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Monday, October 31, 2016
Obama Destroys Clinton/Reid Narrative "Does Not Believe Comey Trying To Influence Election"
Obama Destroys Clinton/Reid Narrative "Does Not Believe Comey Trying To Influence Election"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-31/obama-destroys-clintonreid-narrative-does-not-believe-comey-trying-influence-electio
John Podesta's Best Friend At The DOJ Will Be In Charge Of The DOJ's Probe Into Huma Abedin Emails
John Podesta's Best Friend At The DOJ Will Be In Charge Of The DOJ's Probe Into Huma Abedin Emails
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-31/doj-tells-congress-it-will-work-expeditiously-review-abedin-emails-there-just-one-pr
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-31/doj-tells-congress-it-will-work-expeditiously-review-abedin-emails-there-just-one-pr
Justifying the Saudi Slaughter in Yemen
Justifying the Saudi Slaughter in Yemen
By Gareth Porter
The Obama administration has carried out a deliberately deceptive campaign accusing Iran of covertly sending arms to the Houthis by sea, a claim that Washington cites to help justify the Saudi massive air attack against the Houthis that began last year.
By repeating the accusation over and over, the administration has been largely successful in turning a dubious allegation into accepted fact, even though it is contradicted by evidence that is well-documented on the public record.
Secretary of State John Kerry introduced the new variant of the Obama administration’s familiar theme about Iran’s “nefarious activities” in the region two weeks after Saudi Arabia began its bombing in Yemen on March 26, 2015. Kerry told the PBS NewsHour, “There are obviously supplies that have been coming from Iran,” citing “a number of flights every single week that have been flying in.” Kerry vowed that the United States was “not going to stand by while the region is destabilized.”
Later, the administration began accusing Iran of using fishing boats to smuggle arms to the Houthis. The campaign unfolded in a series of four interceptions of small fishing boats or dhows in or near the Arabian Sea from September 2015 through March 2016. The four interceptions had two things in common: the boats did have illicit weapons alright, but the crews always said the ship was bound for Somalia – not Yemen and the Houthis.
But instead of acknowledging the obvious fact that the weapons were not related to the Iran-Houthi relationship, a U.S. military spokesman put out a statement in all four cases citing a U.S. “assessment” that the ultimate destination of the arms was Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.https://consortiumnews.com/2016/10/31/justifying-the-saudi-slaughter-in-yemen/
Sleight of Hand: Israel, Settlements, and Unauthorized Outposts
Sleight of Hand:
Israel, Settlements, and
Unauthorized Outposts
http://www.mei.edu/sites/default/files/publications/PF24_Kurtzer_Israelisettlements_web_0.pdf
Britain opens its first permanent military base in the Middle East in 40 years: New £30million Royal Navy facility to launch in Bahrain next month
Britain opens its first permanent military base in the Middle East in 40 years: New £30million Royal Navy facility to launch in Bahrain next month
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3884132/Britain-opens-permanent-military-base-Middle-East-40-years-New-30million-Royal-Navy-facility-launch-Bahrain-month.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=saudis_foil_terror_plots_search_for_cell_members&utm_term=2016-10-31
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
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Sunday, October 30, 2016
Doug Band To John Podesta: "If This Story Gets Out, We Are Screwed"
Doug Band To John Podesta: "If This Story Gets Out, We Are Screwed"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-30/doug-band-john-podesta-if-story-gets-out-we-are-screwed
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-30/doug-band-john-podesta-if-story-gets-out-we-are-screwed
Attorney General Lynch 'Pleads Fifth' On Secret Iran 'Ransom' Payments
Attorney General Lynch 'Pleads Fifth' On Secret Iran 'Ransom' Payments
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-29/attorney-general-lynch-pleads-fifth-secret-iran-ransom-payments
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Putin-Obama trust evaporates
Putin-Obama trust evaporates
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-putin-obama-20161030-story.html
FBI Found "Tens Of Thousands Of Emails" Belonging To Huma Abedin On Weiner's Laptop
FBI Found "Tens Of Thousands Of Emails" Belonging To Huma Abedin On Weiner's Laptop
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-10-29/fbi-found-tens-thousands-emails-belonging-huma-abedin-weiners-laptop
Friday, October 28, 2016
What Putin says vs the expert's view
Hillary Clinton's Foreign Policy: Doing Stupid Stuff by Bruce Fein
http://www.huffingtonpost.
Hillary
Clinton, Democratic presidential nominee, has derided “Don’t do stupid
stuff” as a worthless organizing principle of President Barack Obama’s
foreign policy.
But her substitute of “Doing stupid stuff” is even worse.
As Secretary of State during President Barack Obama’s first term, Ms.
Clinton single-handedly compounded problems of international terrorism,
nuclear proliferation, war, refugees, and human rights from North Korea
and China to South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa to Europe and
Russia.
In sum, Ms. Clinton foreign policy makes former President George W. Bush look like a Talleyrand, Metternich, or Bismarck.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-fein/hillary-clintons-foreign_b_12693016.html?
Only Making Matters Worse in Syria
https://consortiumnews.com/201
Only Making Matters Worse in Syria
Exclusive:
Washington’s foreign policy establishment is determined to escalate
U.S. military attacks in Syria even though that won’t resolve the
conflict and will only get more people killed, a dilemma addressed by
Daniel Lazare.
By Daniel Lazare
Middle East policy has reached an inflexion point, a moment when Official Washington seems to be caught in the middle between escalation and retreat.
On one hand, the rhetoric has not been more militant since Hillary Clinton’s famous “we came, we saw, he died” moment in October 2011. With Barack Obama halfway out the door and Clinton all but crowned, Washington’s laptop bombardiers are rejoicing that the half-measures are over and judgment day nearly at hand.https://consortiumnews.com/2016/10/28/only-making-matters-worse-in-syria/
By Daniel Lazare
Middle East policy has reached an inflexion point, a moment when Official Washington seems to be caught in the middle between escalation and retreat.
On one hand, the rhetoric has not been more militant since Hillary Clinton’s famous “we came, we saw, he died” moment in October 2011. With Barack Obama halfway out the door and Clinton all but crowned, Washington’s laptop bombardiers are rejoicing that the half-measures are over and judgment day nearly at hand.https://consortiumnews.com/2016/10/28/only-making-matters-worse-in-syria/
Next U.S. President’s Toughest Assignment Will Be Putin
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/
Whoever wins the U.S. election less than two weeks away is going have a rough time managing the relationship with Russia.
At an annual gathering of Russia specialists, President Vladimir Putin didn’t just deliver his by now familiar tirade against perceived U.S. wrongdoings on the global stage, he also detailed why he feels it is no longer worth trying to work with Washington.
“It is impossible to agree with you. What is agreed is not implemented,” Putin said of the U.S., speaking through a simultaneous translator during a panel and question-and-answer session that lasted three hours.
Looking more relaxed and confident than in recent years, Putin cited examples going back to an alleged verbal agreement by the U.S. not to enlarge the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He also dwelled on a recent and short-lived truce in Syria. That cease-fire, he said, collapsed when the U.S. promised and failed to separate moderate Syrian rebels from terrorist groups in Aleppo and instead bombed a Syrian army base that killed more than 60 soldiers.
The U.S. has said that attack was an error, and that Russia should have given the peace effort more time before resuming hostilities. Secretary of State John Kerry has said the bombing of Aleppo could amount to war crimes.
The attacks on U.S. administrations past and present did not stop there. Putin went on to say Russia was sick of the high-handed treatment by Americans over the past quarter of a century: Instead of being consulted as an equal partner, Russia would be presented with decisions as faits accomplis.
Whoever wins the U.S. election less than two weeks away is going have a rough time managing the relationship with Russia.
At an annual gathering of Russia specialists, President Vladimir Putin didn’t just deliver his by now familiar tirade against perceived U.S. wrongdoings on the global stage, he also detailed why he feels it is no longer worth trying to work with Washington.
“It is impossible to agree with you. What is agreed is not implemented,” Putin said of the U.S., speaking through a simultaneous translator during a panel and question-and-answer session that lasted three hours.
Looking more relaxed and confident than in recent years, Putin cited examples going back to an alleged verbal agreement by the U.S. not to enlarge the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He also dwelled on a recent and short-lived truce in Syria. That cease-fire, he said, collapsed when the U.S. promised and failed to separate moderate Syrian rebels from terrorist groups in Aleppo and instead bombed a Syrian army base that killed more than 60 soldiers.
The U.S. has said that attack was an error, and that Russia should have given the peace effort more time before resuming hostilities. Secretary of State John Kerry has said the bombing of Aleppo could amount to war crimes.
The attacks on U.S. administrations past and present did not stop there. Putin went on to say Russia was sick of the high-handed treatment by Americans over the past quarter of a century: Instead of being consulted as an equal partner, Russia would be presented with decisions as faits accomplis.
Beyond Fraternity: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Righting Relations with Russia
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/
Righting Relations with Russia
Working through our challenges with Russia will be worth the next president’s time.
By William Courtney | Contributor
Oct. 27, 2016
MOSCOW
– The next U.S. president will inherit a troubled relationship with
Russia, but one that over a quarter century has brought much benefit
despite severe challenges. America has not sought to isolate or weaken
Russia, but opposes its aggression, as in Ukraine, and humanitarian
threats, as in Syria. U.S. engagement has helped Russia build a stronger
economy and be more open to the world. The Kremlin's current
anti-Western stridency coincides with rising internal repression, which
may limit what the next U.S. president can do to improve relations.
Puzzlingly,
Russian state media is now spewing war scare rhetoric. Some observers
say this presages renewed aggression in Ukraine; others that the aim is
to deter America from challenging Russia in Syria. It may also reflect
leadership worry about popular unrest, implied also by the recent shift
to direct Kremlin control of
a 400,000-strong armed force. In any event, policy toward America will
remain forceful, and at times be harsh or unpredictable. http://www.usnews.com/opinion/world-report/articles/2016-10-27/whether-trump-or-clinton-next-president-should-strive-to-work-with-russia
Selling ‘Regime Change’ Wars to the Masses
Selling ‘Regime Change’ Wars to the Masses
https://consortiumnews.com/2016/10/28/selling-regime-change-wars-to-the-masses/
Majority Believe U.S. Foreign Policy Has Made Americans Less Safe Over Last 15 Years
NEW POLL: Majority Believe U.S. Foreign Policy Has Made Americans Less Safe Over Last 15 Years
https://www.
Over half of Americans believe the military should be used less overseas during next administration https://www.charleskochinstitute.org/news/majority-believe-foreign-policy-made-americans-less-safe/
Watch Janis Clarke sing "Every Human Life is Sacred"
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Guest Post by Haviland Smith: Why your vote counts
The Rutland Herald
Commentary
October 28, 2016
Why your vote counts
The polls would seem to show that many of those who have made the decision not to vote are younger people who facing their first or second elections.
Those who plan not to vote are the voters who really need to take a second look. Why? Simple. Because there will be a number of Supreme Court justices appointed by the next president.
The Constitution gives the Supreme Court the power to overrule, if necessary, the actions of the president and Congress. In that context, the court has ruled in Citizens United that corporations and wealthy individuals may contribute, virtually without limit and at will, to political parties and candidates, in effect diluting the strength of the individual American’s vote.
Additional Roberts court rulings materially affect our lives in the areas of securities fraud, affirmative action, banking, campaign finance, wiretapping, the loss of personal freedoms, picture IDs for voters, and voting rights.
Where does the Constitution ban abortions? It bans murder, but does not tell us when abortion slides into murder. The court tells us that. What makes them more competent than medical doctors or ministers?
There is serious dissent, particularly in the law-enforcement community, about Roberts court decisions on gun rights. The Constitution protects gun ownership as follows: “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” In the face of massive annual gun deaths, it’s hard for the vast majority of Americans to understand how that enables the decisions that the Roberts court has made that curtail any and all attempts, not to take handguns or semiautomatics away, but to make gun ownership safer.
Additionally, against the Jeffersonian dictum of the “separation of church and state,” a phrase accepted by virtually any American who can understand the Constitution, one now sees the current court edging into a practice of favoring one religion over other belief systems in matters of taxation, schools and monuments.
Where does all of this lead us? It leads to one extraordinarily important fact of American life that is all too often overlooked by voters. When we vote for presidential candidates, we are voting for future Supreme Court justices, almost all of whom, depending on our political and philosophical leanings, will make decisions that will make life either better or more contentious and difficult for large groups of our citizens.
What it says is that when you cast your vote for president, whether or not you like him or her, you had better be absolutely certain that your candidate shares your values and philosophy. If you truly believe that the Roberts court has improved life for all Americans, vote for a Republican, the more conservative the better.
Why? Because the president elected in 2016 will appoint up to five new justices. Four of the current members of the court are now over the age of 70. The Scalia seat is already open.
On the other hand, if you believe that wealthy individuals and organizations should not own either parties or candidates; that women should have control over their bodies; that Americans are often venal, cut legal corners and must be monitored to comply with existing laws; that we are in the process of losing our personal freedoms in the forlorn hope of gaining security; that we need to have background checks for gun purchasers and rule out those who are criminals or insane; that there is no place in the land for those who would underhandedly and illegally curtail anyone’s voting rights; that there should be more equity in the lives of all our citizens and that we need to decrease, not increase, the economic gap between the haves and the have-nots in America, then you need to pay attention to what the candidates are saying right now.
Your choice for president will be gone in four or eight years, but your vote will change the political posture of the court for decades to come, either for better or for worse. You had better make it count, for it will directly affect you, your children and grandchildren for most of your lives.
Haviland Smith is a retired CIA station chief who served in Prague, Berlin, Beirut, Tehran and Washington, as executive assistant in the director’s office and as chief of the counterterrorism staff.
Is Turkey Pivoting To China?
Is Turkey Pivoting To China?
By By Michael Singh, / Thursday, October 27, 2016 10:00 AM
As Turkey looks for alternative
partners, it is not Russia or Iran but China that offers the most
promise, so the United States should shore up its own ties with Ankara
in response. U.S.-Turkish relations were strained before the July coup
attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and they have only
worsened since. Turkish officials
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Top White House Economist: AI Isn’t Going to Steal Jobs
Top White House Economist: AI Isn’t Going to Steal Jobs
What really worries him is that we don’t have enough artificial intelligence yet.
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602722/top-white-house-economist-ai-isnt-going-to-steal-jobs/?utm_source=MIT+TR+Newsletters&utm_campaign=f5e3936d78-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_10_27&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_997ed6f472-f5e3936d78-153856085&goal=0_997ed6f472-f5e3936d78-153856085&mc_cid=f5e3936d78&mc_eid=e25735476a
Opinion: It’s lose-lose for AT&T shareholders in the Time Warner deal
Opinion: It’s lose-lose for AT&T shareholders in the Time Warner deal
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/its-lose-lose-for-att-shareholders-in-the-time-warner-deal-2016-10-26?utm_source=MIT+TR+Newsletters&utm_campaign=f5e3936d78-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_10_27&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_997ed6f472-f5e3936d78-153856085&goal=0_997ed6f472-f5e3936d78-153856085&mc_cid=f5e3936d78&mc_eid=e25735476a
The Week with IPS 10/28/2016
| 2016/10/28 |
Click here for the online version of this IPS newsletter
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Cities Address a Key Challenge: Infrastructure Needs
Emilio Godoy
“We as mayors have to govern midsize cities as if they were capital
cities,” said Héctor Mantilla, city councilor of Floridablanca, the
third-largest city in the northern Colombian department of Santander.
He told IPS that “citizens not only demand public services, but also
infrastructure; and ...
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Are Public Enterprises Necessarily Inefficient?
Jomo Kwame Sundaram
From the 1980s, various studies purported to portray the public sector
as a cesspool of abuse, inefficiency, incompetence and corruption. Books
and articles with pejorative titles such as ‘vampire state’,
‘bureaucrats in business’ and so on thus provided the justification for
privatization ...
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Climate Doomsday – Another Step Closer
Baher Kamal
Almost inadvertently, humankind is getting closer everyday to the point
of no-return towards what could be called the ‘climate doomsday’.
Now, globally averaged concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the
atmosphere has surged again to new records in 2016… and will not dip
below pre-2015 ...
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UN Cuba Embargo Vote: United States Abstains for First Time
Tharanga Yakupitiyage
After 25 years of voting against a United Nations resolution condemning the United States (U.S.) embargo on Cuba, the U.S. Wednesday
chose for the first time to abstain from voting. An overwhelming 191 UN
member states voted for the resolution, with only Israel joining the
United States in ...
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Cuba’s Fish Farming Industry Seeks to Double Output by 2030
Ivet González
Protected from the sun by broad-brimmed hats and long- sleeved shirts,
workers at the La Juventud fish farm throw fish feed into the tanks for
the tilapias, a fish that is scarce and in high demand in the Cuban
markets.
“Production grew significantly due to a combination of factors: sex
reversal ...
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Kenya Greens Drylands to Combat Land Degradation
Justus Wanzala
Faced with growing degradation that is swallowing large swathes of land
in arid and semiarid areas, Kenya is heavily investing in rehabilitation
efforts to stave off the threat of desertification.
Charles Sunkuli, secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural
Resources, says a programme ...
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Who Should Lead the WHO Next?
Lyndal Rowlands
Health problems increasingly transcend the borders of the World Health
Organization’s 194 member states, a challenge which the six candidates
vying to lead the global body must address with care.
Those 194 member states will pick the next Director-General of the
world’s peak health body in ...
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Farming Brings Stability to Remote Villages in Papua
Kafil Yamin
Only two decades ago, Usku, Molof and Namla, three villages in Senggi
District, Papua, were the battlefield of feuding tribes fighting for
their ulayat (communal land). Afra, the triumphant tribe, then settled
in the villages and led a life of hunting and gathering.
Their semi-nomadic lifestyle ...
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Limitless Cigars and Rum for U.S. Tourists in Cuba
Rose Delaney
After more than a half-century of a commercial, financial and economic
embargo, U.S.-Cuban trade relations took a significant step forward this
month.
On Oct. 14, the Barack Obama administration announced a round of
executive actions designed to increase trade and travel with Cuba. One
of these ...
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Governments and Social Movements Disagree on Future of Cities
Emilio Godoy
The Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban
Development and the alternative forums held by social organisations
ended in the Ecuadorean capital with opposing visions regarding the
future of cities and the fulfillment of rights in urban areas.
On Thursday Oct. 20, the ...
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Funding Inclusive Education for Children with Disabilities in Developing Countries
Lindah Mogeni
About half of the world’s 65 million school-age children with
disabilities in developing countries are reportedly out of school,
according to a new report regarding inclusive education funding for
children with disabilities.
Inclusive, equal and quality education for persons with ...
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