and activated prior to take off.
No, they're equipped with redundant civilian air traffic control radar transponders. They don't have IFF. The operating frequencies and function (reply to radar interrogations requesting identity and other data) are the same, but civilian transponders DO NOT HAVE encoders/decoders to understand IFF requests/replies, which are ALWAYS encrypted today.
Bentley insists anyone claiming this was an accident must be lying... I guess because it doesn't agree with his flawed understanding of IFF and civilian ATC transponders. I think the 'accident' scenario is still a legitimate possibility out of many other scenarios. I don't know with any certainty and don't expect the unvarnished truth out of any side. We'll never know with absolute certainty what happened - all sides will continue to spin this for whatever reason.
All Re: Patriots. Diana Mikhailova's interesting blog entry today about the timing bug discovered in the Patriots during the Gulf War. Not 'new' news, but an informative and well written:
How one mistake in the program brought 20% of American losses in the Gulf War
Posted by: PavewayIV | Jan 17 2020 19:01 utc | 139
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 16 2020 20:25 utc | 29
You have to search for the author.
At first, Russell Bonner Bentley III wasn’t sure he would survive the winter. It was January 2015 in Donetsk, a war-torn city in eastern Ukraine, and the 54-year-old Texan was sequestered inside an abandoned three-story brick monastery, exchanging fire with Ukrainian troops. He and the dozen men fighting with him had been braving freezing temperatures for weeks. From the second floor, Bentley trained his rocket-propelled grenade launcher and his Kalashnikov rifle out of a tiny slit in the side of the building. There was no electricity or running water, and wood-fired stoves provided the only warmth. “The wind came from the south, and it would blow the smoke right back into the rooms,” he recalled. Bentley had been husky and out of shape when he’d arrived a month earlier, but on a battlefield diet of tinned meat and buckwheat porridge, the weight was melting off. With bright white shoulder-length hair and clear green eyes, Bentley had a well-developed sense of his own myth. He had led something of a swashbuckling life; he’d been an Army engineer based in Germany, a hard-partying musician in South Padre, a marijuana legalization activist in Minnesota and Alaska, and a drug trafficker on the run from the U.S. Marshals. In the early nineties, he’d even vied for a seat in the U.S. Senate. ... He was fast becoming his own worst fear—a middle-aged man with a bloated waistline and no savings. “I have to find something real and meaningful in my life,” he thought, “even if it’s to be like Davy Crockett and end up at the Alamo. I have to express myself by action and not just words.”For years his media diet had consisted of a vast constellation of Kremlin-friendly fringe websites like Veterans Today and Global Research. (He later became a fan of Southfront, which appears “to be a Russian front that deliberately obscures its origins,” a State Department official told Politico.) The perspectives that he found there, from articles lamenting the shrinking American middle class to posts about the failures of the American justice system, resonated with his own experiences.
...
At one point that night he proposed a toast. “As of today, I have a new country,” he proclaimed. “If the U.S. starts World War III, I’ll fight on this side, and I’m happy to see the U.S. destroyed just like Germany was!”His friends all raised their glasses and cheered.
USians are amazing.
informationclearinghouse is what the name says - they will accept anything fringe for clicks and spread disinformation with stuff that could make sense. They don't care.
Posted by: somebody | Jan 17 2020 19:14 utc | 140
Russ vk
Consider the cave or rock painting more as a written record than art as we think of it.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jan 17 2020 19:27 utc | 141
add to 147
Ukrainians are pressing for a transparent Iranian investigation. Because the interests of Boeing (plane) and Russia (TOR) are so diverse we might get some real information on the "accident".
What I take from googling around is that ADS-B is a completely insecure protocol, has been known as a completely insecure protocol and that Boeing is (partly?) responsible for setting this standard.
It is probably just another case of IT security costing money.
Posted by: somebody | Jan 17 2020 19:30 utc | 142
somebody@147
Interesting. Although I do find that article you link full of bias and propaganda as well.
From its complete avoidance of the many causes of the Euromaidan coup and the protagonists involved, to the Crimea and the many reasons for it's re-unification with Russia, to the accusations of Russia sending tanks and soldiers into eastern Ukraine, and the blame it all on Russia/Putin attitude.
That being said, Bentley comes across as a rather sad, and slightly deluded, figure.
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 17 2020 19:42 utc | 143
Ps. Should have left the "as well" off the end of the first sentence. Otherwise my comment becomes misleading in itself.
E&OE
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 17 2020 19:46 utc | 144
Peter AU1 148
Some anthropologists think depictions of hunting or game may have been for classroom-type teaching, in addition to whatever other purpose(s) cave painting was for.
Posted by: somebody | Jan 17 2020 19:14 utc | 147
"For years his media diet had consisted of a vast constellation of Kremlin-friendly fringe websites like Veterans Today and Global Research. (He later became a fan of Southfront, which appears “to be a Russian front that deliberately obscures its origins,” a State Department official told Politico.)"
USians are amazing.
informationclearinghouse is what the name says - they will accept anything fringe for clicks and spread disinformation with stuff that could make sense. They don't care.
Sounds like you would know all about disinformation, if you're a fan of the US State Department and agree with that MSM assessment of Veterans Today, Global Research, Southfront and I have to assume Moon of Alabama itself.
"The perspectives that he found there, from articles lamenting the shrinking American middle class to posts about the failures of the American justice system, resonated with his own experiences."
Those nasty Russians, telling such lies about America...
@ DFC | Jan 17 2020 18:58 utc | 144 I did not say they "mininukes" would solve anything, so we agree - they won't. This does not change the imperial logic.Generally I agree. Their delusional perceptions project their own ideas onto their opponent's. For example they assume Iran will surrender, because they themselves would. They indeed are not suicidal in the sense of intending suicide, but they are still suicidal because of their delusions.
Imperial Logic deems it essential that Empire never loses an important campaign. They are losing. Everybody knows except they themselves. All they have is attack. If they lose long enough they will face "pitchforks". Therefore they "double down". This is their only option...they must not allow defeat, no matter how high the cost. This is the logic of empire. They imagine that using atomics will cow the world. Bring the globe to heel. Such is their faith...and if it doesn't work, then the imagine they'll beam up to heaven in a rapture. What swell fellas!
@ Montreal | Jan 17 2020 19:00 utc | 145 (warning) Would indeed not surprise me either. By the way TASS has a little warning from brother Lavrov just today...saying NATO "seems" to be maneuvering and preparing for a genuine attack.
I have seen Russian statements about attack on build-up...destroy airfields..at Pravda...not best source, but it's a message.
............
Brother Comrade Marandi (S. Mohammad Marandi on twitter) has a nicely done interview. also on YT "Iran-Us tensions | Discussion with Professor Seyed Marandi" Is significant? I assume the Prof is Reserve G2....
Not the watered down second draft kind of thing. He reminds me of a fella I met once in Pasadena...naw, he's too young.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 20:23 utc | 147
Jon_in_AU | Jan 17 2020 19:42 utc | 150
That the article about Russell Bonner Bentley III/informationclearinghouse is biased is obvious. As the cited article from them it is an opinion piece. Must not be wrong, though.
"For years his media diet had consisted of a vast constellation of Kremlin-friendly fringe websites like Veterans Today and Global Research. (He later became a fan of Southfront, which appears “to be a Russian front that deliberately obscures its origins,” a State Department official told Politico.) The perspectives that he found there, from articles lamenting the shrinking American middle class to posts about the failures of the American justice system, resonated with his own experiences."
Similar persons I experienced in Germany as well. And I can understand why it resonated with them.
Whatever: within this particular context it is the last thing one can cite in a public environment without loosing any credibility in a second. That was the reason I asked. Thank you, @somebody, for helping out.
What I learnt from friends from the Near East is this: the Iranian hit on that base was a straight huge triumph that most people there admired. From the opposite view it was a disaster for the USA. There weapons were simply not able to defend them.
And to fight against this political disaster just in the right moment this airplane was shot down. Against any achievable reason it was kind of televised. Impossible unless someone had prior knowledge. The people who organized reporting it at the NYT were, as a source, heavily contaminated (Bellingcat, what means MI6, propaganda platform).
These people are not stupid. Politically the only way to fight the triumph of this propaganda is to dissolve it in the acid of doubt and reason based scepticism. For this purpose informationclearinghouse is then not suitable.
It is good practice to look at the person or institutions first if one is confronted with a surprising content. This site fails this Lackmus test.
So my personal impression, opinion, now is: to fly any aircraft without a functioning transponder in this particular situation creates havoc. If this havoc is properly televised the people who filmed it must have known about it before it happened. So they are those who caused the problem.
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 17 2020 20:47 utc | 148
Russ | Jan 17 2020 20:17 utc | 153
Sorry, this sounds like a disappointed fanboy. Apparently you are not accustomed to discuss with people outside of your own filter bubble. There are 1001 and more reasons to be extremely picky with what mentioned sites deliver. Your accusation boils down to „this guy is outside of my bubble“. Not good enough.
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 17 2020 20:53 utc | 149
Hausmeister@155
"to fly any aircraft without a functioning transponder in this particular situation creates havoc. If this havoc is properly televised the people who filmed it must have known about it before it happened. So they are those who caused the problem."
I concur. The whole situation stinks. It smacks of a pre-prepared narrative, with ready-to-go footage for the masses.
Why is a rich playboy in a poor area at 6am with a camera...etc,etc.
I will just live in own (slightly deluded) hope that the investigation is transparent, and will uncover the truth, and the guilty will face justice. Very naive of me, I know.
I think it would be advantageous for 'b' to start to develop an in-depth timeline of events for this case (probably already is), as it has served him well previously.
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 17 2020 21:00 utc | 150
Marandi as I mentioned above speaks to the matter of the aircraft and much more. He says the radar transponder went off and that the Iranian radar showed several cm incoming. the mystery may be be a yankee ew spoof. (but I do not think he takes it that far. Interesting 12 minutes.
As to Texas. He's a typical Texan that decided after a stint in the federal joint to go fight the coxkcukers what pizzed him off. Of course he cast the die. Such is the combination of pathos and heroism when Fate decides. He's in this like the guys with him whose grandfathers fought against Franco - that is win or die. If this makes him crazy in the eyes of some, it makes him heroic in other eyes. But yes indeed, he's an odd-ball. A man made extreme by circumstance. Also Orthodox Christian and Communist, and married. He jokingly said he come back to the US, if in a Red Army APC (with the implication that this would be an occupying force). His goal in life, after defeating the nazis, is opening a Tex-Mex Restaurant in the Donbass. Sounds like a good idea. One "problem" with US prisons is that the fellas may go in nice guys, but they come out pissed off, and often well-read in Marx..."Texas" is exceptional only because he's known to us and has a flair for salesmanship and drama.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 21:14 utc | 151
Hausmeister 156
No idea what you're babbling about. I am indeed picky with what any site delivers. Right here at this site recently I strongly disagreed with b on two subjects and said so.
Here "my accusation boils down to" the commenter implicitly confounding all alternative sites (he makes a point of gratuitously, approvingly copying the smear on Global Research, Southfront and others) in his unevidenced allegation against informationclearinghouse.
I don't think I've been to that site in years, but I'd have to see some evidence of what qualifies as their Russian-agent "disinformation". Just as I'd like to know how two sites I know well, Veterans Today and Global Research, qualify as "Kremlin-friendly fringe websites". The commenter must agree with that assessment, otherwise why copy it?
In the absence of examples I say "Not good enough."
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 17 2020 20:47 utc | 155
It sounds possible what you say, I still have the problem with two rockets being fired at a defenseless plane and the plane still being able to fly on (turn even).
My guess is that the TOR system fired at something close but different. Similar to MH17 where they fired at a Ukrainian fighter jet which may have been flying in the shadow - or not.
Posted by: somebody | Jan 17 2020 21:27 utc | 153
Walter | Jan 17 2020 21:14 utc | 158
Thank you. Nice take. "Texas" is exceptional only because he's known to us and has a flair for salesmanship and drama."
But from exact this reason the guy and unfortunately at first glance what he tells is unsuitable for any non-Texas consumption.
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 17 2020 21:28 utc | 154
After CNN and the pathological liar Warren did their best to make Sanders look good this week, he goes right back to sheep-dogging form, willingly playing a geek role in this typical Washington geek-show:
Of course one expects no better from a scammer like McKibben, but how do the Sanders fans explain such abject role-playing on the part of their would-be hero? Shouldn't their version of Sanders be denouncing the nihilism and cynicism of Schumer and those cheering on his purely theatrical fake gesture and naming them complicit in this awful legislation?
Unless, of course, Sanders' No vote was equally for show.
I understand that 60% of world trade is now done without the dollar. If people stopped buying tires at Walmart, the value of those on shelves would go down. I gotta think this applies to dollar reserves. I'm very surprised that China/Russia haven't come up with an alternative system for the sanctioned world to use, even if was just currency swaps and barter. Maybe China doesn't want to wreck the dollar because they hold a Trillion $ in reserves.
Posted by: Eighthman | Jan 17 2020 21:41 utc | 156
Hausmeister | Jan 17 2020 21:28 utc | 161 (Texas)
Yes. The language he uses and the rhetoric he employs "fail to suspend disbelief" in his audience. I find his language a bit offensive, and I like the guy - one can't forget what he's done is to leave everything and cast himself and his faith to the Fates. Classically heroic. Most heroic men are a bit nuts...Texas is not an exception. He would benefit from a formal class in rhetoric though.
If I see him at the gate I'll buy him a drink, if it is permitted. But I expect he'll get killed fighting in Donbass.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 17 2020 21:52 utc | 157
Walter | Jan 17 2020 21:52 utc | 164
Believe me that I would buy him a drink either. The entertainment will be worth the buck. But I would not cite any piece of him as a kind of proof or argument in public discussions. I am in Europe.
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 17 2020 22:11 utc | 158
Hausmeister
Texas is an officer in the psychological warfare department of a foreign military with which it might be construed that my country is at war. I can like him, see him in historical context, but there can be no question of helping him or coordinating with him.
Historically such men often lie, and also often speak the truth. He strikes me as interesting. He is without doubt entirely dedicated to his course in life, entirely sincere.
He explains (you will have to search for his website) in an essay that he calculates the US will confront Russia in mid April with an ultimatum, which will be rejected... He's sketched a plausible argument for this claim. Texas may well have access to well-founded rumors, and he's an intel officer...
The way of these times, the disposition and character of things, inclines me to think Texas' prediction is correct.
We'll see.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 18 2020 0:22 utc | 159
Jon_in_AU 157
The person behind one of the videos has been arrested. The Iran investigation is, among other things, looking at EW.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jan 18 2020 4:11 utc | 160
Interesting read on Western interference in Persia/Iran by Peter Lang.
"Since 1870s all popular movements demanding #parliamentary #democracy in the #MiddleEast have been opposed by Western countries: through #coups, #invasions or #covert operations. My new chapter aims to shed light on the #Iranian case:"
Posted by: Tom | Jan 18 2020 6:15 utc | 161
Below is a ZH link to a story about the latest Boeing problems
Boeing Shares Slide On Reports Of New 737 MAX Software Issue
What isn't in the title is
"
There’s also the company’s failure to provide a combat-ready refueling tanker, nine years after Boeing won a competition for the $44 billion project.
“We require your attention and improved focus on the KC-46” tanker, General David Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff, warned in a letter four days before Dave Calhoun took over as chief executive officer of the company.
“The Air Force continues to accept deliveries of a tanker incapable of performing its primary operational mission.”
"
The financialization of Boeing has wrought this situation and since Boeing is another TBTF organization, it will be maintained on life support/govt. subsidy if necessary
Posted by: psychohistorian | Jan 18 2020 6:19 utc | 162
Walter | Jan 18 2020 0:22 utc | 166
Thank you again. Predictions are never easy, especially if they concern the future (Karl Valentin, a German comedian). Looking back in this thread the characterization of @somebody has been correct, no? A highly controversial source. No help to cite it.
Similar to this case:
"National Security
Justice Department investigates Sci-Hub founder on suspicion of working for Russian intelligence" - most likely just a trial of FUD to deter people from using Sci-Hub.
Source Washington Post
A post-truth epoch document. Whether a truth epoch ever existed we do not know.
Posted by: Hausmeister | Jan 18 2020 6:48 utc | 163
From Patrick Armstrong's SITREP January 16 2020. Bookmark for the next round of Russian athletes being accused of using drugs. A good and funny read.
RUSSIA, SPORTS AND DRUGS. It’s all fakery – Mark Chapman takes the trouble to put it all together.
Posted by: Tom | Jan 18 2020 7:12 utc | 164
139DFC
All the things you describe that will happen after an american nuclear blast on Iran or other country,will need time to develop.Well,maybe you are not aware ,there will be no time.Russia has warned american politicians and armies that in case of nuclear attack,how small the bomb,it will retaliate immediately to the launching sites and commanding structures,and the doomsday machine will execute.
So that's the thing to put in the head of the world's citizens,especially the americans,that no nuke will be left unanswered.Propagate this idea,please.
Posted by: willie | Jan 18 2020 12:52 utc | 165
@ willie | Jan 18 2020 12:52 utc | 165 Lavrov spoke about NATO build up on Western border of Russia see TASS 1-17-20 TASS
see also Pravda "If NATO strikes Kaliningrad, Russia will seize Baltic in 48 hours" (Sudakov)
excerpt (to do with Boeing also)
"..."If the Americans launch a missile attack on Kaliningrad, then we will strike, say, Seattle, where largest US aircraft factories are located. Having destroyed those factories we will deprive the Americans of the possibility to build their aircraft. They will no longer be able to build up their fleet of military aircraft," said Mikhail Alexandrov...."
This is one of the reasons I tend to think Comrade Texas is correct about the business next April.
Seems to me, again, given the obvious delusional feedback since 1940's of chauvinist US propaganda...said feedback has now deluded several generations...given that, Walter is fairly sure they will nuke Iran, as within their delusions they can see no alternative to the nifty keen-o "W76-2 (7 kt) boom-et gadget, ever so attractive and easy to excuse in the name of goodness, and saving lives...
And yes, after that it gets really really interesting...
..................
M biologist> About drone swarms and the awareness... I am pretty sure they are jammable in theory and practice. A matter of necessary external input so as to know position in near real time - this means that a powerful EM field would induce error and even complete internal computational failure. If I were buying defense industries stocks I'd not buy drone stock, I'd buy catapults and black powder mills, bows and arrows, stick, stones, and coffin makers.
What is not jammable is the precision quasi ballistic hyper-sonic 10 kg gadget that can hit some schmuck's desk in his corner office...
BTW mr bio, there's a good article searchable under "can a biologist fix a radio". Pithy. You'll enjoy it.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 18 2020 13:52 utc | 166
I heard the US IS on decline while China is ascending...
BUt you cant put a good man down for long,
The world's no 1 'shit stirrer' has been on Stanozolol lately....
Violent color rev in HK.
'five liars' concerted smear campaign on 'Chinese spies in
Oz and TW..'
The above combined help Washington's bitch Cai Yin Wen
to sweep to a big victory in prez election.
Washington scheming to 'upgrade' the so-called Amerkkan Institute in TW to 'embassy' status, followed by ambassador posting.
THIS IS CHINA'S DECLARED RED LINE,
Intensive smear campaign on Xinjiang.
Stoking fire in SCS...
numerous skirmishes bet VN and PRC,
Now even the hitherto neutral Indonesia, which has no territorial dispute with China, has joined the fray.
Swine flu in China which almost wipe out the domestic pork supply,
Now a mysterious SARS like epidemic is spreading in Wuhan,
Now you know why PRC is building its navy like there's no tomorrow,
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 15:01 utc | 167
denk...they did/do this disease routine on Cuba, they did it on the Red Indians, and they did it to Korea and Chine... If they're doing it again, why, who wold be shocked?
see wikispooks "File:US-biowarfare in Korea.pdf" and'or "Korean War/Biological warfare"
They also do it to the people in the US, importing dope since they took over from the French after the war, Lyme disease, and maybe AIDS, and weaponized cancer...probably, (Doctor Mary's Monkeys) and probably a lot more.
Not that I object. But I know what we're seeing... It's systemic ROM with a bit of randomness. We only watch.
Posted by: Walter | Jan 18 2020 15:20 utc | 168
walter 168
They test it on their 'allies' too.
https://www.counterpunch.org/2010/05/31/top-killing/
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 15:27 utc | 169
A book review at monthly review "Setting the Record Straight on the Korean War"
Man, I'm an American, it hurts me to see this stuff...
"y argued that Korean and Chinese prisoners should be allowed to decide where they wanted to be released. Deane presents powerful evidence that as the two sides argued the issue, Korean and Chinese prisoners were brutally tortured in an effort to get them to defect. One chapter documents how wounded Chinese and Korean prisoners were used as guinea pigs for medical training and scientific experiments."
Posted by: Walter | Jan 18 2020 15:37 utc | 170
MSM is in the business of advertising,not the job of informing as widely believed.
"Britain secretly funded Reuters in 1960s and 1970s: "documents
"Israeli ministry paying for anti-BDS propaganda in major news outlets"
Posted by: arby | Jan 18 2020 15:46 utc | 171
walter 170
after ww2,
UNcle scam pardoned the UNit731 war criminals in exchange for
their experimental data on biowarfare.
Then it immediately made good use on that 'treasure trove', testing
it on the Koreans and Chinese civilians during the Korean war.
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 15:52 utc | 172
some of us are old enough to remember the domestic terror group Symbionese Liberation Army the FBI created back in the 70's to scare people into accepting more restrictions to their freedoms. Looks like someone found that old script and have created a little group called The Base
some may also recall that "The Base" becomes "al qaida" in arabic. Is it hubris, incompetence, or a twisted sense of humor that brought them to choose this name?
I suspect a bit of research would uncover some interesting sides to this story
Posted by: dan of steele | Jan 18 2020 15:56 utc | 173
denk @167
We know the "SARS like" illness in Wuhan is artificial.
How?
There are tens of thousands of fatalities from regular influenza in the US every year that warrant hardly a mention, but the western "Operation Mockingbird" mass media was breathlessly hyping a few dozen cases of pneumonia in Wuhan weeks before there was even a single fatality. How did they know this was a novel strain of coronavirus worth reporting about before Chinese bio scientists had even isolated and gene sequenced the virus? How did they know this could be a serious problem when only a few dozen people had been identified as being infected, and only a couple of those were displaying any serious symptoms?
No, the CIA had one of their tools out in a crowded area of Wuhan covertly spraying people with a test virus and they thought it would spread faster. They seeded the story to the Mockingbird mass media to hype it thinking it would quickly develop into a bigger deal, but the weeks of endless hysteria about a couple dozen cases of infection revealed their hand.
The only way to have had advanced knowledge about an outbreak of a novel virus is if you were in on the process of breaking out that virus.
Posted by: William Gruff | Jan 18 2020 16:07 utc | 174
William Gruff 174
2003...........
SARS AS ECONOMIC WARFARE
May 12. Toronto will suffer half a billion dollars worth of lost business. Economies in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and mainland China are taking heavy hits. Global airline $$ have fallen off.
And all because of a germ that isn't there, or is only there in the most minute quantities once in awhile.
It's quite sobering to see what a scare campaign can really do once it gets rolling, with major PR machines cranking out daily chunks of fear.
Trade wars go on all the time, and the US versus Asia is no exception. The US CDC has pitched in to put a major crinkle in Asia's economies.
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 16:18 utc | 175
Peter AU1@160
That is where I am up to myself in my current take on where things sit, although I have read today on RT that the black boxes are being sent to Ukraine, not France.
They site Tasnim News Agency, but it is finding hard to locate here in Australia (perhaps deliberately so).
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 18 2020 16:46 utc | 176
2003....
How convenient that Asia, and China in particular, is said to be the origin of this North American scourge at a time when Chinese–Anglo-American relations are strained to say the least.
In the days preceding the emergence of the first SARS cases, American raced to the Pacific Rim to impact escalating aggressions on the Korean peninsula. Communist China—a “most favored” trading partner with America, is politically allied with several American enemies, including those said to possess weapons of mass destruction, including Iraq.
Coincidental? Not likely when viewing the larger political picture involving the Ango-American oligarchy’s RMA and instigated “conflicts short of war
https://medicalveritas.org/sars-scam/
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 16:50 utc | 178
FFW 2010,
In the days preceding the emergence of the Wuhan virus scare, Washington launched a trade war blitzkrieg on China, USN raced to the Pacific Rim to impact escalating aggressions on the Korean peninsula, SCS, TW straits.
Communist China—a “most favored” trading partner with America, is politically allied with several American enemies, including those said to possess weapons of mass destruction, including Iran
Coincidental?
Ian Fleming's fundamental law of probability says....
Not likely when viewing the larger political picture involving the Ango-American oligarchy’s RMA and instigated “conflicts short of war
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 17:04 utc | 179
The CBS 60 minutes on Epstein (goog) was quite revealing.
A careful go-thru shows that all the photos of garroting (or hanging if one prefers) marks
on ‘a’ neck are never coupled with photos of Epstein’s face, only of the above-neck of
the 'Intruder’, the man pictured on a guerney going to the Presb. hosp.
Intruder nose has other shape, a shorter chin, as comp. to Epstein, note, the ears are completely different.
The Intruder face, allegedly of Epstein being brought to the hospital on a guerney,
in all the original photos, at the time, is taken up again, by CBS.
See ear, the kind of bulbous shape at bottom of it.
Garrot marks with bottom of ears that are very particular, and correspond to all pix of the ‘intruder’, from CBS
To be clear, some of the CBS pix may be of Epstein alive / his corpse / Idk, it is possible.
But — no pix show Epstein’s neck hung / garroted marks.
Btw Epstein left another note which can’t be read. (The note, complaining about guards,
shown in CBS is in Epstein’s hand.) This pic also shows fanciful winding, displaying, etc. of orange cloth strips,
of which there are about 6-8 in the cell, as if a child wound and hung strips about to be ‘creative’.
I could post pix of them all but getting too link heavy.
https://theblemish.com/images/2020/01/Jeffrey-Epsteins-autopsy_-A-closer-look-0-49-screenshot.png
This windy strip is enough to show fanciful party spirit which has nothing to do with hanging a person.
Posted by: Noirette | Jan 18 2020 17:07 utc | 180
if you are interested in reading something about the SLA that I referenced in my Jan 18 2020 15:56 utc | 173
please have a look at an old newspaper clipping from the Ann Arbor Sun, January 22, 1976
Posted by: dan of steele | Jan 18 2020 17:16 utc | 181
Reposting a reply to Hausmeister (from the "How Trump Rebelled Against The Generals" thread), to a location more suitable:
Hausmeiseter@121
I can't say that I've dug into that in detail, although I do recall reading the post.
What I would like to say, however, is that the Cyprus question is one of the pivotal pieces in the current geopolitical situation.
A few points warranting further investigation to try and tie into a coherent whole:
1) The Cyprus banking crisis c. 2012-2013. This includes Russian oligarch/mafia money, and whether it was squirreled out of there before the buy-in orchestrated collapse of Laiki Bank of Cyprus as well as who was behind this push (IMF/NATO/GER/etc)
2) The Turkstream (1 & 2) gas projects (from which Turkey will extract considerable transit fees for decades to come). This also supports one of the main pillars of the Russian Federations' economy. Links also to US hegemon trying to kill off Nordstream 2.
3) The plans/MOU for Israel, Cyprus and Greece to build an undersea gas pipe network. This will effectively by-pass Turkstream, and is probably behind the push to have Israeli claims over the Golan Heights crystallise (along with the US staying put in Syria and Iraq). I also recall reading about ISIS shipments of stolen Syrian oil taking a cross-country route through Turkey to end up being refined in Israel, and on-sold to Greece (and others). This points at another whole behind-the-scenes dynamic.
4) Recent attempts by Turkey to get involved in Libya, create a new exclusive maritime zone, develop gas of the coast of Cyprus, and now military involvement. This is drawing rebuke from Israel, as it will scupper their planned pipe network. Greece likewise is now trying to send in troops (as observers/peace-keepers, LOL).
Cyprus is also rallying around to try and stop the Turkish plan from going ahead.
5) Recent arrests of Israeli intel assets in Cyprus of late also adds further heat to the situation.
I would really need to dedicate months of my life to try and untangle all of this, and by the time I did the situation would have moved on. (reminds me of the quote from Wagelaborers' blog: “We’re an empire now, and when we act, we create our own reality. And while you’re studying that reality – judiciously, as you will – we’ll act again, creating other new realities, which you can study too, and that’s how things will sort out. We’re history’s actors . . . and you, all of you, will be left to just study what we do.”
Karl Rove)
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 18 2020 15:35 utc | 140
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 18 2020 17:22 utc | 182
More fun with climate:
Ross McKittrick review of both Hausfather (says early models are accurate) and Curry&Lewis (says they're not) source
Net net, Professor McKittrick says the Hausfather analysis isn't totally wrong, but is overall wrong because the IPCC (and other early climate pioneers) have bait & switched the "Business as Usual" scenarios from the 1970s through to today.
In particular
In the 1970s, models (blue) had a wide spread but on average encompassed the observations (though they pass through the lower half of the spread);In the 1980s there was still a wide spread but now the observations hug the bottom of it, except for the horizontal line which was Hansen’s 1988 Scenario C;
Since the 1990s the IPCC constantly overstated emission paths and, even more so, CO2 concentrations by presenting a range of future scenarios, only the minimum of which was ever realistic.
More specifically, many of the early and present worst case assumptions assume much higher average carbon emissions per person, worldwide, than actual history has shown
Although global total CO2 emissions have grown quite a bit since 1970, little of this is due to increased average per capita emissions (which have only grown from about 1.0 to 1.4 tonnes C per person), instead it is mainly driven by global population growth, which is slowing down.
So even disregarding the discrepancy between actual temperatures and models - which is increasing, the panic-mongerers are over-egging the mix by doing things which McKittrick says:
What is especially egregious is that many authors are using the top end of the scenario range as “business-as-usual”, even after, as shown in the ZH19 graph, we have had 30 years in which business-as-usual has tracked the bottom end of the range.
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 18 2020 17:31 utc | 183
as Walter pointed out already,
[[[they]]] did use the swine flu on Cuba ..
https://shadowproof.com/2009/04/26/rumsfeld-cheney-swine-turkey-feathers-and-cia-deja-vu-in-cuba/
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 17:32 utc | 184
To clarify...
[[[ ]]] => CIA/MI6, OR TPTB, OR FIVE LIARS.
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 17:36 utc | 185
And more on the one of the core assumptions behind model projections: ECS
Calculation of ECS in observed data sets by Frank Bosse yields:
I calculated the climate sensitivity in a temporary standstill period (or slightly decreasing) as it was detected in the observations of the EEI during 1999 to 2018. The ECS value of 1.72K as the best estimate is in excellent agreement with the value found in LC18, 1.66K using the then current C&W GMST dataset (see Tab.3 of this paper). sourceThe published ECS-values of the CMIP6 models have a mean above 4 K (see this recent paper) that is higher by a factor of 2.4 than observed here. This growing discrepancy between observed values of ECS reduces the credibility of the high model estimates.
Hansen, IPCC etc have stated ranges for ECS from 1.8 to 3.5 (Hansen) or 4.5 (IPCC).
The problem is that nothing historical ECS (from pure CO2 doubling) should be 1.8 - and actual observational temperature increases reflect this number.
The panic-mongering scenarios, however, all focus on far higher ECS numbers: 4, 5 or even higher.
You can easily see the game here: consistently choose the worse case scenario in an otherwise scientifically consistent range of potential outcomes, then accelerate it by changing the parameters of a key driver (CO2 emissions). Works great for an academic paper, but the problem is that reality isn't matching the outcome of this huge thumb on analysis results.
Posted by: c1ue | Jan 18 2020 17:37 utc | 186
Zionist shill, Alan Dershowitz, is part of Trump's legal dream team for the Senate's show impeachment trial. He claims he's there to defend the Constitution, not Trump. Excuse me while I barf at the load of bull crap this shyster spinmeister is trying to pull out of his orifice.
The ONLY reason Dersho is there is to protect the goose laying the golden eggs for Zionism; protect the Constitution my ass!
The founders are spinning in their graves at the travesty of pettifoggery on display with Dersho's devious, oppotunistic interpretation of the Constitution.
Posted by: Circe | Jan 18 2020 17:48 utc | 187
CIA MOTTO....
Proudly overthrowing the Cuban government since 1959.
[sobs]
Blowing up a passenger plane full of Cubans in 1976. (In 1983, the city of Miami held a day in honor of Orlando Bosch, one of the two masterminds behind this awful act; the other perpetrator, Luis Posada, was given lifetime protection in the same city.)
Giving Cuban exiles, for their use, the virus which causes African swine fever, forcing the Cuban government to slaughter 500,000 pigs.
Infecting Cuban turkeys with a virus which produces the fatal Newcastle disease, resulting in the deaths of 8,000 turkeys.
In 1981 an epidemic of dengue hemorrhagic fever swept the island, the first major epidemic of DHF ever in the Americas. The United States had long been experimenting with using dengue fever as a weapon. Cuba asked the United States for a pesticide to eradicate the mosquito involved but was not given it. Over 300,000 cases were reported in Cuba with 158 fatalities.
These are but three examples of decades-long CIA chemical and biological warfare (CBW) against Cuba. We must keep in mind that food is a human right (although the United States has repeatedly denied this).
Posted by: denk | Jan 18 2020 17:48 utc | 188
denk. Considering that real actions betray actual unstated intent, one might be tempted to conjecture and speculation about whether the post-war treaties were ratified by fraudulent mean...the UN Charter, the NPT...all of them. One might be tempted to that legalistic view...
about Korea and China and those goodfellas at 741 goog >
ISC-Full-Report-Pub-Copy.pdf
Posted by: Walter | Jan 18 2020 18:40 utc | 189
Jon_in_AU
Links to Tasnim english version.
world news https://www.tasnimnews.com/en
all news https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/latest-news?page=1
Have looked for the report on flight recorders being sent to Ukraine but cannot find it. Both sputnik and RT are reporting it so possibly in the Iran language version.
https://www.tasnimnews.com/
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jan 18 2020 18:56 utc | 190
Peter AU1@190
Thanks.
Duck Duck was leading me everywhere but there, strangely.
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 18 2020 19:13 utc | 191
Jon_in_AU
duckduckgo has been heavily censored since 2013-2014 (brings most liked ect - euphemisms for censored). For anything political, yandex search works well.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jan 18 2020 19:24 utc | 192
Further to @190/191...
Failed.
I was hoping to either see a picture of a black box, follow the link, and cut and paste into translator. No Joy. Alternatively, I tried translating 'black box' to Farsi and text-searched the front page, to no avail. Tried Ukraine too, to no avail.
I'll just wait for further confirmation then (not sure I can spare the time to learn Farsi in the short-term).
Posted by: Jon_in_AU | Jan 18 2020 19:28 utc | 193
For those in this forum who try to convince us and spread the US/UK propaganda on that the truth on the Spanish Civil War was that told by George Orwell, obvious anti-communist British agent, through his reports and books...
Another contributor to the Information Research Department (IRD) was George orwell, who worked for the BBC. The British writer wrote a list pointing to 125 people from the world of culture who had communist sympathies..
https://twitter.com/Amor_y_Rabia/status/1217497150633934851
This is like pretending that the truth about WWII and the USSR was that told by Robert Conquest, self-confessed MI6 agent, or Solzhenitsyn, CIA agent...
Posted by: Sasha | Jan 18 2020 19:58 utc | 194
@Posted by: Sasha | Jan 18 2020 19:58 utc | 194
Orwell's infamous list for the Information Research Department (IRD)
https://twitter.com/Amor_y_Rabia/status/1217498909053980674
Posted by: Sasha | Jan 18 2020 20:01 utc | 195
Jon_in_AU
From the RT piece "Hassan Rezaeifar told Tasnim News Agency on Saturday that once the flight recorders are transported to Kiev, experts from the US, Canada and France will work to extract the data from them."
Hassan Rezaeifar is head of Iran's civil aviation authority. He seems to be bad news for Iran. He was one of if not the leading voice in saying the plane had not been shot down.
Sputnik has this "The Tasnim news agency quoted the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry as saying that Iran authorised Ukrainian specialists to conduct the analysis of the black boxes."
Hassan Rezaeifar may well be speaking out of line and be over ruled by the military, who I think are conduction the investigation. The military informed the government early on that they believed they had shot the plane down, but this Hassan Rezaeifar refused to believe it and kept telling the world and Iran government that it had come down due to tech problems until evidence was found in the wreckage.
He may well have agreed to something with Ukraine, but we will have to wait and see. The west is refusing to send software required for downloading the information, but as the investigation includes looking at EW, I cant see Iran giving the flight recorders to a western stooge where they will no longer have control. Once they are in another countries hands, Iran it is doubtful Iran will ever get access to the information on them.
Posted by: Peter AU1 | Jan 18 2020 20:07 utc | 196
Not a fascist in the European Parliament without a photo with Puigdemont. God breeds them and the wind heaps them...
https://twitter.com/arqueoleg/status/1217551811948830725
Posted by: Sasha | Jan 18 2020 20:11 utc | 197
A Tale of Two Envoys
Two envoys. Two different points of view. Two different sets of priorities.
The Obama/Hillary/Sarkozy legacy lives on.
One would think the UN would put an end to the charade considering its mission. But the oil must flow. And what of Libya's gold that could be spent to rebuild the country?
UN envoy to Libya
U.N. envoy hopes for, but cannot predict, speedy reopening of Libya oil ports
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-security-envoy/un-envoy-hopes-for-but-cannot-predict-speedy-reopening-of-libya-oil-ports-idUSKBN1ZH0AQ
Libyan envoy to the UN
Libya civil war: UN envoy Salamé says foreign intervention must end
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-51161758
(I've got news for Salamé. TPTB will never respect the wishes of Libyans to live in peace.)
Posted by: Curtis | Jan 18 2020 21:21 utc | 198
I have previously said that there are arguments in favor of the idea of a showdown in April. A coordinated strategy to force Russian to heel from Ukraine to Syria to Western Europe...
In this respect yet another buttressing warning, mixed with leftist German news from a nice old communist...see "DEFENDER AND SPEARHEADS
Berlin Bulletin No. 172 January 17 2020 Victor Grossman"
excerpt>
"...One month after the air raid in 1945 American GI’s freed Dortmund, just one day too late to save a last group of over 300 German antifascists and slave laborers from France, Belgium, Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Poland, the USSR, whose bullet-ridden corpses their Nazi killers had dumped into a mass grave. Three weeks later GI’s and Red Army men met and shook hands on a bridge over the Elbe River. Ten more days and the Soviets overcame desperate resistance to finally free Berlin, ending a 12-year nightmare which cost an estimated 27 million lives alone in the USSR - including huge numbers of civilians in burned villages, starved, frozen, in countless mass graves like the one in Dortmund. Europe turned to healing its wounds, to repairing colossal destruction. It, and the whole world, yearned for lasting peace.
Now, 75 years later, we watch the incredible turn-around. The happy handshakes and yearnings of that momentous springtime seem fully forgotten, erased. Troop movements today promise anything but peace. Every two years military maneuvers encircle Russian borders; every nine months a new brigade of 4500 US soldiers was flown over to “gain experience”. This year it will be a division of 20,000, joined by soldiers from 18 countries, 37,000 in all.
The "Defender 2020" maneuvers will include mock attacks by Polish soldiers playing “the enemy” in tanks from one-time Soviet production. But at a press conference US Maj. Gen. Andrew Rohling, backed up by a German lieutenant general, insisted that the maneuvers are “not directed against Russia” but “simply to demonstrate a military ability to react quickly if it ever become necessary.” ..."
That "became necessary" fits like a glove...
Posted by: Walter | Jan 18 2020 22:37 utc | 199
The Battle for Emilia-Romagna....
La ‘selfiecracia’ de Salvini. Uno a uno, lleva ya 45 minutos...
https://twitter.com/DaniVerdu/status/1218576184856006663
Posted by: Sasha | Jan 19 2020 1:13 utc | 200
The comments to this entry are closed.
Posted by: john | Jan 17 2020 11:06 utc | 105
"Werner Herzog's 2010 documentary, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, makes a pretty convincing case for the "self-conscious" artist, 32,000 years ago. a beautiful film."
Thanks John. I've heard of it but not seen it yet.
Posted by: Russ | Jan 17 2020 11:40 utc | 101